Pop Goes Fiction

An Available Man by Hilma Wolitzer

2012-02-10T21:38:00.011-06:00

Edward Schuyler is in his early sixties when his wife, Bee, passes away. Never having children of their own, Bee's two children from a previous marriage, Nick and Julie, are particularly close to him, as is Bee's elderly mother, Gladys. An Available Man follows Edward on his journey into singlehood and his reluctant attempts at dating after the kids place a personal ad for him. With depth and humor, Wolitzer creates a memorable novel that's similar to Anne Tyler, Stewart O'Nan, and A. Manette Ansay's novel Midnight Champagne.

Julia's Child by Sarah Pinneo

2012-02-07T12:21:00.020-06:00

Julia Bailey is the creator and owner of an organic company that produces and sells food for children. She's attempting to juggle her home life (with her husband Luke and two young sons Jasper and Wylie) and her ambitions to see her small company, Julia's Child, grow. Luckily, she has the help of her hard-working assistant/co-owner, Marta, to keep her on track. Julia finds that reaching her dream of being in Whole Foods is not without its sacrifices and pitfalls. Julia's Child was so much fun! It is a light and humorous look at contemporary motherhood. Pinneo really knows her audience and is able to present the story in a really enjoyable way. For readers of Jennifer Weiner and Katherine Center's The Bright Side of Disaster.

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

2012-02-05T08:58:00.005-06:00

The magazine Millennium is getting ready to publish an article about sex trafficking in Sweden, written by Dag Svensson and researched by his girlfriend, Mia Johansson, followed by a book . Then Dag and Mia are found murdered along with Lisbeth Salander's guardian, Nils Bjurman. The prints on the gun belong to Salander, and she becomes the police's prime suspect. People who know Salander, such as Mikael Blomkvist and Salander's ex-boss, Dragan Armansky, set out to prove she's not guilty. What follows is a very leisurely-paced story that delves deeply into Salander's personal life. While reading The Girl Who Played with Fire is essential if you are going to read the trilogy, there is not enough of a story to support a five hundred page book. Although the characters lives do move forward, I longed for the intriguing puzzle contained in the first book and hope that the third book is more enjoyable.

The Professionals by Owen Laukkanen

2012-02-03T18:52:00.017-06:00

Four twentysomething friends have spent the last couple of years making a career out of kidnapping wealthy businessman for small amounts rather than huge payouts, figuring that the businessmen can afford the tens of thousands of dollars and will just forget about the incident and move on. But when Pender, Marie, Sawyer, and Mouse kidnap Donald Beneteau they neglect to discover that he's the husband of mob-connected Patricia Beneteau. Knowing they're in deep trouble, they begin to panic and find themselves on the run from both the Mafia and the team of Minnesota state investigator Kirk Stevens and FBI agent Carla Windermere. With the odds stacked against them, one wonders if they'll make it out alive. The Professionals is page turner that reminds me of Robert Crais recent novels, Thomas Perry's standalone books, and The Blade Itself by Marcus Sakey. It will be published in March and is slated to be a series with Stevens and Windermere as the series characters.

The Inspector and Silence by Hakan Nesser

2012-01-30T18:44:00.010-06:00

Chief Inspector Van Veeteren is asked to help out in the town of Sorbinowo while their chief of police is on vacation. Sergeant Kluuge has called Van Veeteren because he's received calls that a girl has disappeared at the Pure Life Camp. Pure Life is a religious sect headed by Oscar Yellinek and the camp has about twelve girls staying there over the summer. Van Veeteren, Kluuge, and their colleagues, however, are extremely frustrated because Yellinek and his followers, all female, are very tight-lipped about everything. When the body of a young girl is found murdered, the police wonder how they will unravel what exactly happened. The Inspector and Silence is the latest book to be published in the Van Veeteren series and, frankly, I enjoyed the previous ones a bit more.

Poison Flower by Thomas Perry

2012-01-26T12:19:00.016-06:00

James Shelby has been wrongly convicted of murdering his wife, Susan, so his sister hires Jane Whitefield to help him escape the courthouse. While Jim gets away, Jane is nabbed by some men who work for the real killer, who shoot her in the leg. Their aim is to get Jane to tell them where Jim is--and they will torture her to find out. When they discover that Jane has helped lots of people disappear over the years and that some people will pay handsomely to know where Jane hid them, they get even more excited. After hearing this news, Jane knows she has to find a way to escape, even though the odds are stacked against her. In this seventh novel in the Jane Whitefield series, Perry has written a novel filled with non-stop action. It's amazing to me that Perry is not as well-known as other authors who write this type of book: Lee Child, Robert Crais, and Michael Connelly. It will be published in March.

The House at Sea's End by Elly Griffiths

2012-01-23T18:26:00.025-06:00

In Broughton Sea's End, the bones of six men, their arms bound with rope, are found at a cliff fall. Forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway assists DCI Harry Nelson by revealing that the skeletons are from seventy years ago, probably during World War II. In his inquiries, Nelson ascertains that Broughton Sea's End had a Home Guard during the war, made up of local residents charged with protecting the coast from German invaders. When one of the Home Guard members who's still alive tells Nelson that he could never reveal if the Home Guard saw any action because they took a blood oath, Nelson becomes ever more sure that something tragic happened during the war, leaving six people dead. On a personal level, Ruth is learning to balance motherhood with her job and fighting her love for Nelson (the father of her baby, Kate) because he's still happily married to his wife, Michelle. This third book in the Galloway/Nelson series is as good as the first two. I love the characters and the setting and can't wait for the next one. In my post for The Crossing Places, I gave several readalikes. I now would also add Deborah Crombie and Louise Penny to that list.

The Expats by Chris Pavone

2012-01-21T13:13:00.032-06:00

American Kate Moore decides to leave the CIA when her husband, Dexter, gets a job in Luxembourg. Since the birth of her two young sons, Kate has taken a safe office job rather than being out in the field. Kate, however, has kept it a secret from Dexter that she ever worked for the CIA in the first place. Dexter's choice of employment is also a bit of a mystery. He travels a lot and tells her that he's doing electronic security for a bank. However, Kate finds it suspicious that she's never met anyone who works with Dexter and that she never sees any paystubs. Kate and Dexter become friends with another expat couple from the States, Julia and Bill. Kate slowly realizes that they aren't who they say they are, either. Kate begins to delve into all three lives to try and figure out what's going on. She also wonders if someone is watching her too. The Expats is an engaging spy thriller that has broad appeal because of its female main character, setting, and a storyline that leaves politics on the sidelines, which is a plus for me. It will be published in March.

The Odds by Stewart O'Nan

2012-01-19T07:32:00.006-06:00

Art and Marion Fowler have been married for thirty years. On Valentine's Day weekend, broke, they decide to make a return trip to Niagara Falls, where they honeymooned, to try and win a large amount of money at the casinos before they divorce. Told through the eyes of both Art and Marion, the reader sees how they feel about each other, their marriage, and the mistakes they made along the way. Complicating matters is the fact that Art would like to remain married, while Marion is looking forward to her freedom. Could a windfall change the situation? In The Odds, O'Nan vividly recreates the setting of Niagara Falls and the emotions of a couple who know each other so well. It's very similar to O'Nan's previous short novel, Last Night at the Lobster.

The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons

2012-01-15T17:24:00.022-06:00

In 1938, nineteen-year-old Elise Landau leaves her artistic family in Vienna to work as a maid at Tyneford in England. Her family believes it's the best place for her--it's getting harder for Jews to escape Nazi Austria. Elise's sister, Margot, has fled to California with her husband, Robert. Elise worries constantly about her her parents, Anna (a famous singer) and Julian (a novelist) because they haven't been able to leave Vienna yet. While at Tyneford, Elise practices her English and befriends Kit, the son of Tyneford's widowed owner, Daniel Rivers. She also struggles with her place in the household, since her family was fairly well off in Austria and she doesn't fit well with the servants. In The House at Tyneford, Solomons vividly recreates life at an English country house during World War II and Elise's life in her new country. For people who enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and the current miniseries on PBS Downton Abbey.

Defending Jacob by William Landay

2012-01-10T15:38:00.006-06:00

District Attorney Andy Barber's life is shattered when his teenage son, Jacob, is arrested for the murder of classmate Ben Rifkin. A single bloody fingerprint of Jacob's is found on Ben's sweatshirt, and this evidence, combined with the fact that Ben bullied Jacob (which might serve as a motive for killing him) leads to Jacob facing trial. The lives of Andy and his wife Laurie slowly unravel as they participate in the trial and wonder if their son could be capable of such violence. Andy's secret that both his father and grandfather were murderers casts an even bigger pall over the family. As more secrets come to the surface, one wonders if Jacob will be found not guilty and if that could allow the family to heal. The novel will be published later this month.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

2012-01-08T17:12:00.027-06:00

Disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist decides to take a leave of absence from his magazine, Millennium, to work for wealthy industrialist Henrik Vanger for one year. Vanger hires Blomkvist to secretly look into the disappearance of his niece, Harriet, who went missing almost forty years ago on Hedeby Island, which is almost completely owned by the Vanger family. Blomkvist's cover story is that he is working on a book about the history of the Vanger family. While on Hedeby, Blomkvist becomes immersed in the dysfunction of the family and crosses paths with female tattooed hacker, Lisbeth Salander. Slowly, Blomkvist penetrates Salander's tough exterior and they begin to work the case together. With Salander's help, Blomkvist uncovers clues that just might lead them to find out what happened to Harriet all those years ago. Yes, considering my reading tastes, it's surprising that I haven't read this book years earlier. I really enjoyed it, although it's definitely leisurely-paced at times. The mystery of Harriet's whereabouts, dead or alive, I found completely absorbing. That aspect of the book reminded me a lot of books by Henning Mankell. I found the story of Millennium and Blomkvist's career less compelling. Surprisingly, to me, Salander did not dominate the book as I thought she would. I did really like it, though, and look forward to reading the other two books in the series. Two other observations: the original Swedish title, Men Who Hate Women, is really more appropriate for the book and it's obvious that Larsson has a fondness for mysteries because of the titles he name-drops throughout the novel. Another read-alike for Stieg Larsson would be Jo Nesbo.

