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 (1988/1989) 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 (1986/1987) 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 […]
Some Danger Involved (2004) Will Thomas Set in London in 1884. I believe I started with series when Grandmom was living with us–both of us loved it for certain. Thomas Llewelyn is a young Welshman who is at the end of his rope. He was kicked out of Oxford, spent time in Oxford prison, and […]
Sanibel Flats (1990/2010) Randy Wayne White narrated by Dick Hill This is another series I started right after I broke my ankle, so I have almost no memory of reading this. Which is nice because it was like I was listening to it for the first time! Also, there is no kindle version of this […]
Taken (2012) Robert Crais This is a Elvis Cole and Joe Pike book I had not read before. I didn’t especially enjoy this book. Possibly because it’s about modern slave traders and brutal murders. That’s… hard to take. I already know these horrible things happen. I really don’t need the details in my brain. The […]
Early Autumn, Audio Edition (1981/1992) Robert B. Parker narrated by Michael Prichard I remembered that I really liked this book, but I’d forgotten was that really, I’d loved it. All the complexity of Spenser, and all the things I love are here in this story. “You have this at a restaurant?” “No. I made this […]
A Savage Place, Audio Version (1981/1987) Robert B. Parker narrated by Michael Prichard This is another fascinating look at Spenser, his ethics, and how he changes even over the course of the first few book. He’s still admitting to having served in Korea. “Do you remember the first time?” “The time, not the person. It […]
The Sentry (2011) Robert Crais This is definitely a book I haven’t read before! This is also a book focusing on Joe Pike. Let me be clear, I don’t dislike Joe. I just prefer Elvis. But I see to be in a minority, from this blurb by Robert Crais about Joe Pike. Like Elvis Cole, […]
The First Rule (2010) Robert Crais I really thought I hadn’t read this book–aside from the very beginning (the murder) none of it seemed familiar. It seems like I read it in the months before Grandmom died, so that explains that distraction. Apparently re-reading this series is just like reading it for the first time, […]
Chasing Darkness (2008) Robert Crais This story switches back to Elvis, who seems to be recovered from almost dying. And his cat is still old and a jerk who doesn’t like anyone except Cole and Pike. He was sitting by his dish where he waits for breakfast, only this time he brought his own. The […]
The Watchman (2007) Robert Crais To help Elvis Cole find Ben Chenier, the son of his girlfriend, Joe Pike agreed to do one last job for Jon Stone. That job has come: Defend a wealthy, spoiled heiress from the men who want to kill her, for what she saw during an accident. “Why don’t I […]
Looking for Rachel Wallace, Audio Version (1980/1987) Robert B. Parker narrated by Michael Prichard I’d somehow forgotten how good this story is. I’d forgotten that at the start of the series Spenser said he had fought in Korea, which would of course make him even older than I remembered. “And you were in combat in […]
The Forgotten Man (2005) Robert Crais The 10th Elvis Cole book. The story opens with the discovery of a brutal murder–the bodies of mother, father, and son are found, along with the bloody footprints of their unharmed four-year-old daughter. The girl is physically unharmed, but no one involved leaves that home unchanged. Padilla was relieved […]
The Judas Goat, Audible Version (1978) Robert B. Parker narrated by Michael Prichard Spenser has been hired by Hugh Dixon, a millionaire whose family was killed in a bombing in London. Hugh Dixon wants the terrorists caught or killed, and he’ll pay Spenser a bounty for each kill or capture. First, it’s odd for Spenser […]
The Last Detective (2003) Robert Crais This is the 9th Elvis Cole book, and we learn a LOT here, from some of Cole’s family history His name was Philip James Cole until he was six years old. Then his mother announced, smiling at him as if she were giving him the most wonderful gift in […]
Promised Land, Audible Edition (1976/1987) Robert B. Parker narrated by Michael Prichard I’ve discovered that I exercise best with exciting mysteries I’ve previously read. If the book is good, then I want to keep walking just a little bit longer, to hear just a little more. But it can’t be something I’ve never read, because […]
L.A. Requiem (1999) Robert Crais Lucy Chenier and her son Ben have moved to LA, and they soon learn that there is a great difference between a long distance relationship and being together in the same town. Would you please move the couch again?” I stared at the couch. I had moved it maybe eight […]
Indigo Slam (1997) Robert Crais The book opens three years previously, with a father and three children being evacuated by US Marshals. This is actually important, because then the reactions make far more sense to the reader (even if they don’t make sense to Elvis). Lucy Chenier is working out a deal to move to […]
Sunset Express (1996) Robert Crais Book six of the Elvis Cole series. A high profile murder of the wife of a very rich businessman brings in a high-profile lawyer. When they hire Elvis Cole to look into the arresting officer, everything seems to be going normally, until suddenly it all gets strange. In the middle […]
Voodoo River (1995) Robert Crais Famous actress Jodi Taylor has come to Elvis Cole for help in finding her birth parents. Jodi Taylor was thirty-six years old, and beautiful in the way that only women with a measure of maturity can be beautiful. Not like in a fashion magazine. Not like a model. There was […]
