Mystery Crime Books

Michael Jecks is a very, very accomplished writer. He brings the Edward and Isabella period to brilliand life. I recommend everyone who has interest in mistery and medieval history to read his books as soon as possible and, just like me, to crave for the next installment of the series

This is the first book in the series that fails to deliver on an enjoyable mystery. The author almost apologizes for the radical change in his crafting of this story. Mr. Jecks does a wonderful job of weaving his character into the historical backdrop of the English-French conflict and provides a solid story line to follow. It is however not his typical work that builds details and characters to a climax of understanding who the culprit is. I would recommend it as a good read for someone who is like the time period of the setting, as the story touches on many of the little known facts of the events, just not a good mystery.

I can only apologize to Michael Jecks for not having written a review before now. Although I had the long wait, it arrived earlier than originally expected. I pledged to wait and finish the book that I was reading at the time by an excellent author. But, the flesh is weak and before I knew it, I was carefully taking the dust jacket off the precious tomb and finding it most difficult to put down despite a set back in health. Jecks has been good, no excellent before now. Then he wrote outside of his "home ground" and one or two nay sayers where there to chide him for leaving home as it were. I could not agree! He grew and his character development grew apace. Now Jecks has proven to me that he can weave a great story in a most complex web while one enjoys every minute of reading not just the "who done it," but absorb the historical period at the same time. I will leave it at that because I don't plan on telling the story. But, Jecks, you had best get the next one on the shelves soon. I am also glad to see that the book stores are keeping his older works on the shelves as never before that I have seen in this part of the U.S. I certainly hope that British readers appreciate what they have in this author and give him credit. The book is good enough that I over looked the few typos that I don't credit the author with, but his publisher should take greater care for Jecks. I am looking forward to the release of his friend, Bernard Knight's, latest work. I hope for earlier than expected release here.

First, I'll admit to two of my biases: I have enjoyed all of Michael Jecks' books, and I love medieval mysteries in general. And I hate the fact that these are sold as being "Knights Templar" mysteries, because that is hardly their main focus.

That being said, this book is more Templar-oriented than most, and Jecks is as scrupulous about history as always. I also love the fact that the title is in some ways a potentially misleading riddle.

For those who are used to seeing Jecks' characters in the English countryside, this novel, which is set mostly in France, will be new and different. I applaud Jecks for branching out geographically, while keeping the characters with whom I was comfortable. It is another book that teaches a lot of history painlessly while amusing us with interesting characters and a good mystery.

"Darkness, Take My Hand" puzzles me to some extent. Frankly, I thought it was a very slow read, even past mid-point. Guess Lehane's not the author for me. I almost put it aside at one point, but decided to keep on plugging and indeed it got interesting about 2/3 of the way through. I must be the only reader who actually wants to put a Lehane novel down! I'm not giving up, though.

I really loved A Drink Before the War, but was very disappointed in this one. In fact, it was so depressing, I lost interest and never finished it. It's ok when things go bad once and awhile, but constantly, is too depressing a read to hold my interest. I was really looking forward to reading all of Dennis Lehane's books, because I do like his writing style.

This is an incredibly engrossing story. Be warned though--the violence is horrific. The murder descriptions are VERY disturbing but I never felt they were gratuitous. This is a fascinating story of friendship and family but it also shows the violence that both the most-twisted among us and ordinary citizens are capable of. Sometimes they are one and the same.

Hannibal Lecter meets Stephen King's "IT"
Another dynamic detective novel from Dennis Lehane starring Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro. A tight, well written page turner that continues the Boston saga of the mean streets of blue-collar Dorchester. Old secrets explode as evil envelops everyone.
Kenzie and Gennaro face their toughest case yet as a trio of sadists murder at will notifying their intended victims with their surreptitiously taken photographs through the mails. As the story draws to a dramatic close, Angela is shot while Kenzie deals with the evil leader of the sadistic killers.
Character development was superb. Mr. Lehane does a very good job of fleshing out all the characters. The reader is kept in suspense as to who the leader of the killers is until the final chapters. All in all a terrific read.
Some very graphic violence and rough language but all germane to the plot. No gratuitous sex.
Outstanding, must read if you are into the detective genre. Good for the beach or that long plane ride. Dennis Lehane is a master storyteller.

