The Singing of the Dead (2001) Dana Stabenow A native woman is running for state senator, and after multiple threatening notes, the staff decided that she needs security. Despite her better judgment (and in need of money) Kate takes the job, even though she intensely dislikes the campaign manager (and the feeling is mutual.) I […]
Midnight Come Again (2000) Dana Stabenow Last year I picked up A Taint in the Blood and thoroughly enjoyed it. But from details mentioned in the book, wasn’t sure if I wanted to go back and read earlier in the series. However, I discovered that Midnight Come Again is set after her lover is brutally […]
Rosemary and Rue (2009) Seanan McGuire October Daye disappeared for thirteen years. When she returned, she refused to return to her life as a changeling knight or as a private investigator, but is instead trying to squeak by as a human. Unfortunately for her, Faerie refuses to let her go. The Faerie from which Toby […]
The Black Hand (2008) Will Thomas Barker is called down to the docks, where a barrel containing a dead Italian had been pulled from the river. This single body draws Barker and Llewelyn into a case involving an attempt by the Sicilian mafia to start in London–something Barker, Scotland Yard, and the Home Office want […]
Devil Bones (2008) Kathy Reichs Tempe is back in Charlotte NC, teaching and working for the local medical examiner. The discovery of a human skull in the basement of a house being renovated leads to rumors about satanic cults. Unfortunately for everyone involved, events spiral out of control from there. First things first. I am […]
Crimini: The Bitter Lemon Book of Italian Crime Fiction (2005) edited by Giancarlo de Cataldo translated by Andrew Brown After getting sucked into Andrea Camilleri‘s Inspector Montalbano series, when I came across this anthology of Italian crime fiction I decided to branch out and see what it had to offer. The fact that it contained […]
A Sea of Troubles (2001) Donna Leon I am failing to understand the hows and whys of Penguin’s publishing schedule for Donna Leon’s Commissario Guido Brunetti series. A Sea of Troubles was first published in 2001, but was published by Penguin and released in the US only this year (2009). Additionally, there was not notice […]
Bones to Ashes (2007) Kathy Reichs Tempe Brennan is back in Montreal for the summer. But almost as soon as arrives she’s called about a case waiting for her. First things first, I have had it with Tempe and Ryan. Really, I would just as soon not read another word about the relationship. Aside from […]
Hit Man (1998) Lawrence Block Keller–he has a first name but no one uses it–is a hit man. He gets a call to visit the Old Man in the house in White Plains, receives instructions, and then does the job he’s paid to do. Hit Man is not a novel, it’s a collection of short […]
Flower Net (1009) Lisa See Liu Hulan is a detective for the Ministry of Culture in Beijing. When a body is found frozen in a lake, she is called out to investigate. When the body is discovered to be the son of the US Ambassador, the case takes the direction the Ambassador wants, regardless of […]
The Girl of His Dreams (2008) Donna Leon This has all of the elements I’ve come to expect of a Commissario Guido Brunetti mystery–death, intrigue, good food, and corrupt Italian politics. This is not to say she presents all Italians as corrupt, after all we have Brunetti and Vianello on the side of the “good […]
Cast in Silence (2009) Michelle Sagara Cast in Silence continues the story of Kaylin Neya, Private in the Hawk force, marked by Nightshade, and possessed of magical powers she has yet to learn to control. The forces that surround and imbue Elantra are slipping into chaos, and both Kaylin’s history and powers make her uniquely […]
Skin Deep (2009) Mark del Franco Having enjoyed Mark del Franco’s Connor Grey supernatural mysteries, I pre-ordered Skin Deep hoping he would do as good a job writing a female lead as he did a male lead. The book came, but then I put of reading it primarily for the blurb on the cover, “She’ll […]
A Beautiful Blue Death (2007) Charles Finch A Beautiful Blue Death has come up for awhile now as a recommended book for me, and there is good reason for that: I love historical mysteries. Charles Lenox is a gentleman who likes to dabble in the investigation of crimes. Being a gentleman, he has the time […]
Underground (2008) Kat Richardson I have got to start paying better attention when I pre-order books. I now have two copies of Underground. (sigh) Harper Blaine is a private investigator who was beaten to death several years previously. She was only dead for a few minutes, but she woke up a changed woman, and able […]
Vicious Circle (2006) Mike Carey Felix (Fix) Castor, who is usually at loose ends, is suddenly involved in three different cases. As a consultant in a police case, in a missing child case, and in assisting Juliet with a case she has taken on involving a haunted or possessed church. Additionally, he is still trying […]
The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle (2008) Jim Butcher, Ardian Syaf Harry Dresden in comic form. First, the story was interesting and I liked it. There is a murder at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Although city officials would like to blame Moe the gorilla for the murder, Murphy calls Harry in because the crime […]