Taken by Robert Crais

2012-01-04T16:28:00.014-06:00

Nita Morales hires private detective Elvis Cole to find her daughter, Krista, who has disappeared with her boyfriend, Jack Berman. Elvis slowly discovers that they have been taken by "bajadores," people who kidnap illegal immigrants that have just arrived in the United States. They then try to get a ransom from their victims' families back home. When the families can no longer pay, the immigrants are killed. After Elvis himself is taken prisoner, it's up to his partner, Joe Pike, to rescue all three of them. Taken is the latest book in the Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series and will be published later this month.

My Favorite Books of 2011

2012-01-02T19:07:00.037-06:00

Two thrillers, a couple of mysteries, and a novel about a woman reflecting on her life make up my favorite reads of 2011. My list reflects that I read more mysteries and thrillers than any other genre this past year.

In alphabetical order by author:

Now You See Me by S.J. Bolton

What a series debut! An in-depth police procedural with lots of twists and turns.

Back of Beyond by C.J. Box

The setting of Yellowstone and characters you care about make the book unputdownable.

Trespasser by Paul Doiron

The combination of an interesting puzzle, a main character who is growing with each book, and a well-developed sense of place make this second book of the series a favorite.

Emily, Alone by Stewart O'Nan

A realistic, quiet novel encompassing the thoughts and feelings of a Pittsburgh widow.

The Informationist by Taylor Stevens

An exotic locale with a tough-as-nails heroine make this my favorite thriller of last year.

The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths

2011-12-31T14:35:00.008-06:00

Forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway is called to a building site in downtown Norwich because human bones have been discovered. When the bones turn out to be from a child (missing the head), the police-- specifically DCI Harry Nelson--are called in. Later, bones from a cat, also without a skull, are found. Nelson and his team trace the property's ownership to wealthy Edward Spens and look up previous occupants of the home being demolished—a children's home run by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, with Father Patrick Hennessey in charge. Father Hennessey reveals that a brother and sister did go missing in the 1970's and were never seen again. The police focus on finding out more about Martin and Elizabeth Black, the children who disappeared, and test the bones to see if they're from the right time period. Ruth, meanwhile, becomes more comfortable with her approaching motherhood, but discovers that someone is trying to scare her to death. Another enjoyable entry in the Ruth Galloway series.

The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths

2011-12-30T17:07:00.029-06:00

Dr Ruth Galloway is a professor of forensic archaeology at the University of North Norfolk. DCI Harry Nelson asks her to look at some bones found near Saltmarsh to figure out how old they are. Ten years ago, a young girl named Lucy Downey disappeared and the case has haunted Nelson ever since. He has even been receiving letters from the possible killer over the years. When Ruth carbon dates the bones as being from the Iron Age, Nelson is disappointed, as he thought he could finally bring Lucy's parents some closure. Ruth, single and nearing 40, is happy with her life and the isolation of her cottage near the Saltmarsh with her two cats. After meeting Nelson, however, she finds him in her thoughts even though he's married. When a girl named Scarlet Henderson goes missing and one of Ruth's cat is killed and left on her doorstep, Ruth and Nelson find themselves drawn together to catch a killer. The Crossing Places is the debut of a new series that has a great sense of place and an interesting main character in Ruth. I thoroughly enjoyed it. For readers who like Erin Hart, Gail Bowen, Julia Spencer-Fleming, and the Loretta Lawson mysteries by Joan Smith.

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

2011-12-29T09:57:00.012-06:00

In the not-too-distant future, Hannah Payne wakes up in the “Chrome ward” with red skin because she had an abortion. Her skin color reflects the crime of murder and she spends thirty days in the Chrome ward with television cameras watching her every move. While on trial, Hannah refused to name the father of her baby--the married man she is in love with, her pastor Reverend Aidan Dale. After leaving the ward, Hannah goes to the Straight Path Center and suffers through extreme humiliation and prejudice and decides to escape. But with “Chromes” marginalized in American society and everyday life fraught with danger, how will Hannah survive? In this contemporary retelling of the The Scarlet Letter, Jordan has written an absorbing novel about identity, religion, and love. If you enjoy When She Woke, try The Things That Keep Us Here.

The Inquisitor by Mark Allen Smith

2011-12-27T15:11:00.014-06:00

Geiger is in the business of information retrieval. His job is to torture people until they tell the truth to his clients. His biggest rule is that he doesn't work with children. When he is mistakenly given a boy named Ezra to try and extract the whereabouts of Ezra's father, David Matheson, Geiger rescues Ezra from his client and goes on the run. The client, though, and his henchman, Hall, Ray, and Mitch, will stop at nothing to retrieve Ezra. Geiger, meanwhile, with no memory of his childhood, begins to slowly remember it. The Inquisitor will appeal to people who liked The Cleaner and books by Lee Child. It will be published in March.

Elegy for Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear

2011-12-19T15:22:00.024-06:00

In 1933, private detective Maisie Dobbs is hired by five men who knew her when she was a girl to find out if the death of Eddie Pettit at Bookhams, a paper factory, was an accident or murder. Eddie worked with the horses at Bookhams and did errands around the place. As Maisie delves into Eddie's life, she finds not everyone liked him, despite his gentle, kind nature. When Maisie's assistant, Billy, is viciously attacked and put in the hospital, she feels personally responsible, since he was questioning factory workers. She also wonders what information someone is trying to keep secret. Against the backdrop of Hitler's rise to power and how it affects England and the rest of the world, Winspear has written another mystery that's hard to put down. With its combination of intriguing characters and interesting historical backdrop, Elegy for Eddie is another winner. It will be published in March.

Silence by Jan Costin Wagner

2011-12-16T19:45:00.015-06:00

When a teenage girl named Sinikka goes missing in the same place that another girl disappeared and was found murdered thirty-three earlier, the authorities, especially recently retired police detective Ketola, believe the cases are connected. The death of Pia Lehtinen always weighed on Ketola's mind and he uncovers from the police department's basement the model he created of Pia's murder scene. He gives all this old material to his colleague, Kimmo Joentaa, who is in charge of the new case. Joentaa speaks to both Pia's and Sinikka's families, trying to find some connection between the girls. While Joentaa's investigation moves forward, real estate agent Timo Korvensuo slowly becomes unsettled when he hears of Sinikka's disappearance. It turns out he knows who killed Pia... Silence is the third book in the Kimmo Joentaa series and is most similar to the mysteries of Karin Fossum.

The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbol and Agnete Friis

2011-12-13T16:54:00.022-06:00

Nurse Nina Borg is reluctant to help her friend, Karin, when asked to get a suitcase from a train station locker. After retrieving the suitcase, Nina is stunned to discover an unconscious three-year-old inside. When she starts to report the incident to the authorities, she witnesses a muscular, angry man bashing in the locker from which she took the suitcase. Not confident that the boy would be safe if she turned him in, Nina decides to keep him with her and try and find out who he belongs to. The reader follows Nina on her dangerous journey to make things right. In the novel, the points of view of the boy's mother (Signita) and Jucas (the man hunting Nina and the boy) are also explored. The book reminded me of The Night Ferry by Michael Robotham. For readers who enjoy Scandavian mysteries by Sara Blaedel and Liza Marklund.

The Innocent by Taylor Stevens

2011-12-07T20:51:00.024-06:00

Vanessa Michael Munroe is asked by her best friend, Logan, to rescue his teenage daughter Hannah from a cult in Argentina. Years ago, Hannah was kidnapped by her mother's boyfriend and taken back to the cult (after a series of escapes). Hannah's days consist of menial chores, praying, and being the plaything of a powerful local man, Mr. Carcan. She has hardly any memories of her real parents. With help from Munroe's friend, Bradford, they pinpoint the cult's locations around Buenos Aires and set up listening devices. Munroe then goes undercover within the cult. But suddenly, Munroe's plans have to quickly change and she has little time to rescue Hannah... The Innocent is the second book in the Munroe series and, while good, can only pale in comparison to the first, The Informationist, which is one of the best books I've read this year, because of its originality and fast-paced storyline. It will be published later this month.

Murder Season by Robert Ellis

2011-12-01T19:29:00.019-06:00

When LAPD detective Lena Gamble is called to the murder scene at a hot Hollywood club, she knows that both the media and her colleagues will be watching her closely. When the victims turn out to be the owner of the club, Johnny Bosco, and a man named Jacob Gant, the pressure on her increases considerably. Gant was recently found not guilty of killing his sixteen-year-old neighbor Lily Hight, but the public sentiment was that he was guilty. Many are still emotional about the verdict and what they see as the city's mishandling of the case. When Lena discovers that Gant and Bosco were working together to find Lily's murderer, she realizes that she must go back to the beginning, delving into Lily's personal life and death to solve her case. Murder Season is the third book in the Lena Gamble series and is a great read-alike for Michael Connelly and Robert Crais because of the L.A. setting, pacing, and characterization.

V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton

2011-11-22T15:46:00.009-06:00

When Kinsey Millhone alerts a store associate about a shoplifter, she has no idea that she will end up with a broken nose on her birthday. As a private detective, Kinsey feels it's her duty to report the woman. But when the woman, Audrey Vance, ends up dead in what the authorities believe is a suicide, Kinsey is hired by Audrey's fiancee to find out about her past. Kinsey finds herself entangled with an ex-con whom she considers a friend, a crooked cop from her past, and the mob. In V is for Vengeance, Grafton has written another mystery that's hard to put down. In using multiple points of view to tell the story, she has made the characters multi-layered and interesting. Kinsey's personality shines brightly.

