Bitter Gold Hearts (1988) Glen Cook (Garrett P.I.) I obviously read this before, because there were passages underlined and I have a review for it. I didn’t remember anything about it though, except that it was a fantasy take on a noir PI, which I generally adore. (See Simon Green‘s Nightside) Garrett is asked to […]
Model Exposure (2017) Lissa Kasey (Haven Investigations) This picks up immediately after the end of the previous book. Ollie is healing, but so is Kade. But Kade doesn’t like having to admit that he needs help, and fears that if he needs help, he’ll lose Ollie. “Ollie needs me.” He was healing from a (thing). […]
Model Investigator (2017) Lissa Kasey (Haven Investigations) Back to Ollie, this book takes off after the events of the previous book–which ended on a cliffhanger. First and foremost, this is one of the few mysteries I’ve ever read that actually has characters deal with some of the real-life consequences of repeated concussion. The sparkles around […]
Model Bodyguard (2016) Lissa Kasey (Haven Investigations) The second book in the Haven Investigations series switches from Oliver’s POV to Kade’s POV. Which is fantastic, because Oliver sees Kade as strong and almost perfect, whereas Kade actually? A huge mess. This was the stuff of nightmares— a mental hospital. It wasn’t my first trip. No, […]
Model Citizen (2015) Lissa Kasey (Haven Investigations) Oliver Petroskovic hoped that once he bought the house his life would start to be more settled. Sure, he’d do more modeling gigs, but with the house he was finally able to repay his brother for the years spent raising him. He’d paid for private school and attended […]
Small Vices (1998) Robert B. Parker (Spenser) Since my name was anathema at Pemberton, I had to employ guile. I called the alumni office and said my name was Anathema and I was with the IRS. “We have an income tax refund for Ms. Glenda Baker, which has been returned by the postal service. Would […]
Iron & Velvet (2013/2019) Alexis Hall (Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator) Kate Kane is a paranormal private investigator, called when something goes wrong i the supernatural world. She’s called out to Velvet–an expensive nightclub–to investigate the exsanguiation of a werewolf in the back alley. It doesn’t look like he had been killed by a vampire, but […]
A Talent for Trickery (2015) Alissa Johnson (The Thief-Takers) Set in England in 1872. It’s still the time for falling back on old favorites. This book was my introduction to Alissa Johnson, and I immediately snatched up everything by her I could find. Charlotte Walker (now Bales) was the daughter of an infamous confidence man–and […]
Gumption & Gumshoes (2013) Alex Kidwell August Mendez moved to the city in the hopes of following his dreams, and when he gets the opportunity he decides to try. A sense of freedom surged through me, that euphoric realization that I was staring at a whole weekend of nothing but cheese curls and old movies, […]
Small Vices, Audio Edition (1997) Robert B. Parker narrated by Burt Reynolds It’s been more than two decades, so this review is going to be completely full of spoilers, because I want to talk about the many reasons why I love this book so very much. So if you haven’t read it, well, you’re missing […]
The Art of Theft (2019) Sherry Thomas Charlotte Holmes has been taking a break from consulting after her last case. But when Mrs. Watson’s old friend asks for help, Charlotte, Livia, and everyone else is drawn into a heist. I’ve had a request for this from the library since it came out, so when it […]
The Night Raven (2018) Sarah Painter (Crow Investigations) Lydia Crow has returned to London for a bit, after a case she was investigating turned uglier than expected. But she liked being on her own, and doesn’t want drawn back into the family, yet she turns to Uncle Charlie for a place to stay, which draws […]
So This is Christmas (2016) Josh Lanyon Adrien and Jake are finally living together, in the house he grew up in. (T)he first rule of cohabitation is Thou Shalt Not Diss the Other Dude’s Kinfolk. But before they can spend the first night of their new life together, they have arrived back from London with […]
The Hollow of Fear (2018) Sherry Thomas The third Lady Sherlock Mystery. Society is still searching for Charlotte Holmes–and treating her sister Livia with the suspicion of one closely related to a scandal. So Livia is glad to escape to the country home of Mrs Newell–who happens to be a near neighbor of Lord Ingram. […]
Very Important Corpses (2017) Simon R. Green This is the third Ishmael Jones mystery. The Organization is sending Ishmael and Penny to Scotland (to that very famous Loch in fact) to provide security for a gathering where one agent has already been murdered, and it’s probable the House has been infiltrated by one or more […]
Sharper Than A Serpent’s Tooth, Audio Edition (2006/2008) Simon R. Green narrated by Marc Vietor This is the 6th book of the Nightside series, and closes a major story arc–John Taylor knows who his mother is, and the battle between them has come to Nightside. Now all John has to do is defeat his mother […]
Paths Not Taken, Audio Edition (2005/2008) Simon R. Green narrated by Marc Vietor The fifth Nightside book finds John looking to go back in time for a way to stop his mother–the Being Lilith–from destroying the Nightside and possibly the world. John takes with him Suzie Shooter and Tommy Oblivion in the hopes that their […]