Jhegaala (2008) Steven Brust First things first, I love Steven Brust, and I love the Vlad Taltos books. That said, this is not anywhere close to being one of my favorite books in the series. Jhegalla is set between the events of Phoenix and Athyra. We learn some of what happened to Vlad after he […]
Strange Brew (2009) edited by P.N. Elrod I love short story collections. They’re a way to discover new authors, visit with favorite characters, and to be honest I just enjoy short stories. Now if you like short stories, you eventually learn that a lot of collections are not worth buying, but there are certain authors […]
Daemons Are Forever (2008) Simon R. Green That was thoroughly disappointing. I really like Simon R. Green’s writing style–I love the Nightside books and liked the first Eddie Drood book, The Man with the Golden Torc. The second Eddie Drood book, however, not so much. This book was all over the place, and it wasn’t […]
Bangkok Haunts (2007) John Burdett Once again we return to Bangkok where Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep is investigating another murder. A stuff film has appeared in Bagkok, and as the body of the prostitute has also appeared, it is apparent this is truly a film of her death. Sonchai is investigating–even against the orders of Colenol […]
Break No Bones (2006) Kathy Reichs Tempe Brennan is teaching a special summer anthropology course and running a dig in Charleston, South Carolina when her students discover bones that are not ancient, but are instead relatively fresh–a corpse that’s appeared in the last decade instead of the last millennium. Things get even more complex when […]
A Kiss Before the Apocalypse (2008) Thomas E. Sniegoski I first came across Remy Chandler when I read the anthology Mean Streets. Thomas Sniegoski wrote the closing story, and I ended up reading that story in a single sitting. Remy Chandler is a private detective. And an angel. Except that he’s been on extended leave […]
The Devil You Know (2006) Mike Carey “I don’t know what I want to read.” Peruses bookshelves. “I remember buying The Devil You Know, why haven’t I read it yet?” Reads first paragraph. “Hmmm….” Hours later. “Wow!” First off, I believe this was shelved in the mystery section, which is part of why I put […]
Black Cherry Blues (1989) James Lee Burke Dave Robicheaux is an ex-cop and an alcoholic and a widower with an adopted daughter. He remains haunted by the murder of Annie, and now spends his time running his own small business–a boat dock in New Iberia on the Bayou where he also sells bait and food. […]
The Hellfire Conspiracy (2007) Will Thomas Barker and Llewelyn are pulled into an ugly case–girls are going missing and then later turning up violated and dead. There seems to be a connection–however tenuous–to Charity Organization Society. Once again Llewelyn falls in love, and once again he gets beat up–although this time it’s truly his own […]
Small Favor (2008) Jim Butcher Nothing is ever easy for Harry Dresden. Just when it looks as if things have calmed down a bit, the Summer Court and the Winter Court both seem to want a piece of Harry (although not the same piece) and then the Denarians decide to mix things up as well. […]
Vanish (2005) Tess Gerritsen Two things about Vanish. First, it was good–a well written, well paced story. Second, I didn’t like it. No, those two things are not mutually exclusive. I can recognize that something is good without enjoying it, and that was my issue with Vanish. My second major issue is ‘What the hell […]
Seven for a Secret (2009) Elizabeth Bear I made a mistake about a year ago. I signed up for Subterranean Press‘s e-mail news letter. Why was this a mistake? Because they’re publishing an awful lot of fantasy that I want to own. My most recent arrival was Elizabeth Bear’s Seven for a Secret. Although Abagail […]
A Deeper Sleep (2007) Dana Stabenow Kate Shugak has been helping the state build a case against Louis Deem. According to everyone in the park, deep has gotten away with murder several times, but his good looks and reputation (and threats from his friends) have gotten him off time and time again, and the women […]
Body Double (2004) Tess Gerritsen At some point in the recent past I apparently lost my mind and picked up several mysteries–none of which were the first in the series. However, unlike Dana Stabenow‘s A Taint in the Blood, I didn’t realize for quite awhile there were previous books in the series. I believe this […]
The Limehouse Text (2006) Will Thomas The book starts with Barker getting ready for a fight–a fight that is entirely Llewelyn’s fault. As with the last book, we then go back to see how Llewelyn got himself (and Barker) into that fix. (Everything isn’t Llwelyn’s fault, they are investigating the death of his predecessor, Quong, […]
Cross Bones (2005) Kathy Reichs There’s been a strange convergence of events that Cross Bones seems to have finished off. I finished reading A Short History of Myth and write my review, and then a group of friends starts discussing Easter and the events and the celebration and the meaning etc. Then I read the […]