Knit One Pearl One by Gil McNeil

2011-11-20T10:56:00.019-06:00

Jo is now the mother of three. The youngest, her daughter Pearl, is fifteen months old. Jo's also opened up a tea shop next door to her knitting store, with her Italian friend, Connie. Juggling her businesses along with being a mom, she's helped by her Gran and Connie's niece, Cinzia. Her love life is still in flux--she's finding it hard to carve out time to spend with Martin (nicknamed "Dovetail" because of his love of woodworking). Her relationship with Pearl's dad (famous photographer, Daniel) is also unresolved. In Knit One, Pearl One, the stories of Jo and the residents of the seaside English town of Broadgate continue with the series' typical tones of humor, warmth, and togetherness. My only complaint with this third book in the series is that it could have had more of a plot. It will be published next month.

A Killer's Christmas in Wales by Elizabeth J. Duncan

2011-11-12T08:06:00.011-06:00

It's Christmastime, and the small Welsh village of Llanelen welcomes a newcomer, American Harry Saunders. Wealthy widower Evelyn Lloyd is smitten, and even though several friends try to warn her about Saunders, she puts 20,000 pounds into a joint account with him. He and the money go missing and he is then pushed to his death at Conwy Castle. Local amateur sleuth and spa owner Penny Brannigan is asked by Mrs Lloyd to try and find out who murdered Saunders, since Lloyd is a suspect. With inside information from her boyfriend, DCI Gareth Davies, she might just be able to do that. A Killer's Christmas in Wales is the third book in the Penny Brannigan series, and I throughly enjoyed it, even though I guessed the murderer very early on. For readers who like the mysteries of M.C. Beaton, the Evan Evans series by Rhys Bowen and Wicked Autumn by G.M. Malliet.

Season of Darkness by Maureen Jennings

2011-11-10T18:30:00.019-06:00

All of England is shaken by the events of Dunkirk during World War II. When land girl Elsie Bates is murdered in the small rural village of Whitchurch, the relationship between the townspeople and the German nationals who are imprisoned at a camp outside of town becomes even more uneasy, even though the men are mostly intellectuals and don't seem to have Nazi ties. DI Tom Tyler of the Shropshire constabulary works with his colleagues to find out who would want Elsie dead. But when someone else is killed, a mild panic sets in. It soon becomes clear that there is a connection to the camp and maybe even a killer in its midst. Season of Darkness is the first book in this mystery trilogy. I really liked the characters and the setting of a English town in 1940. If you like historical mysteries, give it a try.

Chelsea Mansions by Barry Maitland

2011-11-07T17:15:00.021-06:00

After visiting the Chelsea Flower Show, American tourist Nancy Haynes is pushed in front of a bus and killed. With cameras all around London, DCI David Brock and his colleague DI Kathy Kolla are able to trace the movements of the murderer right after the crime. But who would want Nancy dead and would go to the trouble of committing the crime while she was on vacation? Then wealthy Russian expat Mikhail Moszynski is found stabbed to death near his home, which is near the hotel at which Nancy was staying. This leads Brock and Kathy to wonder if the cases are connected. Kathy delves into the pasts and lives of both Nancy and Moszynski in order to solve both cases. Chelsea Mansions is the latest book in the Brock/Kolla series and would appeal to people who like complex police procedurals such as Peter Robinson, Deborah Crombie, Peter James, and Elena Forbes.

The Shadows in the Street by Susan Hill

2011-10-31T17:25:00.011-05:00

Someone is murdering prostitutes around Lafferton, and the police, including DCS Simon Serrailler (just back from a sabbatical), are at a loss for suspects, even though good samaritan Leslie Blade and one prostitute's abusive boyfriend are being looked at. Meanwhile, Simon's sister, Cat, is still in mourning for her husband, Chris, who recently passed away. Cat is worried about how Chris' death is affecting their three children and wonders how she'll cope without the strong support system of her father and stepmother, Judith (who plan on spending a year in the U.S.). In The Shadows in the Street, Susan Hill has written another police procedural that will appeal to fans of Deborah Crombie, Ruth Rendell, and Elizabeth George.

Bad Moon by Todd Ritter

2011-10-23T15:52:00.017-05:00

In 1969, on the evening of the moon landing, ten year old Charlie Olmstead disappeared. Now, forty years later, Nick Donnelly, a former police investigator, is looking into the case. Charlie's younger brother, Eric, a best-selling novelist, has moved back to town and discovers that his recently deceased mother believed that Charlie was kidnapped and not killed when he fell into Sunset Falls (as the police assumed). Kat Campbell, the Chief of Police --and involved with Eric when they were teenagers--also aids in the search. The group finds that the Olmstead's neighbors on their cul de sac at the time all had secrets and that other boys also disappeared in the years around 1969. In Bad Moon, Ritter continues the series that he began with Death Notice, I thoroughly enjoyed both the characters and the engaging storyline. I look forward to going back and reading the first book.

As the Pig Turns by M.C. Beaton

2011-10-19T15:12:00.012-05:00

Policeman Gary Beech has been making enemies, giving tickets for questionable offenses. When private detective Agatha Raisin and her friends attend a festival in the small village of Winter Parva, Agatha notices that the pig on the spit is sporting a tattoo with the word "Amy" which leads to the discovery that it's not a pig, but the body of Gary Beech. Agatha is then hired by Beech's ex-wife, Amy, to find out who's responsible for his death. But when Amy is found murdered, Agatha and her employees (Toni, Patrick, and Phil) and her friends, Roy, Charles, and even ex-husband, James band together to find out the truth even if it means putting their own lives in danger. As the Pig Turns is the latest mystery in the long-running Agatha Raisin series, which is always a treat.

A Small Death in the Great Glen by A.D. Scott

2011-10-17T16:04:00.017-05:00

It's 1956 and the memory of World War II still looms large for residents of the Highlands. Married Joanne Ross has taken a job as a typist at the local weekly newspaper, the Highland Gazette. She works alongside editor-in-chief McAllister, subeditor Don McLeod, and young reporter Rob McLean. When a young boy, Jamie, is murdered and the last people to see him alive are Joanne's two girls, Joanne finds herself immersed in the crime and investigation. Joanne's colleagues are determined to find justice for Jamie, especially when the police botch the case by arresting a recent Polish immigrant. Joanne is also struggling to make the best of a bad marriage for her children's sake. While a little long, A Small Death in the Great Glen's strength lies in the portrayals of the relationships between Joanne and her co-workers and the sense of place in 1950s Scotland.

The Hand that Trembles by Kjell Eriksson

2011-10-10T18:55:00.016-05:00

Sven-Arne Persson disappeared from Uppsala, Sweden twelve years ago and has been living under a false name in Bangalore ever since. His secret existence is about to come to an end when someone from his hometown comes into contact with him. Sven-Arne, however, has no desire to be found and has been declared dead by his wife back home. What was he running away from? Meanwhile, police detective Ann Lindell is in charge of finding out why a foot has washed ashore in a small community outside of Uppsala and who it belongs to. The Hand that Trembles is the fourth book in the Ann Lindell series and is leisurely-paced. It reminded me of the mysteries of Helene Tursten and Yrsa Sigurdardottir.

The Drop by Michael Connelly

2011-10-04T19:53:00.019-05:00

Detective Harry Bosch and his partner, David Chu, are given the case of the 1989 murder of college student, Lily Price. They work as part of the Los Angeles police department's Open-Unsolved Unit and are asked to delve into this case again because there's been a recent DNA hit from the lab. The problem is that the DNA is from a man named Clayton Pell, who was eight years old at the time of Lily Price's death. Knowing that Pell can't be the killer, they wonder if the lab messed up the results. If so, it could cast a pall over cases decided by DNA in Los Angeles County. Bosch is then surprised when his former department nemesis (and now L.A. councilman) Irvin Irving requests that he head the investigation into Irving's son's death at the Chateau Marmont. It first looks like suicide, but Bosch isn't too sure. By featuring two interesting cases, having Bosch battle the bureaucracy and politics of the LAPD and giving insight into his personal life, Connelly has made this one of the best books of the series. It will be published next month.

Wicked Autumn by G.M. Malliet

2011-09-30T19:40:00.014-05:00

Wanda Batton-Smythe runs Nether Monkslip's Women's Institute with an iron hand, so it's not so surprising that she's found dead in the village hall during the Harvest Fayre. While allergic to nuts, it seems she's been poisoned by them. The local vicar, Max Tudor, formerly with MI5, is asked by the local police to assist them in their inquiries. Max, knowing the residents of his small village well, finds it hard to believe that one could be a murderer, but questions them, nonetheless. With details of English small town life and its inhabitants, Malliet has written a read-alike for readers of Caroline Graham, M.C. Beaton, and Rhys Bowen's Evan Evans series.

The Burning by Jane Casey

2011-09-27T21:01:00.017-05:00

A serial killer nicknamed "The Burning Man" is the talk of London. Already claiming four victims, it looks like the fifth is beautiful Rebecca Haworth. DC Maeve Kerrigan is assigned to look into the murder and starts by interviewing Rebecca's friends--Louise, Tilly, and ex-boyfriend, Gil. She also delves into Rebecca's past, including her time at Oxford, where a fellow student died under mysterious circumstances. Soon, Maeve begins to wonder if Rebecca's death is the work of a copycat. The Burning is told through the eyes of both Maeve and Louise and is similar to Tana French's and S.J. Bolton's masterful, Now You See Me.

Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante

2011-09-19T16:15:00.019-05:00

Jennifer White is a former hand surgeon who is slowly descending into demetia. She lives with a caretaker, Magdalena, but has trouble remembering who she is and what happens from day to day. Jennifer is also the police's prime suspect in the murder of her best friend, Amanda, who had several fingers removed from her hand. Of course, Jennifer can't help the authorities at all when they question her because of her condition. The book details Jennifer's day to day life though her unreliable eyes. The reader meets her overachieving daughter, Fiona, and son, Mark, who has a drug problem. As the novel progresses, one is immersed in Jennifer's murky world and wonders what is true and imagined. An absorbing read...