Hex and the City, Audio Edition (2005/2008) Simon R Green narrated by Marc Vietor The fourth Nightside book finds John Taylor taking a case to look into something he always wanted to know: the origin of The Nightside. Unfortunately, neither his enemies nor the current authorities want John looking into the past of the Nightside–or […]
Nightingale’s Lament, Audio Edition (2004/2008) Simon R Green narrated by Marc Vietor Because I like to make things difficult for myself, while Michael and I are listening to the Felix Castor series in the car, my exercise / baking / cooking series is Simon Green’s Nightside. Both have a smart-ass protagonist who wears a long […]
Agents Of Light And Darkness, Audio Edition (2003/2008) Simon R. Green narrated by Marc Vietor Angels have come to the Nightside searching for the Unholy Grail–the cup Judas drank from at the Last Supper. Before the entire Nightside is destroyed, John Taylor is hired to find the Grail so it can be taken to the […]
Something from the Nightside, Audio Book (2003/2008) Simon R. Green narrated by Marc Vietor Ah, John Bloody Taylor, how the Nightside has missed you. I saw myself as a knight-errant . . . but the damsel in distress stabbed me in the back, my sword shattered on the dragon’s hide, and my grail turned out […]
A Deeper Sleep, Audio Version (2007) Dana Stabenow narrated by Bernadette Dunne Louis Deem has been getting away with murder for years. He’s killed three wives, but has gotten off every time; no jury in the park is willing to risk his retribution. Kate Shugak and every other decent person wants him locked away–wants young […]
A Brush with Shadows (2018) Anna Lee Huber Set in 1831 in Dartmoor England Lady Darby and her husband Sebastian Gage have been summoned to Dartmoor by Sebastian’s grandfather, because his cousin has gone missing. But when they arrive, it seems that everyone believes Alfred has simply gone off for awhile–he has a deserved reputation […]
A Conspiracy in Belgravia (2017) Sherry Thomas This is the second Lady Sherlock Holmes book, and as I’ve mentioned before, I generally hate Sherlock Holmes stories, but this one I don’t mind as such, since instead of taking the characters are Doyle wrote them, she has imagined that Sherlock Holmes was based upon a woman, […]
Hugger Mugger (2000) Robert B Parker narrated by Joe Mantegna Walter Clive has hired Spenser to come down to Georgia to see who has been shooting his horses. What Spenser finds makes no sense: there is no rhyme or reason to the shootings, and the in-house security has seen nothing. Two of the three daughters […]
Hush Money, Audio Version (1999/2000) Robert B Parker narrated by Burt Reynolds WARNING: The production and transfer to digital on this are awful. Truly terrible. What I listened to was full of clicks and skips and was generally terrible. If I’d have paid money for it instead of borrowing I’d probably have been pissed off. […]
Sudden Mischief (1998) Robert B Parker narration mangled by William Windom In case the above didn’t clarify, that was terrible. The narration was so bad that if I wasn’t stubborn I’d have stopped listening after the first chapter. However, I was already reading a couple other books, and since I was walking when I started […]
The Black Hand (2008) Will Thomas The fifth Barker & Llewelyn book finds the inquiry agent and his apprentice asked to find a solution to mafia killings that have come to London. “Are many of them Sicilian?” “Sicilian?” Dunham asked, as if it were a new word to his vocabulary. “Dunno ’bout that. One I-talian’s […]
Small Vices, Audible Version (1997) Robert B. Parker narrated by Burt Reynolds This is, hands down, one of my favorite Spenser books. It’s a story that puts Spenser’s complexity right up front, as the client he is hired to clear is an unlikable career criminal. “Just don’t get romantic on this one,” Jackson said. “Ellis […]
Chance, Audio Version (1996/1997) Robert B. Parker narrated by Burt Reynolds And I’ve reached Burt Reynolds narrating, and almost the book where I entered this series. The criminals in Boston are in a bit of an upheaval, and some of it is Spenser’s fault: He and Hawk took out Tony Marcus several years earlier, and […]
The Hellfire Conspiracy (2007) Will Thomas Set in London in 1885. Barker and Llewellyn are pulled into a case possibly involving the white slave trade–the sale of girls into prostitution. I’d seen women in the East End, pursuing their occupation boldly in the light of day, but it had never occurred to me that they […]
Thin Air (1995) Robert B. Parker Belson’s wife has disappeared. He first comes to talk to Spenser, because Spenser went though something similar with Susan. However, when Belson is shot, Spenser takes over the case (mind you, Quirk and the BPD are working on the case as well, but Spenser has more leeway and time). […]
Walking Shadow (1994) Robert B. Parker I’d not actually forgotten how much I like this story, I’d just forgotten the details. On re-read, I realized that details were just one of the things I liked. First, Spenser is more thoughtful and poetic than usual. The twenty-three-year-old women who filled the building were restoring makeup, reorganizing […]