A Taint in the Blood (2004) Dana Stabenow I’m always on the lookout for new mysteries–especially ones I think my grandmother will enjoy. I’ve read two supernatural mystery series edited by Dana Stabenow, so I decided to pick up one of her books. As you have probably noticed, I prefer to start at the beginning […]
Monday Mourning (2004) Kathy Reichs Tempe is back in Montreal, and back to having problems with Andrew Ryan. (sigh) Bones are discovered under a pizza parlor, and although Tempe thinks they may be recent, she’ll have to prove they aren’t a century old before the police will investigate how three very young women ended up […]
Bare Bones (2003) Kathy Reichs The story starts with Tempe identifying bones found in a wood stove as those of a newborn, and taking upon herself the unfortunate task of going to identify the grandfather of the probable identity of child. Although Tempe is hoping to leave for her long delayed vacation with Andrew Ryan […]
Dead Man Rising (2006) Lilith Saintcrow Dante Valentine has been taking on case after case to try and forget what happened to her in Rio. Unfortunately for her, it’s not working. She and Jace are keeping busy–and she’s all but running Jace into the ground–but she still can’t keep Japh off her mind. Things get […]
Defending Angels (2008) Mary Stanton Brianna Winston-Beaufort has inherited her uncle’s clients after he died in a terrible fire in his law office. As she attempts to find a temporary office, she starts to discover that strange things are occurring, and her uncle’s clients might be far more unusual than first expected. It’s very—cute. I […]
Grave Secrets (2002) Kathy Reichs Tempe is is Guatemala working to recovery the bodies of “the Disappeared” who were kidnapped and/or killed during the Guatemalan civil war. Not only is the work itself depressing, but two of her co-workers are attacked, and upon discovering her previous work, ask her to assist in the recovery of […]
Fatal Voyage (2001) Kathy Reichs This time Tempe finds herself in the North Carolina woods helping with the recovery of a plane crash. The forensics this time were about recovering bodies from a terrible accident, and the procedures used not only in the chain of evidence, but also to put the remains of the victims […]
Deadly Decisions (1999) Kathy Reichs Tempe is finishing her final exams and teaching her workshop at Quantico when she receives a call from Montreal asking her to come back to work early, as they received a case requiring her expertise. These bombing victims and the death of a nine year old girl caught in the […]
Death Du Jour (1999) Kathy Reichs At the start of Death Du Jour Tempe Brennan finds herself searching for the dirt floor of a church for the bones of a woman who may or may not be a saint. She’s enjoying the historical archeology as a change from the murders, suicides and accidental deaths she […]
Deja Dead (1997) Kathy Reichs Kathy Reiches was recommended to me by Ms Bookish, who (during my Great Book Giveaway) sent two later books in the series along for my grandmother. Reading those books piqued my interest, however, I really prefer to read a series in order if at all possible, so decided to pick […]
To Kingdom Come (2005) Will Thomas The sequel to Some Danger Involved find Barker and Llewelyn involved in a case involving the IRB. Fearing that Scotland Yard and the Home Office will be unable to solve the problem, Barker proposes that he and Llewelyn go undercover and attempt to help bring catch the criminals. The […]
August Heat (2005) Andrea Camilleri translated by Stephen Satarelli It’s August, and it’s hot, and Inspector Montalbano is unhappy not only because of the heat, but because Liva made Salvo find a house from her friends to rent during their vacation. Unfortunately, the house turns out to be far more trouble than Inspector Montalbno expected […]
Some Danger Involved (2004) Will Thomas Thomas Llewelyn is at the end of his rope. He’s spent time in prison, his wife is dead, and he cannot find a job–all but a death sentence in Victorian London. So he eventually applies for the position as assistant to the private inquiry agent Cyrus Barker. After only […]
Suffer the Little Children (2007) Donna Leon Brunetti is called to the hospital for an assault case, where it turns out that a citizen of Venice has been injured, only the assault isn’t what he was expecting, and draws Brunetti into a case of illegal adoptions. I’d been saving Suffer the Little Children for months, […]
Death of a Dutchman (1982) Magdalen Nabb Marshal Guarnaccia decides to to stop and check on Signora Giusti while doing his rounds with the hotels. Signora Giusti is an old woman who constantly calls to make complaints. Her complaints are always groundless, but they check on her anyway, because they recognize that she is a […]
Unfallen Dead (2009) Mark Del Franco Connor Grey is still helping Detective Murdock of the Boston PD solve cases in the Weird, still has a crush on Meryl, and is still fighting the Darkness that stole his abilities. Unfortunately, things have gotten even more confusing after the events of Unquiet Dreams. The Taint is wreaking […]
The Paper Moon (2005) Andrea Camilleri translated by Stephen Sartarelli I am sad. I have now read all the Inspector Montalbano books that have been published and translated into English. August Heat comes out later this year, but after that? No more Inspector Montalbano for me–at least until the next book is translated. Montalbano is […]