The Leopard by Jo Nesbo

2011-09-15T08:46:00.030-05:00

Inspector Harry Hole is reluctantly persuaded to come home to Oslo from a self-imposed exile in Hong Kong to aid in the case of a suspected serial killer. Two women have been murdered in a similar way and Harry's expertise is invaluable. Kripos, the NCIS, is officially running the investigation, so Harry and his two colleagues have to keep their actions secret. In addition, Harry's father is dying and he's developed a fondness for opium while on his sojourn. As he tussles with Mikael Bellman from Kripos and more bodies pile up, Harry tries to find a connection between the victims while struggling with the chaos in his personal life. The Leopard is the eighth book in the Harry Hole series and is much too long. It suffers from plot twist after plot twist, diluting the mystery. The Redeemer and The Snowman are better books.

The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta

2011-09-07T11:43:00.040-05:00

One day, people all over the world just disappear, never to be seen again. The residents of the town of Mapleton are affected by the event, called the "Sudden Departure," in different ways. Nora Durst lost her husband and two young children. The Garvey family had no one disappear, but teenager Jill lost her best friend. Now three years after the event, lives are still in an unsettled state. Kevin Garvey, father and husband, is now mayor of Mapleton. His wife, Laurie, has left the family to join the Guilty Remnant, a group that dresses in white, smokes constantly, takes a vow of silence and breaks ties with their loved ones. Tom, their son, has dropped out of college and is following a "healing prophet" called Holy Wayne. Jill has lost all interest in academics and is hanging out with Aimee (a bad influence), who has moved into the Garvey home with Kevin and her. Meanwhile without her family, Nora struggles to move forward with her life. Perrotta explores the choices people make when faced with a possible life-changing event. I enjoyed The Leftovers more than his last novel, The Abstinence Teacher, but not as much as Little Children which I loved.

The Stranger You Seek by Amanda Kyle Williams

2011-09-04T19:45:00.021-05:00

Ex-FBI profiler Keye Street has gotten her life mostly back together after losing her career because of her drinking. She now owns an investigating agency and spends her time serving summons and capturing bail jumpers. Keye is asked to lend her professional expertise to her friend, Atlanta police detective Aaron Rauser. Rauser is heading up the investigation in the case of a serial killer that the media has nicknamed the Wishbone Killer. The authorities know that he's committed at least four murders and Keye is helping them to try to figure out what ties the murders together and to come up with a possible profile of the killer. But when the killer starts to communicate directly with Keye and Rauser, they wonder if their lives are in danger, too. Will they be able to nab the person responsible before harm comes to them or someone else? The Stranger You Seek is the first book in the Keye Street series. The character of Keye, combined with the Atlanta setting and the suspense of hunting for a killer made this book an absorbing read. Similar to the Jo Beckett series by Meg Gardiner and the excellent Sarah Pribek series by Jodi Compton.

The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen

2011-08-31T09:47:00.008-05:00

Copenhagen homicide detective Carl Morck survives a shootout, but his two partners aren't so lucky. One ends up dead and the other, Hardy, is paralyzed. The episode gives his superiors the chance to push him out of the department because of his difficult ways. They banish him to the basement of police headquarters to head Department Q, which will be responsible for revisiting old cases that were never solved. Carl is given an assistant, Assad, who helps him with his first case, the disappearance of politican, Merete Lynggaard. She went missing five years earlier while on a ship with her younger brother, Uffe. The reader follows Merete's imprisonment by unknown assailants and wonders if she'll still be alive to be rescued if Carl can trace her whereabouts. The Keeper of Lost Causes is the first book in the Department Q series and its strength lies in the partnership of Carl and his colleague, Assad, who it appears is not merely the Syrian refugee he claims to be.

The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman

2011-08-29T19:23:00.023-05:00

Can a childhood secret stay buried forever? In The Most Dangerous Thing, late 1970's life in western Baltimore's Dickeyville is vividly realized through the eyes of members of three families. Gwen, Tim, Sean, Go-Go, and Mickey are the kids who explore the wilds of Leakin Park without parental supervision. There, they befriend a man they call Chicken George. One day something horrible happens that they try to put behind them as they grow to adulthood. Their parents, Tally, Clem, Doris, Tim, and Rita recount their lives as parents and involvement in the episode. In the present, Go-Go crashes his car into a wall, which intertwines the families' lives yet again. While the first third of the novel is very leisurely-paced, it soon builds up into an unforgettable story of the complicated relationships between parents and their children, between friends, and between husband and wife. I would rank this right below Lippman's standalone masterpieces, I'd Know You Anywhere and What the Dead Know.

Angelina's Bachelors by Brian O' Reilly

2011-08-26T08:57:00.012-05:00

When life hands Angelina D'Angelo the double whammy of widowhood and joblessness, she wonders how she'll survive. In her Italian neighborhood of South Philadelphia, she finds an answer by cooking breakfast and dinner in her home for some local bachelors. There's Basil Cupertino and his nephew, Guy, who live across the street. Johnny, who finds himself living alone after his grandmother moves to a home for the elderly. Jerry Mancini, a childhood classmate. Don Eddie and his driver, Big Phil who have loose mafia ties. Finally, Mr. Pettibone, a connoisseur of fine food. Over time, the group becomes like a family, bonding over meals. As a result, Angelina finds herself healing and moving forward without her husband, Frank. Angelina's Bachelors is a light, cozy novel with touches of humor and mouthwatering descriptions of food.

Outrage by Arnaldur Indridason

2011-08-23T08:50:00.025-05:00

Detective Erlendur is away on vacation and his colleague Elinborg is assigned to investigate the murder of Runolfur, a young man found with a large amount of Rohypnol (a "date rape drug") in his system. A woman's shawl is also discovered under his bed--it appears that he's probably been drugging and raping women. With that in mind, did one of his victims get revenge? Might someone else have had a problem with him? In Outrage, Elinborg's personal life is explored (mainly her strained relationship with her teenage son, Valthor). With Erlendur being the main character of the series, it was nice to see Elinborg more developed. On the other hand, I missed Erlendur's tortured soul.

The Accident by Linwood Barclay

2011-08-18T08:09:00.013-05:00

Contractor Glen Garber gets worried one evening when his wife, Sheila, hasn't come home yet from the business class she's been taking in the hopes of landing a high-paying job. He is stunned when the police tell him that Sheila caused an accident while driving drunk that took her life and two others. Left to be the sole parent to their 8-year-old daughter, Kelly, Glen is bereft and flummoxed because he never knew Sheila to be a reckless driver. When a friend of Sheila's is found dead and the police find her death suspicious, Glen tries to make sense of what's going on, but finds only more questions and people evading the truth. He also finds his life turning into an emotional and financial nightmare. In The Accident, Barclay has written another thriller that explores the dark underbelly of domestic suburbia. Suggested for people who like Harlan Coben.

Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close

2011-08-16T07:30:00.011-05:00

In Girls in White Dresses, the reader meets a group of female friends who went to Boston College together. Most of the scenes follow Isabella through her twenties as she moves to New York after university and tries to find fulfillment in her career and love life. Her friends Lauren's and Mary's lives are explored also. With humor and honesty, Close explores the interconnectedness of women's friendships and their individuality as they progress through life. It reminded me of Melissa Bank's The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing.

Where the Shadows Lie by Michael Ridpath

2011-08-14T17:44:00.023-05:00

Boston Sergeant Detective Magnus Jonson is wanted dead by a gang so he's shipped off to his birth country of Iceland to provide assistance for homicide investigations. Inspector Baldur Jakobsson of the Reykjavik CID isn't thrilled with the addition of Magnus, but he has no choice but to include him as part of his team. When professor Agnar Haraldsson is murdered, Magnus is plunged into the world of Icelandic sagas, folkore, and Tolkein's The Lord of the Rings in order to find the murderer. On the other side of the Atlantic, however, the gang is not about to give up their aim of eliminating Magnus. In Where the Shadows Lie, Ridpath (a British author of many other novels) begins a series that has some similarities to the other Icelandic mystery authors, Arnaldur Indridason and Yrsa Sigurdardottir, but carves out a niche with his descriptions of contemporary Icelandic society and nature. Magnus is also an interesting character with his American/Icelandic perspective. It will be interesting to see how the series develops.

The Affair by Lee Child

2011-08-10T16:19:00.019-05:00

It's 1997 and Major Jack Reacher is sent to Carter Crossing, Mississippi, which is located near the Fort Kelham army base. He is to go undercover and find out if a woman named Janice May Chapman was murdered by a local resident or someone from Kelham. Reacher's cover is blown almost immediately by the local sheriff Elizabeth Deveraux, who recognizes him as a military man (she was in the Marines herself). Things get more complicated when Reacher discovers that two more women were murdered in the same manner as Chapman and that he is attracted to Devereux. Reacher's mission is extremely sensitive because of military/local relations and orders from his superiors that aren't always honest or truthful. In The Affair, which is set before all the other books in the series, Child explores the reason Reacher left the army for the wandering life he leads now. It will be published next month.

Back of Beyond by C.J. Box

2011-08-06T09:18:00.018-05:00

Cop Cody Hoyt has begun to put his life back together after many years as an alcoholic. When his sponsor, Hank Winters, is found dead in his cabin, Cody finds evidence that it's murder, not suicide. After being suspended from work, he conducts a rogue investigation with his co-worker, Larry, and is stunned to discover than the murderer is probably on the same excursion through Yellowstone that his teenage son, Justin, is on. Determined to rescue Justin and avenge a good friend's death, Cody will not stop until apprehends the killer. Meanwhile, fourteen-year-old Gracie is on the Yellowstone trip with her divorced father and older sister and she feels apprehension about the people with her. Who among them is evil? Back of Beyond is the third standalone thriller by C.J. Box. With the main characters of Cody and Gracie, the descriptive Montana/Wyoming setting and non-stop action, Box has written a real winner.