I read this book for a book club not knowing anything about the author before. Then upon finishing realized he was the author of Mystic River and Gone, Baby, Gone. I absolutely love his writing style when I'm in the mood for an excellent murder mystery to lose myself in. Much better than James Patterson and I have been reading him for years...

I am a big fan of thriller/mystery books. This book is so poorly written and uninteresting it was effort for me to finish it. There are a lot of great authors out there, I wouldn't waste your time or money on JA Jance. Seriously, read Harlan Coben or someone with talent.

Each and every one of the Joanna Brady series of books has captured my attention from beginning to end. I have read them all in order and absolutely love having so many of the characters continue from one till the next and enjoy following their progression through their lives. The suspense is great. I would love the series to go on forever.

I tend to pick up the books in this series featuring southern Arizona sheriff Joanna Brady when I'm in airports or on the beach. Dead Wrong, like the others I have read in the series, is a serviceable murder mystery. In this one, Joanna is nine months pregnant and a lot of the side action involves family members fussing over her and her constant need for bathroom breaks. She's confronted with two cases: a murder victim who is himself a convicted murderer, whose fingers have been severed, and a suspected dogfighting ring.

For me, the interesting part was Brady's job, for which she stands election, encompassing Animal Control and the county jail as well as law enforcement. Her team is continually challenged by border control issues and staffing shortages caused by officers who also serve in the National Guard. The characters themselves are not particularly complex, with a lot of description of what they're like rather than having the reader infer it from their words and actions. It's not necessary to read the series in order, from what I can see.

If you have a trip to take, or a lounge chair at the beach with your name on it, Dead Wrong may have a place in your bag. If you are actually visiting Southeastern Arizona, I think it would be an even richer read.

I've read most of the books in this series and enjoyed all of them. This latest was no exception with the two double crimes plus the ongoing family story of Joanna. My only complaint is the long drawn out retelling of all the characters who were in other novels. I enjoy the strong character of Joanna doing the job of sherrif while also raising her daughter and struggling with her mil from hell. Both crimes were quite violent with murders and rape, but the book is enjoyable to read although I'll have to wait for the next one to find out if some of the characters manage to pull through. And of course we need to know how baby Dennis will adapt to his family. What amazes me about this series is that this latest entry is as fresh and interesting as the previous ones.

This installment in the Sheriff Joanna Brady series was hard to put down. I liked the way the author had Joanna's Dad's diaries as part of the plot. We got to "know" him as well as see into the past. Joanna is a role model for all women. If you work hard enough you can have it all. You might even be able to work until you go into labor. Interesting twists and turns makes this book my favorite in the series so far. If you like action, mysteries, and reading about current social problems you will like this series and this novel.

Another excellent book by Charlaine Harris! I love everything she has written and wish she could write faster!! This is a great book and a great series!!!

When I started this book I had another book I had planned to read after I finished this one, but instead I had to go out the night I finished this to buy the next book in the series. I loved it! Its a fairly short book and I read it in a few days, if it wasn't the holiday season and I had more time I probably would have read it in a day. I found myself pulling it out every free chance I got because I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next.

As a huge Charlaine Harris fan I recently picked up "Shakespeare's Landlord", the first Lily Bard mystery. This series deals with Lily, a cleanwoman dealing with her traumatic past by running off to a small town and making a new life for herself. One night Lily witnesses a murderer dumping a body in a nearby park area. And they are using Lily's trash can to transport the body! Desperate to hide her own secrets, Lily begins her own search into who murdered the gossipy landlord of Shakespeare Garden Apartments...and every tenant is a supect! I flew through this book quickly, its kind of short and sweet. Well sweet, it the wrong word. Very little that happens in this story is sweet. This is the darkest story I have read from Charlaine (after her rape saga "A Secret Rage"). This mystery is definately worth reading and the clues and suspects are interesting. The reveal of the murderer is a little to quickly resolved. I was slightly disappointed by that. I would recommend this book to Harris' devotees and to those who like their mysteries a little less 'cozy'.