Paper Doll (1993) Robert B Parker Spenser is hired to look into the murder of the wife of Louden Tripp, who is presented as an ideal wife and mother–a pillar of society without a blemish. Except that she was brutally murdered. So Quill recommends Spenser to look into it. And we meet Lee Farrell for […]
Double Deuce (1992) Robert B Parker Since I disliked the narrator so much when he read the last book, I’m switching to reading the ebooks until … Well, it would be Chance, but the library doesn’t have it, so it looks like it’ll be Small Vices, the first Spenser book I came across, and one […]
Pastime, Audio Version (1991/1992) Robert B. Parker narrated by David Dukes I thought Michael Prichard was a weak narrator for this series. In contrast to David Dukes, he was marvelous. I had to listen to multiple words and names mispronounced (including acorn and Vinnie Morris) which was awful, but not as awful as his narration […]
Stardust, Audio Version (1990/1991) Robert B Parker narrated by Michael Prichard Spenser is hired to protect television star Jill Joyce, and find who is harassing her. Unfortunately, Jill Joyce isn’t particularly helpful. “You tell me you don’t know Rojack,” I said. “I go out there and find out you do. You tell me you never […]
The Limehouse Text (2006) Will Thomas Set in London in 1885. Inspector Bainbridge has come to Barker with new evidence in the case of the murder of Barker’s former assistant, Quong: a pawn ticket. This reopens a year-old case, and leads to several new murders before Barker and Llewellyn discover the murderer. “What exactly is […]
To Kingdom Come (2005) Will Thomas Set in London in 1884. Unknown Irish bombers have blown up Scotland Yard and several others places in London, as part of their fight for freedom. Because they have threatened another bombing within a month, and because Scotland Yard has been unable to infiltrate the Irish factions, Barker decides […]
Playmates, Audio Version (1989/1990) Robert B Parker narrated by Michael Prichard Spenser is hired to look into accusations of point shaving at Taft University. He relatively quickly finds the answer, but finding a solution is going to be much harder. This is one of the Spenser books I really like. Not my top favorite, but […]
Crimson Joy, Audio Version (1988/1999) Robert B Parker narrated by Michael Prichard Someone is killing middle-aged black women in a horrible way, and Quirk has recieved a letter claiming the killer is a police officer. So he calls Spenser in to look at things from the outside (and as someone he can trust who he […]
Pale Kings and Princes, Audio Version (1987/1988) Robert B Parker narrated by Michael Prichard Spenser is sent to Wheaton Mass to look into the death of a reporter who was looking into the cocaine trade. Almost immediately things spiral out of control. First, no mention of Korea or military service in this book. The last […]
Taming a Sea-Horse, Audio Edition (986/1987) Robert B Parker narrated by Michael Prichard April Kyle has once again disappeared, so Patricia Utley has called Spenser to let him know, since no one else cares about her. Spenser and Susan are much better, although events of the still book remain in the front of their minds. […]
A Catskill Eagle (1985/1986) Robert B Parker narrated by Michael Prichard And this is the book where I come to dislike Susan Silverman. First things first, Spenser is still admitting to having served in Korea in this book. Now I got that out of the way, this is not my first time with this story, […]
Valediction, Audio Version (1984/1992) Robert B Parker narrated by Michael Prichard Susan has finally graduated–and has decided to move to California. Spenser is very close to falling apart, and so takes on a case for Paul–one of the dancers in his company has disappeared and the head of the company (and her boyfriend) claims she’s […]
The Widening Gyre, Audio Version (1983/1992) Robert B. Parker narrated by Michael Prichard Spenser is hired to protect a conservative candidate for the Senate. There are several interesting things here. 1) I’ll need to check, but I don’t think his military service was mentioned here at all. So no Korea. 2) Susan Silverman is getting […]
Ceremony, Audio Book (1982/1992) Robert B. Parker narrated by Michael Prichard April Kyle is a pretty sixteen year-old runaway who is working as a prostitute somewhere in the Combat Zone in Boston. Her father wants nothing to do with her, but her mother wants her safe, so Spenser takes on the case. First, Spenser is […]
A Study In Scarlet Women (2016) Sherry Thomas Let me be blunt: I never read Sherlock Holmes stories that were not written by ACD. I hate them. I also can’t stand having the character appropriated by other authors. Honestly, I don’t even care as much for the last couple of Sherlock Holmes stories written by […]
A Dangerous Deceit (2017) Alissa Johnson That was completely unexpected. In a very good way. Gabriel Arkwright is the third Gentleman Thief-taker, and like Samuel, he has a past he doesn’t talk about. He’s also glib and very good at becoming who he needs to be for each case. Jane Ballenger lives in an isolated […]
A Gift for Guile (2016) Alissa Johnson Set in England in 1872 The second book in the Gentleman Thief-takers series tells Esther’s story–that of a girl who was used by her scoundrel father as dainty and surprising henchman, and who kept her secrets from everyone–including her sister. Now she is looking for her father–her true […]