Call Me Princess by Sara Blaedel

2011-08-02T17:11:00.022-05:00

Assistant Detective Louise Rick of the Copenhagen police department is assigned the brutal Susanne Hansson rape case because her superiors feel it's best to have a woman as the lead investigator. Susanne met the rapist in an online dating site and, as Louise delves into the case, it becomes clear that the perpetrator has hidden his tracks well. When he claims another victim--who this time dies as a result of the attack--evidence mounts against him, even though the authorities still don't know his identity. With the help of her colleagues and best friend, reporter Camilla Lind, Louise just might catch him. Call Me Princess is the second book in the Louise Rick series (the first hasn't been translated). I really enjoyed the book, especially its Danish setting since Denmark is underrepresented in Scandavian mysteries. It's similar to Liza Marklund's Red Wolf, but a better read.

Close Your Eyes by Amanda Eyre Ward

2011-07-31T08:32:00.021-05:00

When Lauren Mahdian was a child, her father, Izaan, was imprisoned for murdering her mother. Lauren stopped speaking to him, but her brother, Alex, always believed that Izaan was innocent. As an adult, Lauren is unable to move forward from this family tragedy. When Alex goes missing in Iraq, she realizes that she must delve into the past in order to have a future. In Colorado, meanwhile, Sylvia Hall, forty and pregnant, decides to leave her boyfriend and go back to New York City. In Close Your Eyes, the lives of Lauren and Sylvia intersect in an unsuspected way that allows both women to find some closure. A book that explores the bonds of family relationships and friendship that is similar to Caroline Leavitt's novels.

The Gallows Bird by Camilla Lackberg

2011-07-29T20:13:00.013-05:00

A reality show has begun filming in the town of Tanumshede with six self-absorbed contestants. The police, meanwhile, are stumped by a road accident death that seems, at first, to be a DUI, but soon looks like it could be murder. Patrik Hedstrom and his team struggle to uncover who wanted shop owner Marit Kasperen dead. Then, when one of the contestants is killed, the cops are overwhelmed by the workload and unprepared for the media spotlight. Will they be able to handle both cases? On a personal note, the investigations leave Patrik little time to prepare for his upcoming wedding to Erica, while she struggles to bring her sister, Anna, out of her depression. The Gallows Bird is the fourth book in the Patrik Hedstrom/Erica Falck series and has been published in the U.K., but not yet in the U.S.

Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner

2011-07-26T19:51:00.016-05:00

Jules Strauss, a senior at Princeton, is desperate to get her father the help he needs to treat his addiction, so she decides to donate her eggs to a local fertility clinic. Annie Barrow, meanwhile, has a load of debt, two young children and a husband, Frank, who is continuing his schooling so he can get a better job. Thus, she decides to be a surrogate. India Bishop and her older husband, Marcus, really would like a child of their own--although Marcus has three grown children, including his daughter, Bettina. In Then Came You, the lives of Jules, Annie, India, and Bettina intersect along the path to having a baby and all four women learn that the path can have a few bumps...

Summer of Love by Katie Fforde

2011-07-22T16:47:00.020-05:00

Single mum Sian Bishop decides to move out of London to the countryside to give her young son, Rory, a better life. After settling in to her rented house, she strikes up a friendship with her fiftyish next-door-neighbor, Fiona Matcham. Fiona introduces her to another mother, Jody, and includes Sian as a guest for a dinner party she's giving. The party is going smashingly well until Fiona's adult son, Angus, unexpectedly arrives. Sian is stunned to discover that Angus is actually Gus, the man she had a steamy one night stand with six years ago that resulted in Rory. Sian and Gus agreed that their encounter was a one-off because Gus was leaving on a long journey the next day. Afterwards, Sian had no way to contact him. Now, Sian still has strong feelings for Gus and wonders how she'll tell him and Fiona the truth. Complicating matters are Richard who's waiting in the wings for Sian to say yes to be with him and obnoxious Melissa, Gus' childhood friend who would like to be something more. Summer of Love is light, enjoyable English romance.

One Dog Night by David Rosenfelt

2011-07-20T17:30:00.014-05:00

Defense attorney Andy Carpenter would love nothing more than to spend time with his girlfriend Laurie and his golden retriever Tara--rather than take on a new client. But when Noah Galloway asks Andy to defend him against the charge that, six years ago, he set a fire that killed twenty-six people, he agrees...but only because Noah owned Tara before Andy. Noah believes he's guilty of the crime even though he has no memory of commiting it (he was a heavy drug user at the time). Now clean, he feels he should go to prison. But Andy and his team of investigators begin to find evidence that Noah was set up to take the fall. Will Andy persuade the jury to find Noah not guilty? One Dog Night is the latest mystery in the Andy Carpenter series. People who enjoy lighter mysteries--especially ones featuring dogs--should give the book a try.

The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen

2011-07-18T13:33:00.015-05:00

Boston cop Jane Rizzoli and her partner, Barry Frost are called to Chinatown, where they find a woman's severed hand, with her body nearby. The next morning, while performing the autopsy, medical examiner Maura Isles finds two gray hairs on the deceased, which turn out not to be human hair. The murder seems to be connected to the Red Phoenix massacre of almost twenty years ago, named after the restaurant that once occupied the site where the new body was found. The cook at the restaurant, Wu Weimin, killed four people before committing suicide. Jane and Frost decide to take another look at the old case to try and find a possible link. What they find is a connection to the mob, missing children, glimpses of a mysterious creature, and the possibility that Wu Weimin was innocent. In The Silent Girl, Gerritsen combines Chinese mysticism along with a fast-paced story.

Betrayal of Trust by J.A. Jance

2011-07-12T20:15:00.018-05:00

Special state investigator J.P. Beaumont and his partner (and wife) Mel Soames are asked to look into a disturbing video that was sent to the Washington governor's teenage step-grandson, Josh Deeson. They believe the girl being strangled in the video is dead and they are tasked with keeping their investigation secret until they can find out if Josh was involved. After interviewing Josh, Beaumont believes that Josh wasn't involved in the incident, but isn't being entirely truthful about not knowing her. Then Josh is found dead of a suicide and Beaumont and Mel are plunged deeper into the mystery of Josh and the girl. In Betrayal of Trust, Jance writes a mystery that's hard to put down because of the combination of a compelling story and Beaumont's likeability. It's been four years since Beaumont has had a book all to himself (the last Beaumont book also featured Jance's other long-running series character, Joanna Brady). More please...

Trespasser by Paul Doiron

2011-07-10T07:36:00.006-05:00

Young Maine game warden Mike Bowditch is called to a car/deer accident, but when he arrives the female driver has disappeared. Despite having a bad feeling about the situation, Bowditch hands the case over to state trooper Curt Hutchins. The next morning, though, he decides to try and find the driver, Ashley Kim. That evening, Bowditch and his friend, retired warden Charley Stevens, discover her dead. The manner in which Ashley was murdered is eerily similar to the death of another woman, Nikki Donnatelli, who died seven years ago. Her killer, Erland Jefferts, is in prison. But some believe Jefferts is innocent and have been petitioning for his release. With a myriad of suspects and questions about whether there is one killer or two, Bowditch cannot stop trying to uncover the truth-- even though it's not his job and despite the toll it takes on him. In Trespasser, Doiron has succeeded in writing a mystery that's even better than the first (I was definitely lukewarm about The Poacher's Son). I'm anxious to continue with Bowditch on his journey through rugged Maine. For people who enjoy C.J. Box, Steve Hamilton, and William Kent Krueger.

Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan

2011-07-08T08:54:00.004-05:00

The Kellehers have been spending their summers in Maine for over sixty years. Beloved patriarch Daniel won land in a bet and built a cottage, which his widow, Alice, still enjoys. Their daughter, Kathleen, now living in California, intensely dislikes her mother and rarely visits. Kathleen's daughter, Maggie, though, plans on spending time in June there with her boyfriend, Gabe. July belongs to Kathleen's brother Patrick's family--headed by his wife, Ann Marie. This summer the lives of all four women (Alice, Kathleen, Maggie, and Ann Marie) collide at the Maine property and the reader gets to know each woman intimately, focusing in on how she feels about being a member of the Kelleher family. For readers who enjoy novels about family relationships. A minor gripe: the cover of the book resembles none of the characters...

Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand

2011-07-06T08:02:00.008-05:00

Meredith Delinn has nowhere to turn when her husband, Freddy, is imprisoned for defrauding investors out of billions of dollars. Even though they've been estranged for a few years, Meredith's childhood best friend Connie agrees to let Meredith accompany her to Nantucket. Connie is having problems in her own life--she misses her husband, Wolf, desperately since he died of cancer and wishes she could mend the rift between her and Ashlyn, her only child. Meredith's sojourn proves difficult, since she's afraid she'll be recognized and be hounded by the press and angry people that believe she was an active participant in Freddy's misdeeds (even though she was in the dark). It becomes a waiting game to see if she'll be cleared of any wrongdoing and be able to move on. Luckily, a widower and an old flame come along to help lift Connie's and Meredith's spirits. In revisiting both women's lifelong friendship and marriages along with their daily summer routine, Hilderbrand has written another beach read that's hard to put down.

Until Thy Wrath Be Past by Asa Larsson

2011-06-25T09:45:00.004-05:00

The body of a young woman, Wilma Persson, missing since last Fall, is found in a local river. Wilma and her boyfriend, Simon Kyro, were diving, looking for a Nazi airplane, when they were murdered. Simon, however, is not found. District prosecutor Rebecka Martinsson is drawn into the case, helping the local police, including Inspector Anna-Marie Mella. After some tests, the authorities realize that Wilma died somewhere else and was moved. The investigation's focus soon shifts to the Krekula family, especially the adult sons, Tore and Hjalmar. The story delves into the lives of all the characters in this far Northern Swedish community--including Wilma's ghost. Until Thy Wrath be Past is the fourth book in the Rebecka Martinsson series and will appeal to people who like Karin Fossum, Camilla Lackberg, and Yrsa Sigurdardottir. It will be published in August.

Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister

2011-06-23T07:16:00.004-05:00

After beating breast cancer, Kate has a dinner party for her six friends (Marion, Daria, Caroline, Sara, Hadley, and Ava) who helped her through her illness. Kate is contemplating a trip to the Grand Canyon to go whitewater rafting with her daughter, Robin, but is hesitant. Marion suggests that Kate go with it and that, in turn, each of the other women do something that is different or intimidating to them. Everyone agrees, with the understanding that Kate will choose the tasks. The novel then follows each woman on her journey of self-discovery. Joy for Beginners is the second novel by Erica Bauermeister and is a real treat for readers of women's fiction, especially people who enjoy Jo-Ann Mapson, Judith Ryan Hendricks, and Sarah Addison Allen.

Breaking Silence by Linda Castillo

2011-06-21T22:35:00.008-05:00

Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called out to an Amish farm because three members of the Slabaugh family are trapped in a manure pit. Unable to save them, Kate is especially upset because she grew up Amish herself and the deaths leave four orphans. The police force of Painters Mill, Ohio have also been busy dealing with a series of hate crimes against the Amish. With the Amish unwilling to press charges, Kate worries about the increasing violence. She and her fellow officers wonder if the deaths of the Slabaugh family and the hate crimes are connected. With Kate's boyfriend, John Tomasetti of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation around to help, she hopes that she will be able to find clues or witnesses that will help her close both cases. Breaking Silence is the third book in the Kate Burkholder series. It is not as violent as the first two, but just as good.

Tigerlily's Orchids by Ruth Rendell

2011-06-17T20:09:00.011-05:00

The residents of Litchfield House in London are an odd lot. There's Olwen, whose aim in life is to drink herself to death. Twentysomething Stuart Font loves to look at himself in the mirror and is having an affair with a married woman. Marius Potter is an aging hippie and classics tutor. Rose Preston-Jones is single and interested in New Age healing. Pedophile caretaker Walter Scurlock lives there with his wife, Richenda, who cleans the homes of some of the others. The most normal people are three university students (Molly, Sophie, and Noor) and married couple Michael and Katie Constantine. Taking place over eight months, the reader sees the individuals' lives intersect with both happy and tragic results. Rendell has written another novel filled with secrets, eccentricities, and psychological depth.

Now You See Me by S.J. Bolton

2011-06-11T20:13:00.022-05:00

DC Lacey Flint has just finished interviewing a witness when she comes upon a woman bleeding to death against her car. Unable to save her life, Lacey is traumatized. Soon, however, Lacey is helping with the investigation. The killer seems to be imitating Jack the Ripper and also mentions Lacey by name in a letter to a reporter. The police know they only have a little time before the murderer strikes again. To complicate matters, Lacey is attracted to (and on guard with) fellow officer DI Mark Joesbury. The case also causes Lacey to reflect upon a past that she wants to remain hidden. In Now You See Me, S.J. Bolton has written a police procedural that keeps the reader guessing and turning the pages right up until the end. It's reminiscent of Belinda Bauer's Darkside, Giles Blunt's By the Time You Read This, Tana French, Minette Walters, Elena Forbes, Susan Hill's mysteries, and Val McDermid's non-series mysteries. The characters are rich and complex and there's plenty of historical detail about Jack the Ripper and London (which features prominently as a character). This is possibly the best mystery I will read this year. Here's hoping this becomes a regular series...

The Man from Beijing by Henning Mankell

2011-06-09T19:00:00.014-05:00

Almost all the residents in the small Swedish town of Hesjovallen are brutally murdered. The police are at a loss to find out who would want them dead. Judge Birgitta Roslin becomes involved in the case when she discovers that two of the victims were the foster parents of her deceased mother. With a few weeks off of work due to high blood pressure, she travels to Hesjovallen. While there, Birgitta finds a connection with China, but the local cops aren't at all interested. The reader is transported back to the mid-1800's in America and then to contemporary China to find out the motive and identity of the killer. The Man from Beijing starts out with the same pacing as Mankell's Wallander mysteries, but then starts to plod along. It is most similar to his book White Lioness.

Adrenaline by Jeff Abbott

2011-06-04T21:33:00.015-05:00

CIA agent Sam Capra is an American living in London with his wife and fellow agent, Lucy. They are happily awaiting the birth of their first child. While at work one day, Sam gets a call from Lucy, begging him to leave the building. After he does, the building explodes. Because of the couple's CIA connections, Sam is taken to a foreign prison and tortured to try and get him to reveal if either he or Lucy were involved in the bombing. Sam refuses to believe that Lucy was a participant and worries that she's been kidnapped. He also fears for his child's life. Sam knows he must somehow escape in order to find out the truth. Adrenaline is filled with non-stop action and a protagonist the reader really roots for and is similar to the novels by Harlan Coben. One of Abbott's best books and it looks to maybe be a series... It will be published next month.

The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin

2011-05-30T17:29:00.012-05:00

In 1893, Cora Cash is one of the richest heiresses in America. Her mother is determined that Cora will marry a husband with a title, preferably British. While in England for the season, Cora meets the Duke of Wareham and is smitten. He also seems enchanted by her and appears to be a good match, since he is in need of a wealthy wife to help maintain Lulworth, his large estate. Can anything prepare Cora for the life of an English duchess, steeped in history and traditions so different from her American upbringing? Also, what will be the impact of the Duke's past--about which everyone except Cora seems to know? The American Heiress is similar to the novels of Edith Wharton and the PBS miniseries Downton Abbey. It also reminded me of The Help because both books explore employers' and servants' lives and both are page turners. I was simply fascinated by the world to which Goodwin exposes the reader in this book. It will be published in June.

Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan

2011-05-25T21:08:00.014-05:00

Kim Larsen only has a few weeks left at home before heading off to college. One afternoon, she disappears and is reported missing the next morning. Her parents, Fran and Ed, struggle to get the help they need from the police while doing their own searching and enlisting community and media help to find their daughter. In Songs for the Missing, the reader sees through the eyes of people close to Kim--Fran, Ed, Lindsay (her younger sister), J.D. (her boyfriend), and Nina (her best friend) how her absence and uncertainty of her whereabouts affects them. O'Nan has written a character-centered novel that pulls the reader into a story of loss and courage.

Red Wolf by Liza Marklund

2011-05-23T19:37:00.014-05:00

Stockholm journalist Annika Bengtzon still has nightmares about being trapped by a killer while working on a previous story. Her latest project is investigating the explosion of a jet on a northern Swedish air base in 1969. When a local reporter who recently wrote a story about the event is murdered, Annika believes she's onto something. Soon, more murders follow and Annika is on the trail of a mysterious terrorist that goes by the alias Ragnwald. At the same time, she's got to take care of her home life, with two children and a husband (Thomas, who finds himself thinking about having an affair). Annika, however, is determined to follow the story to the end despite being told to stop by her boss. While I enjoyed Red Wolf, I felt at times that I was missing something, having not read the previous books in the series, especially The Bomber. I also think the translation at times was disjointed.

Death by Cashmere by Sally Goldenbaum

2011-05-16T20:53:00.017-05:00

The Seaside Knitters gather each Thursday night at Izzy Chambers knitting shop to eat, knit and converse. There's Izzy, her Aunt Nell, eighty-year-old Birdie and lobsterwoman Cass. When Angie Archer, the knitting store's upstairs tenant, is found dead in the water, tangled in one of Cass' traps, the women have a hard time digesting the news. When the police reveal that Angie was murdered and bring Angie's brother, Pete, in for questioning, it hits even closer to home. Lead by Nell, the woman decide to conduct their own investigation, hoping to be able to put the awful event behind them, so they can move on. With the close bond of friendship between the women and details about knitting and food, Death by Cashmere is the first book in the Seaside Knitters series. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, give it a try.

The Redeemer by Jo Nesbo

2011-05-14T18:45:00.012-05:00

An assassin is on the loose in Oslo. When he realizes that he's killed the wrong man, he becomes even more determined to carry out the job. To stop him, Harry Hole and his colleagues on the Oslo police force must delve into the lives of the victims--brothers Robert and Jon Karlsen of the Salvation Army. Harry also begins the task of tracing where the killer-for-hire is from, which leads him all the way to Croatia. In The Redeemer, Nesbo continues the adventures of Detective Hole and his co-workers, creating a complex police procedural that's hard to put down--once you get into it. The Redeemer, while not yet published in the U.S., comes in the series before The Snowman, which was just published. This is very frustrating, since there are important events in The Redeemer that help you appreciate The Snowman even more. That might be OK if The Snowman were a better book than The Redeemer, but that's not the case. Too bad Random House couldn't publish them in order!

Deceptions by Rebecca Frayn

2011-05-09T21:25:00.014-05:00

Julian, an art authenticator, lives with his girlfriend, Annie, and her two children, Dan and Rachel. Soon after Julian and Annie announce that they plan to get married, Dan disappears. All the time he's missing, Annie keeps his room exactly the same and holds out hope that he'll return. After three years, a call comes from Glasgow saying that Dan has been found and is on his way back to London. By this time, Julian and Annie are living apart, mostly because Julian has wanted Annie to move forward with her life--he's seen firsthand how Dan's disappearance has made Annie so depressed. The Dan that returns home is very different from the boy that left. Now fifteen, Dan looks and acts differently and has no memory of where he was all that time--or even memories of growing up. Annie doesn't notify the authorities of Dan's return and refuses to press the issue of where he's been, which deepens the rift between her and Julian. But for Julian and the reader the question remains, where was Dan...and is it really Dan at all? Deceptions is similar to the novels of Ruth Rendell, Tana French, and Sophie Hannah.

The Bride's House by Sandra Dallas

2011-05-06T19:14:00.007-05:00

Women of three generations--Nealie, Pearl and Susan--will occupy the Bride's House over the years in the small mining town of Georgetown, Colorado. In 1880, Nealie Bent falls in love with the home as it's being built and dreams of living there one day. Later, Pearl lives there with her over-restrictive father who will not allow her to spread her wings and grow. In the mid-20th Century, Susan spends her summer in Georgetown, but her family's fortunes at times bring her pain similar to her grandmother's (but in the opposite way). With The Bride's House, Dallas has written another historical novel focusing on how women's lives are shaped by the times in which they live. Once I got into the novel, I had a hard time putting it down. One of her best.