Of course there are similarities between all of this author's top notch female characters: working class, heightened perceptual abilities, unusual relationships with males. But in this novel, the pattern is broken just enough to bring in new interest.The closest comparison would be the "cozy" English village murder mystery with the local sharp-eyed detective present and able to solve the case from a small group of local suspects. However, being American, we have to juice up our lead character with a horrific recovery story and keep the pace very snappy. At the end, there were characters I wanted to know more about and I think this book could easily use an extended re-write. I know I would buy it again just to have those questions answered.

For four years Lily Bard has lived and worked in the small town of Shakespeare, Arkansas. While she cleans the houses and businesses of the town folk she learns some of their secrets, but she's known and respected for being closed mouthed. Even though Lily is a known and recognized member of the community, she isn't really close to anyone; she keeps to herself. Lily has a past she'd like to keep there.

When the leading Shakespeare busybody and landlord turns up murdered, suddenly the people that she has worked for are all under suspicion. When the local police chief starts sniffing around Lily's door, she decides she needs to try to locate the murderer.

With only 214 pages, I was a little skeptical about how this mystery would get pulled off. I ended up being pleasantly impressed. Charlaine Harris creates a detailed setting and introduces a town full of colorful people. Having grown up in a small town; it was easy to recognize some of the characters and relate to the life and town she describes so well.

The mystery is solid and the set up compelling. The story is detail rich and there are multiple layers and twists and turns that keep the reader enthralled. Ms. Harris has created yet another wonderful heroine in Lily, whose past is ugly and the emotions that the telling of it evokes are genuine, frightening and a little heart breaking. Enjoy!

Cherise Everhard, January 2008

Not her best but still better than a lot of other paranormal romance writers. Will buy what ever she writes in the Bishop Series.

Finally! Hooper is back with another paranormal thriller featuring Bishop and the Special Crimes Unit from the FBI. There is a serial killer operating in Boston without remorse. He's killed twelve women in a one month time period, and it seems that the only reason he's gone to ground is because the last one was a Senator's daughter, and the media has gone crazy. Bishop, usually reticent about the abilities of his team, has to deal with the powerful politician who knows his secret - and his frustrations. Much of the knowledge about the mysterious killer is from psychic channels - meaning there is no hard evidence. Without that, the new Director of the FBI won't allow the task force to act on tips - such as the information that the killer has moved on - southward - to a rural Georgia county named Prophet.

Bishop has called in all his resources to work this case as best he can with his hands tied - because his wife Miranda is at stake. Dani and Paris Justice are twins with psychic powers, and Dani has a vision dream that Miranda is at the mercy of this evil monster, leading Bishop and others into a trap that might kill them. Coincidentally Dani & Paris are members of a civilian group, co-founded by Bishop, called Haven. Haven goes where the government operated SCU cannot - and its members include many of the psychic community who do not wish to be in law enforcement but who would like to use their unique gifts for the greater good.

Dani has dreams. Her dreams are usually connected with people already in her life - but they are never good dreams. She has tried to run from them, but has finally accepted her gift and works with her sister and Haven whenever their talents call for it. But this dream won't stop. It keeps returning, although sometimes the players change. And Dani doesn't know how to keep it from coming true - despite her best efforts to change things. What Dani does know is that if she can't find the malevolent force behind the nightmare, life will never be the same - for those who can survive...

I love Hooper's paranormal stories - she is a true story-teller with a knack where others sometimes test the waters but never quite take a swim. I, unfortunately, did not find this to be one of her better works. I found it anti-climactic, and did not like where the book left off. The attempt at closure with a taste of more didn't work for me this time, but I can tell you that it won't keep me from picking up more of her work when it comes out. Those who enjoy the slightly romantic paranormal mystery will definitely want to keep an eye on this series - but it is not for those who don't care for the taste of violence.

This book held my attention, however I found the story line somewhat confusing at times, trying to sort out the different physic abilities of each charactor. It finally all came together at the end, which was really intense, however was disappointed in the "killer's" connection to all the paranormal happenings throughout the book. Will be curious to read the sequel, if there is one.