Free Fall (1993) Robert Crais Book four of the Elvis Cole series. This is another one I don’t much remember reading. I do like this bit at the beginning. This edition contains the complete text of the original hardcover edition. NOT ONE WORD HAS BEEN OMITTED. Considering that I found some odd typos, I’m wondering […]
Lullaby Town (1992) Robert Crais The third Elvis Cole book finds Elvis searching for the ex-wife of a big-shot movie producer, because after ten years he’d decided he wants to see his son. “Everybody in his life is there because they want to screw him. Any time there’s a woman, he’s thinking it’s because she […]
Stalking the Angel (1989) Robert Crais Elvis Cole is hired to find an ancient Japanese manuscript stolen from the home of a prominent businessman. Unfortunately for Cole, the husband is an asshole and the wife makes it clear she doesn’t like her husband and what he does. And caught in the middle of all that […]
The Monkey’s Raincoat (1987) Robert Crais I read this series while I was recovering from my broken ankle, so I had very little memory of this book. In fact, I was 87% through the book before I came across a scene and thought “I remember that!” Those were definitely some very good drugs I was […]
Street Magicks (2016) edited by Paula Guran I believe it took me less than a year to finish this anthology. Hopefully this is a new trend for me. “Freewheeling” by Charles de Lint “A Year and a Day in Old Theradane” by Scott Lynch “Caligo Lane” by Ellen Klages “Socks” by Delia Sherman “Painted Birds […]
The Dark Side of The Road (2015) Simon R. Green I have an off-and-on relationship with Simon Green’s stories. Some I love very much (Nightside) while others, I just can’t get into (The Secret Histories). But finding it on sale, I decided to give this new book a try. Ishmael Jones lives under the radar, […]
Tales from the Nightside (2015) Simon R. Green The Nightside. “Where all your dreams can come true, especially the really bad ones. This is a collection of Nightside stories, many of which I have read before, and a previously unpublished novella. If you’re a Nightside fan, then you’ll want this. If you’re not sure if […]
Magic City: Recent Spells (2014) Paula Guran Table of Contents “Street Wizard” by Simon R. Green “Paranormal Romance” by Christopher Barzak “Grand Central Park” by Delia Sherman “Spellcaster 2.0” by Jonathan Maberry “Wallamelon” by Nisi Shawl “-30-” by Caitlín R. Kiernan “Seeing Eye” by Patricia Briggs “Stone Man” by Nancy Kress “In the Stacks” by […]
Something from the Nightside (Audio Version) (2003/2008) Simon R. Green narrated by Marc Vietor This is the first book in the Nightside series, and introduces us to both John Taylor and the Nightside. You’ll probably know very quickly if this is for you or not. John “Bloody” Taylor is a private investigator who has been […]
Bad Blood (2013) Dana Stabenow So, I was contentedly reading along, noting the parallels between part of this story and Romeo & Juliet, reading, reading, reading, and then I reach the last page. “What? What the hell?” (Looks for another chapter) “What the hell?” Is this the end of the series? I have no clue. […]
Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives (2011) edited by Justin Gustainis As the title says, this is a collection of supernatural mysteries. “Little Better than a Beast: A Marla Mason Story” by T. A. Pratt “Dusted: A Cosa Nostradamus Story” by Laura Anne Gilman “The Demon You Know… A Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom Story” […]
The Collected Short Stories (2013) Dana Stabenow I first came across Dana Stabenow as the editor of an anthology of fantastical mysteries. From there, I picked up her Kate Shugak mysteries, although I fully admit I have only read the books that come AFTER The Incident. I’ve actually read most of the Kate Shugak short […]
Weird Detectives: Recent Investigations (2013) edited by Paula Guran This is a collection of short stories previously published elsewhere, so I’d already read several of these stories. But there were several I had not, and several of the ones I’d read before were well worth reading again. This book has been sitting around for awhile, […]
Small Vices (2002) written Robert B. Parker narrated by Burt Reynolds This audio book was my first exposure to Robert B. Parker. I was doing mind-numbingly dull lab work, and audio books kept me from losing my mind, so I was willing to try almost anything. I fell in love almost instantly. Spenser is hired […]
The Way of the Wizard (2010) John Joseph Adams I love anthologies. They give me an escape in bite size pieces that won’t keep me up past my bed time on a work night, and they also often a wonderful introduction to authors I have not read previously. This anthology focuses upon wizards of all […]
Home Improvement: Undead Edition (2011) Charlaine Harris, Toni L. P. Kelner As with most anthologies, there are stories here I really liked, and some that I found to be just okay. What was unusual was that there were some stories that I actually strongly disliked. “Gray” by Patricia Briggs isn’t a Mercy Thompson story, but […]
Any Taint of Vice (2012) Dana Stabenow A Kate Shugak short story for 99¢? Yes please! Kate receives a call to come to Anchorage and find a general’s son and destroy the incriminating pictures. And not in the order. It’s a nice short story, and shows a peek at how Kate keeps Mutt in kibble. […]
Though Not Dead (2011) Dana Stabenow This book takes place immediately after A Night Too Dark. “Old Sam” Dementieff has died, and he made Kate his executor and heir. Just as she is starting to settle his estate, Jim–who she has been leaning on a bit to get her through this–is called home with the […]