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

2011-05-04T21:48:00.014-05:00

For Christine, going to sleep is the worst possible thing she can do. When she wakes up each morning, she has no idea what happened the day before--or the last twenty years, during which time she has had amnesia. She also wonders about the man she lives with, whom she discovers each day to be her husband, Ben. Even worse, she finds an entry in a journal that she's been keeping that says "DON'T TRUST BEN." It was Mr. Nash, Christine's doctor, that suggested she record what happens each day. Christine has been seeing him secretly and it seems she's making progress, remembering her past by re-reading her diary. But instead of helping her, it could become a nightmare.... A first novel that stays with the reader long after the story's over. It will be published next month.

Blood Money by Thomas Perry

2011-04-29T18:32:00.020-05:00

Teenager Rita Shelford needs a new identity. She contacts Jane Whitefield, who retired from helping people disappear in order to devote more time to her husband, Carey. Rita was a maid in Florida working in the home of mobster Bernie "the Elephant." Bernie was responsible for squiring away money for mob families all around the country for many years. The mobsters think Bernie has been killed, but he's still alive and is plagued by memory problems. He and Jane hatch a plan to give away all the billions to charity. When the mob suspects that their riches are being diverted, it makes them even more determined to find Rita. Will Jane be able to keep Bernie and Rita safe? Blood Money is the fifth book in the Jane Whitefield series.

The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

2011-04-22T19:47:00.020-05:00

A boy awakes to find his mother gone and a snowman outside wearing her scarf. Inspector Harry Hole and his colleagues are called to the home and slowly realize that the case and clues are similar to other cases of mothers who have disappeared. Harry is also troubled by the fact that he's received a letter from the perpetrator, whom the Oslo police nickname "the Snowman." Soon, one of the women is found brutally murdered and Harry realizes that they are on the trail of a serial killer. With Harry being the only Norwegian policeman to have received serial killer training in the U.S., he's the perfect person to catch him. The Snowman is the seventh book in the Harry Hole series, but only the fourth to be published in the U.S. It will be released next month.

One Was a Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming

2011-04-19T20:18:00.017-05:00

Reverend Clare Fergusson has just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq. The eighteen months away from the man she loves, police chief Russ Van Alstyne, have seemed like an eternity. In their hometown of Millers Kill, New York, Clare has joined a support group for Iraq war veterans. Each is dealing with different after-effects of the war, ranging from substance abuse to excessive violence, memory loss and an extramarital affair conducted in-country. When one of the group dies and Russ delivers a verdict of suicide, the surviving members believe it was murder and work together to prove this fact. This seventh book of the Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne mystery series concentrates on exploring the impact of war on the returning veterans, along with the continuing relationship of Clare and Russ.

Deadly Threads by Jane K. Cleland

2011-04-14T08:45:00.007-05:00

Josie Prescott, owner of Prescott's Antiques and Auctions, has recently expanded her business into vintage clothing. When Riley Jordan, a guest lecturer for a series of presentations on vintage fashions that Prescott's is hosting, is found dead by Josie under a table, the local police are called. The prime suspect is Riley's husband, successful restauranteur Bobby Jordan. It's rumored that Bobby had been having an affair. Did Bobby kill Riley or was it someone else? Deadly Threads is the sixth book in the Josie Prescott series. While the novel has an enjoyable main character in Josie and an interesting setting in the world of antiquing surrounded by Josie's circle of friends and employees, it lacks a mystery that keeps the reader guessing until the end (similar to Cleland's second book, Deadly Appraisal).

The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly

2011-04-12T19:51:00.015-05:00

Defense attorney Mickey Haller is handling mostly foreclosure cases right now because of the downturn in the economy. When Lisa Trammel, one of his clients, is accused of murdering Mitchell Bondurant, Mickey agrees to defend her. Bondurant was a vice president at the bank that held Lisa's mortgage. In fact, Lisa had held numerous protests at the bank and there was a restraining order against her. The prosecution feels they have enough evidence to convict Lisa, but Mickey and his team delve into Lisa's, Bondurant's, and the bank's backgrounds in order to present a case to the jury. The Fifth Witness is the fourth book to feature Mickey Haller and is actually the best of the lot, focusing on Mickey's preparation for the trial and the trial itself. A page-turning legal thriller.

Live Wire by Harlan Coben

2011-04-07T19:11:00.012-05:00

Sports agent Myron Bolitar is asked by his client, former tennis star Suzze T, to find her husband, rock star Lex Ryder. Lex has run off because a Facebook post has insinuated that their unborn child is not his. While trying to find Lex, Myron sees his sister-in-law, Kitty, who disappeared with his brother, Brad, over fifteen years ago. Myron and Brad have been estranged since then and Myron wishes that they could reconcile after all this time. But he discovers that the past is still relevant--in more ways than one.

Lucifer's Tears by James Thompson

2011-04-02T18:39:00.021-05:00

Inspector Kari Vaara has taken a job with the homicide squad in Helsinki at his American wife Kate's urging. While Kari is happy to leave his hometown of Kittila after the traumatic events of his last case, he has unhappy memories of his previous time as a cop in Helsinki. His co-workers now like neither him, nor his partner, Milo Nieminen. Kari and Milo are investigating the death of Iisa Filippov, who has been brutally murdered in her lover's apartment. Both Kari and Milo believe that her husband had something to do with her death, but are told by the national chief of police to leave him alone. Kari is also asked to interview ninety-year-old Arvid Lahtinen about possible war crimes he committed during World War II. When given the case, Kari learns that his favorite grandfather worked alongside Arvid and probably was involved in the atrocities, too. To complicate matters further, Kari's brother-in-law and sister-in-law have come to Finland to stay with him and Kate while they await the birth of their first child. While reading Lucifer's Tears, I found it hard to put it down. Even better than the first book in the series, Snow Angels, with more insight into Finnish culture and history.

A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear

2011-03-29T06:56:00.006-05:00

It's 1932 and private detective Maisie Dobbs is asked to go undercover at the College of St. Francis in Cambridge by the British Secret Service. With a background in philosophy, they feel she's the perfect person to pose as a teacher while investigating any possible un-British activity at the pacifist college. When Greville Liddicote, the college's founder, is murdered, Maisie finds herself in the thick of two cases that might be related. While juggling her duties in Cambridge, Maisie is also trying to maintain a long distance relationship with James Compton, who's been in Canada on business. In addition, she's aiding an old acquaintance, Sandra, in getting back on her feet after her husband's death. She's also persuading her assistant, Billy, to move with his family to a brand new home that Maisie herself has bought (it involves some subterfuge to get Billy to accept her help without really knowing it). A Lesson in Secrets is one of the strongest books in the Maisie Dobbs series because of the ongoing character developments for Maisie and her circle of friends. It's also an interesting mystery that explores the rise of Nazism in Britain.

The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith

2011-03-27T08:10:00.004-05:00

Private detective Precious Ramotswe is stumped by her latest case. A farmer, Botsalo Moeti, wants Mma Ramotswe to find out who killed two of his cattle. After several interviews, she's not sure who's telling the truth--including her client. Drama then arrives at the detective agency when Mma Ramotswe and her assistant, Mma Grace Makutsi, discover that one of the apprentices at the adjoining business, Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, is the father of twins. In addition, Mma Makutsi is deep in the final planning for her wedding, which will happen in a few weeks time. To top it off, both Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are both convinced that they've seen Mma Ramotswe's dearly beloved departed white van driving around Gaborone. Could this be true or have they seen a ghost?

Darkside by Belinda Bauer

2011-03-25T19:21:00.022-05:00

Jonas Holly is the local policeman in the area of Exmoor, which covers his home village of Shipcott. When paralyzed neighbor Margaret Priddy is found murdered in her bed, DCI Marvel and his colleagues are called in. Marvel is abrasive and verbally abusive to Jonas for his handling of the crime scene. Despite this fact, Jonas has to work alongside Marvel's team. When another local resident is killed, the authorities wonder if someone is killing people to put them out of their misery, since the second victim suffered from dementia. On the home front, Jonas is watching his wife, Lucy, lose more of her strength because of having multiple sclerosis and is rattled by anonymous notes he's receiving about him not doing his job properly. He fears they are from the killer. In Darkside, Bauer has written a police procedural which is similar to the author Tana French and the Simon Serrailler series by Susan Hill. Darkside is also set four years later in the same town as her first novel, Blacklands. It will be published in May.

Dangerous to Know by Tasha Alexander

2011-03-21T18:09:00.013-05:00

Lady Emily is recuperating at her mother-in-law's home in Normandy after a traumatic honeymoon in Constantinople. While out riding one afternoon, she discovers the body of a young woman who has been brutally murdered. The woman, Edith Prier, had escaped from an asylum and is from a prominent local family. Emily finds herself drawn into the case, despite her husband's wishes that concentrate on recreational pursuits. Dangerous to Know is the fifth book in the Lady Emily series.

Emily, Alone by Stewart O'Nan

2011-03-17T07:35:00.004-05:00

Emily Maxwell is a widow who lives with her dog, Rufus, in Pittsburgh. Her days consist of reading, listening to classical music, doing crossword puzzles and gardening. When her sister-in-law Arlene collapses at the breakfast buffet at a local restaurant, it causes Emily to branch out a bit. She also starts thinking about her childhood and her relationships with her children (Margaret and Kenneth), her four grandchildren and her wish to spend more time them. O'Nan has written a reflective, humorous, yet real novel about a woman nearing the end of her life. A real gem...I loved it. Similar to the novels of Anne Tyler, Mrs. Bridge by Evan S. Connell and Drives Like a Dream by Porter Shreve.

Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy

2011-03-15T10:30:00.005-05:00

The residents of St. Jarlath's Crescent in Dublin are like family. When Noel Lynch finds out he's going to be a father, his friends rally around him. Noel, who has a problem with alcohol, knows he must sober up and become responsible, since Stella, the mother-to-be, has cancer and knows she won't live beyond the baby's birth. She asks Noel to raise the baby himself. With the help of Emily (Noel's cousin from America), his parents (Josie and Charles), friends Declan, Fiona, Lisa, Dr. Hat, and Muttie and Lizzie (friends of his parents), he hopes to turn his life around and be a good father to his daughter, Frankie--if only Moira, the nosy social worker, wouldn't always be expecting him to fail. Minding Frankie recounts the lives of all these characters as they interact and support each other. Regular Binchy readers will be delighted to revisit some of the people that have appeared in her most recent novels. A heartwarming delight.

Ashes to Dust by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

2011-03-13T18:58:00.012-05:00

Lawyer Thora Gudmundsdottir is with her client, Markus Magnusson, as he goes into the basement of his childhood home in the Westmann Islands off the southern coast of Iceland. The house was abandoned in 1973, when a volcano erupted in the area. Magnus is there now to retrieve a box for his friend, Alda. He gets the shock of his life when a head rolls out of the box. Next to the box, he discovers the remains of three men. Suspicion immediately falls on Markus and things get worse for him when Alda is found dead in her home. Thora immerses herself in Markus' past, specifically the time around the volcanic eruption in an attempt to prove her client's innocence. Ashes to Dust is the third book in the Thora Gudmundsdottir series, but has not been published in the U.S. The mysteries are similar to Asa Larsson and Helene Tursten.

The Night Season by Chelsea Cain

2011-03-05T18:28:00.016-06:00

The Willamette River in Portland, Oregon is swelling and police detective Archie Sheridan is on the trail of a serial killer who is poisoning people and then throwing their bodies into the river. Archie's partner, Henry, is himself attacked. He barely survives, but his prognosis is uncertain. Meanwhile, reporter Susan Ward recently wrote a story about a skeleton that was found in an area that was wiped out in a flood in 1948. She is also working on a story about the recent murders. Archie's and Susan's paths intersect often and they work together to try and uncover the identity of the killer before he sadistically murders again. All the while, they deal with the chaos around Portland as it floods. In this fourth thriller featuring Archie and Susan, Cain is able to write a good story without the presence of a series regular, serial killer Gretchen Lowell. In fact, it's quite refreshing for that story to be in the background.

Death of a Chimney Sweep by M.C. Beaton

2011-03-03T19:41:00.007-06:00

In the small Scottish village of Drim, incomer Captain Henry Davenport is found murdered, stuffed up his own chimney. Suspicion falls on local chimney sweep Pete Ray, who's also found dead. The authorities consider the case closed, but policeman Hamish Macbeth believes Pete was innocent and the evidence supports his claim. Hamish's superiors aren't happy about his meddling, but grudgingly know he produces results. Soon Hamish learns that Captain Davenport scammed many people out of their money, but who was so angry as to want him dead?

The Informationist by Taylor Stevens

2011-02-27T16:15:00.022-06:00

Vanessa Michael Munroe is hired by millionaire Richard Burbank to find his missing stepdaughter, Emily. Emily disappeared four years ago in West Africa and hasn't been seen since, despite Burbank's best efforts in engaging people to find her. Munroe--tough and tenacious--in addition to knowing Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, and Gabon like the back of her hand (she spent part of her childhood there), seems fit for the job. However, she is none to pleased to have Miles Bradford, an employee of Burbank's, as a partner. Munroe zeroes in on Equatorial Guinea and in the process takes the reader on a fascinating adrenaline-filled ride to find out what happened to Emily. The Informationist is the first book in this brand-new series and is similar to Lee Child's Jack Reacher and Thomas Perry's Jane Whitefield. The originality of the setting, Munroe's unique background and the non-stop action make the book unputdownable. Guaranteed to be one of the best thrillers written this year. It will be published next month.

The Killer's Art by Mari Jungstedt

2011-02-25T10:56:00.021-06:00

The residents of Visby on the Swedish isle of Gotland are shocked when local art gallery owner Egon Wallin is found murdered, hung from one of the town's gates. Egon was well-known in Visby and liked by everyone. But after his death, DS Anders Knutas, who's in charge of the case, discovers that Egon was planning to leave his wife, sell the gallery he had owned for twenty-five years and move to Stockholm. The police also find valuable stolen paintings in Egon's house. Journalist Johan Berg is happy to be sent back to Visby to cover the story, since he would like to move there permanently so he can be with his girlfriend, Emma, and their baby daughter Elin. After a slow start to the investigation, Knutas and his team discover a connection between Egon and some criminal acts in Stockholm. The Killer's Art is the fourth book in the Knutas/Berg series and is similar to the police procedurals of Peter Robinson. It hasn't been published in the U.S., (although the first three have) which is a pity because it's one of my favorite Swedish series.

On Borrowed Time by David Rosenfelt

2011-02-19T07:14:00.006-06:00

Journalist Richard Kilmer is extremely happy with his girlfriend Jen. So much so that he asks her to marry him the weekend that he meets her parents in her hometown of Ardmore, New York. The event turns to tragedy, however, when Richard and Jen are in a car accident during a freak storm and Jen disappears. After the crash, Richard is stunned when he can find no trace that Jen ever existed. No one in Ardmore knows her and Richard's own friends in New York City don't either. Wondering if he going crazy or if something sinister is going on leads Richard to delve into his life and the town of Ardmore. With the help of Allie Tynes, who might be Jen's identical twin sister, Richard just might uncover the truth. On Borrowed Time is another great page turner from Rosenfelt.

Bad Intentions by Karin Fossum

2011-02-17T07:43:00.006-06:00

Axel and Reilly take their friend Jon, who's on a weekend release from a psychiatric hospital, out for a midnight boat ride on Dead Water. When Jon falls overboard, they decide not to try and save him. They also wait until the next morning to report him missing. Inspector Konrad Sejer and his partner, Jacob Skarre, aren't convinced Jon's death was a suicide, especially when some other evidence comes to light. The book focuses on the lives of Axel and Reilly and why they neglected to help Jon. Bad Intentions, like the other mysteries in the Sejer series, explores the lives of characters involved in a crime whether the perpetrator, bystander, relative or victim. With great economy, Fossum is able to delve into people's psyches completely and chillingly. It will be published in August.

Portobello by Ruth Rendell

2011-02-15T20:27:00.014-06:00

When wealthy Eugene Wren finds some money on the street, he decides to post a notice in Notting Hill to try and find the rightful owner. This act of kindness causes Eugene's life to intersect with some interesting characters. Petty criminal Lance Platt sees the paper and decides to try and get the cash, even though it's not his. Meanwhile, the real owner of the money, Joel Roseman, becomes infatuated with Eugene's fiancee, Dr. Ella Cotswold. Eugene also has problems of his own as he tries to control his addiction to Chocorange, a sugar-free candy. In Portobello, Rendell has created a vivid contemporary portrait of Portobello Road and Notting Hill and their inhabitants.

The Bird House by Kelly Simmons

2011-02-09T20:09:00.012-06:00

In her 70's, Ann Biddle is thrilled to be able to spend time with her eight-year-old granddaughter, Ellie. Bonding over Ellie's school project about their family causes Ann to remember her own life as a young mother in the '60s. Ann's life at the time was difficult--an absent husband and a headstrong daughter contributed greatly to her unhappiness. In the present, slowly developing Alzheimer's, Ann struggles to maintain a relationship with Ellie while family secrets come to light. In The Bird House as with her first novel Standing Still, Simmons combines a story of a woman's life with revelations that keep the reader turning the pages.

Cold Shot to the Heart by Wallace Stroby

2011-02-01T17:47:00.018-06:00

Crissa Stone makes a living pulling off high-stakes robberies. When a job in Florida goes awry, a man named Eddie the Saint is hired to find Crissa and her colleagues. Just out of prison, Eddie is violent and persistant. Crissa discovers that someone is after her and, even though she's never killed anyone, she realizes that it might come to that. In Cold Shot to the Heart, Stroby has written a tight, yet simple (read taut) crime novel that similar to Marcus Sakey and the books Nightlife, Silence, and Fidelity by Thomas Perry.

The Sentry by Robert Crais

2011-01-20T18:45:00.007-06:00

Joe Pike meets Dru Rayne when he assists her uncle, Wilson, who's been badly beaten by two guys in his restaurant. Enchanted by her, Pike feels the need to keep Dru and Wilson safe. When they go missing, Pike decides he must find out what happened to them. With the help of his best friend, private detective Elvis Cole, Pike discovers that Dru and Wilson are not who they appear to be, but, as usual with Pike, he's all in to find out what's really going on. While The Sentry is a page turner, it lacks the good story with increasing momentum that Crais' most recent novels have (The First Rule, Chasing Darkness, and The Watchman) and you really don't have any sympathy for Dru and Wilson after awhile.

Pictures of You by Caroline Leavitt

2011-01-18T19:34:00.016-06:00

Isabelle is driving on a foggy day--leaving her husband, Luke, for good--when she hits and kills April, who was standing in the middle of the road. Isabelle is devastated by the accident, but partially relieved by the fact that April's son, Sam, 9, was not seriously injured. April's husband, Charlie, wonders where April was going, so far from home with Sam in the car. Sam, meanwhile, refuses to talk about the accident. Isabelle slowly finds herself unable to stop thinking about Sam and Charlie. Sam sees Isabelle as an angel looking over him. How will Isabelle, Sam, and Charlie find the strength to move on with their lives after this unspeakable tragedy and live with the bond that connects them? In Pictures of You, Caroline Leavitt has written another novel with rich, unforgettable characters. It's been way too long since her last book, Girls in Trouble, was published in 2004. If you enjoy novels about family relationships, give Caroline Leavitt a try.