A while ago, I read the first of this series by Kay Hooper, and was motivated to read this one. I was curious to see what happened since the last Noah Bishop story involving a crazed serial killer. In the present novel, mysterious and extremely intuitive Bishop has tracked, with the help of his fellow psychics, a killer from Boston to a small town in Georgia. While the killer's methods have become more brutal, there is every indication that something worse is going to happen. Bishop, a member of an elite, government agency (the Special Crimes Unit of the FBI) is trying to unravel the mystery, struggling to decipher his dreams and protect the love of his life.

Meanwhile, Dani Justice (who works for Bishop's wife at an agency named Haven) has returned to her hometown and is trying to understand her dreams, and how they relate to the latest deaths reported. While trying to assist local law enforcement, she finds herself also confused about her returning feelings for her old lover, Sheriff Marc Purell. With the assistance of her identical twin, Paris, all three attempt to use either their powers to solve the mystery of who or what evil presence has invaded their town.

As romance sparks between several of the characters, we see the motive for the bizarre killings emerging....apparently someone is attempting to "steal" the abilities of some of the most psychics. If you enjoyed the last Bishop story, you will probably enjoy this one. I wouldn't say that this was the best book that I ever read, but it was definitely entertaining and easy to read. And I would probably read the next one.

I have read Kay Hooper in the past and found her later books to be a little bloodier that I prefer, but this book is so gory it is sickening! I could not continue reading it.I would not recommend this to anyone and I will not buy any of her books again!

I was introduced to Josephine Tey through a group I belong to on [...]. We have an informal book group and discussion, and this is our most recent selection. It's the first Tey I've read, and it won't be the last. It features a character who apparently recurs in several of her novels, Inspector Alan Grant of the Scotland Yard.

Laid up after suffering a broken leg, Grant tries to dispel the boredom by trying to solve an unsolved crime: the mysterious disappearance of the two princes in the Tower in the fifteenth century. Using the evidence presented to him, Grant and his research associate from the British Museum come up with a satisfactory and believable solution to a problem that has puzzled people for over five hundred years.

One thing I found difficult to believe in this mystery was the fact that Grant knew so little about the history of his own country. For example, he didn't recognize a famous portrait of Richard III on sight. And that he was easily convinced by Thomas More's "evidence" of Richard's having murdered the boys, keeping in mind that More was writing after the fact, in the reign of a Tudor. Its also pretty obvious what Grant's conclusion is going to be about the mystery. But that said, that conclusion is completely believable (and, I suspect myself, most likely true). It's a short mystery that will keep you entertained for an afternoon or so.

Dynamic and uncomplicated story that keeps unraveling with the speed of an avalanche.
Set in an unexpected surroundings (a hospital), the story evolves around the investigation
and subsequent discovery of the true reason behind the murders of the Two Princes in 1483.

The writing style is engaging, full of interesting fact and witty comedic nuances that make one oblivious to the time it takes to finish the book. The author gets to the heart of matter without painting unnecessary surroundings. It's a well-written, entertaining book and I recommend it if you have an afternoon to kill.

by Simon Cleveland

As much as I love history and historical fiction, I hated this book. The story-teller, Grant, is sarcastic and petty. He is negative and utterly uninteresting. The writing was weak and boring, the story, or mystery was lacking in mystery! Nothing special here, just a guy named Grant griping about his hospital stay. A disappointment.

Author Elizabeth MacKintosh, wrote under the pseudonym of Josephine Tey. She died in 1952 but her unique talent continues to entertain and enlighten her readers with her unusual mystery scenarios. With Daughter of Time she invites us to join the team of a 20th century Scotland Yard inspector Alan Grant and an American researcher currently on assignment at the British Museum as they utilized their powers of deductive reasoning (ala Sherlock Holmes) to ascertain the truth about with Richard III. Having been previously characterized by everyone from Shakespeare to Sir Thomas More as an evil hunchbacked usurper who murdered his two young nephews in the Tower of London in order to claim the throne; the Richard Plantagenet of this investigation is portrayed as an unusually trusting, loving and gentle man with no physical deformity.

As creatively and intellectually plotted as this novel is, its' true beauty lies in the fact that it encourages the reader to THINK. It obliquely tells us that one should never accept any recorded history without question since most history is written from the perspective of those in power at the time and is not necessarily factual. In addition it enhances knowledge and vocabulary and sent this reader scurrying to the computer to look up definitions of items such as Bill of Attainder, Titulus Regius, and Star Chamber (lo and behold....it is more than a movie with Michael Douglas).

Admittedly, this is a novel and the "Richard argument" presented by Tey's characters, although compelling, should not be viewed as incontrovertible fact. Her writing, however, deserves to be treasured and enjoyed like a fine wine that is rolled around on the tongue and savored before it is swallowed.

This is a wonderful genre bending book...part history, part mystery. Written by Scotswoman Elizabeth MacIntosh, who wrote under the pen name Josephine Tey, it was first published in 1951. It is tragic that the author died in 1952 and was never to know the pleasure that this book would bring to generations of readers and that the Mystery Writers of America would ultimately rank it fourth among the one hundred best mysteries ever written.

The title of the book is derived from a historical source, as it is attributable to Sir Francis Bacon, "For truth is rightly named after the daughter of time, and not of authority." The book itself is not a traditional mystery but rather an application of deductive reasoning to an actual historical event. The event in question is the murder of the princes in the tower, sons of King Edward IV, allegedly by their uncle, Richard III, who eventually usurped the English throne after the death of his brother. It has been widely held that Richard III did, indeed, murder the two young princes, his nephews, in order to secure his claim to the throne.

The reader is introduced to Scotland Yard Inspector Alan Grant, who is hospitalized and recovering from injuries sustained in the line of duty. While convalescing, he becomes intrigued by a picture of a portrait of Richard III, a likeness with which he is unfamiliar. Grant is puzzled that someone with such a sensitive face could have been such a monster as to murder his two nephews in cold blood. So, our intrepid Inspector decides that he will reconsider the evidence upon which such a dastardly assumption has been based. With the help of an American researcher doing the necessary legwork, Grant compiles enough archival historical fact that incrementally helps him formulate a new theory as to who actually may have murdered the princes in the tower.

This analysis and reformulation is done as though it were being argued to a jury. Indeed, so persuasive is Inspector Grant through the application of some insightful deductive reasoning and clever dialogue that the reader comes away thinking that Grant has solved one of the most intriguing historical mysteries of all time. This is certainly an unusual book conceptually but one that succeeds brilliantly. It should appeal to those readers who enjoy having a mystery unraveled, as well as to those who harbor a love of English history. Bravo!

Wielding language with the same deft authority as in his previous novels, the scathingly articulate Welsh delivers a powerful story of a man haunted by his recent failures, DI Ray Lennox of the Edinburgh PD. Breaking down after the traumatizing case of a murdered little girl, Lennox has succumbed to the sweat-soaked nightmares of his failures on the job, vainly trying to save victims from the monsters who prey on them. Attending NA and gulping down prescribed antidepressants, Lennox and fiancé, Trudi, fly to Miami for a much-needed vacation, he in an effort to clear his mind, she with a "Perfect Bride" magazine and growing guest list in hand. Caught up in wedding plans, Trudi is flummoxed when Ray goes completely off the track; she has failed to notice ominous signs of Ray's further unraveling. He stops taking his medication, his internal demons soon reawakened. It isn't long before the thirst is upon him, Ray seeking oblivion in alcohol, which only exacerbates his life problems and triggers the urge for cocaine.

Quite literally, Welsh's protagonist is a mess, an emotional and mental wreck bedeviled by memories of the little girl he couldn't save, his thoughts filled with the degenerates he interviewed while searching for the missing girl, their twisted world-views eating into his soul until he sees such men everywhere: "Lennox was too sensitive to cope with the savagery that surrounded him in Serious Crimes." A beautifully flawed protagonist, this tough cop is driven to his knees by the evil that assaults helpless children, even Trudi unable to break through the wall of pain that threatens to overwhelm him. As his drinking accelerates, the inevitable happens- a bitter argument. Trudi stalks off to their Miami hotel, leaving Ray at a bar, his rage and thirst for drink and self-punishment sending him into the embrace of the denizens who feed on the innocence of the poor and vulnerable. From tourist-friendly Miami to the darker, meaner streets of abuse, drugs and various forms of depravity, Lennox is in free fall, partying with his new best friends, trapped in yet another nightmare, groggily rescuing ten-year-old Tianna from the circling sharks.

Once again, Welsh is at the top of his game, his extremely sympathetic, tormented hero struggling for clarity far from his native Scotland, on a mad chase with a child across Florida to evade her predators, Trudi flailing at her helplessness and this vacation-run-amok, wondering what she is doing with this man. Ray's torment is a beautiful thing in Welsh's hands, including the flashbacks in Edinburgh that lay the groundwork for the protagonist's mental condition, a cynical, often sardonic cop caught in the vortex of a crime he most detests, looking for redemption with a damaged child at his side. This is a tough story- no punches pulled- the ugly underbelly of this particular form of degeneracy exposed to the light. Physically and mentally battered, Lennox is called upon to exorcise his long-repressed demons in a final effort to save himself from the horrors around him. Miami will never be the same, this wild Scot marking his territory as he races with Tianna one step ahead of the villains: "It really does become... the battle between good and evil." Luan Gaines/ 2008.

This book was fun to read and well written. Lehane creates colorful characters, and makes them seem extremely lifelike. But this book is excessively violent, and the ultimate "reveal" is simply not believable. Nor are many of the plot twists along the way. Reading this book is like guzzling a 6 pack of diet soda -- tastes good going down, but leaves you feeling empty and slightly dirty inside.

I was expecting more from Dennis Lehane after reading the epic "Gone Baby, Gone", the multilayered "Mystic River" and the hypnotic "Shutter Island". "Prayer for Rain" is good but it is also a run of the mill piece of work. In hindsight, I can understand why Lehane hasn't reunited Kenzie and Gennaro since this thriller was published back in 1999.

Dennis Lehane deserves all the praise he receives. He is truly a master writer and story teller. He always delivers a well-written, strongly plotted and entertaining story. Prayers for Rain ranks up there with Gone Baby Gone and Mystic River. This book is dark, gruesome, violent and riveting. It's well paced and Lehane provides a number of twists and turns, as usual. Nothing, however, comes out of left field. Everything makes sense once investigator Patrick Kenzie and his partner Angela Gennaro answer the dangling questions. You'll race through this book.

...or I'll have to quit you now...it's the admirable hallmark of british mystery writers not to hurt the cat (or dog), or your readers will depart. Of course, please spare the children too...but still, when I encounter cruelty to animals in fiction the whole experience is marred and lessened. Yeah, it's a real gotcha for sympathy but a cheap shot.

Otherwise I totally agree with the brilliance of the story and pacing, plus the audio reader is sublime.

By far the best thing about this book is the reuniting of Patrick and Angela, who had a major disagreement in "Gone, Baby, Gone," though their reunion is pretty low-key. Other than that, the book is a hodge-podge. The plot is too contrived and awkward, jerking along at best. The main characters are not believable in terms of their supposed powers to orchestrate and inflict mayhem. Others appear almost without explanation and are then gone. The violence seems over the top and not authentic. Patrick's over-large, enforcer buddy, Bubba Rogowski, is a goofball, lethal warrior, and improbable seducer of a sexy woman all rolled into one. And the dialog seems overly cutesy, or something.

Lehane just doesn't run a tight ship with this last offering of the series. No way is this book the best of the series or otherwise.

I just don't have the patience anymore. Initially the series was tight and fun, with recipes thrown in as an added bonus. Now Hannah is getting unlikeable and full of herself and, if she is so concerned with being an old maid, why doesn't she do something about it? It's tiresome and I think an earlier reviewer put it best when likening it to having a high-school crush on two boys at the same time. This isn't high school and it is a bit insulting to "small-town" living in that it's ridiculous to believe that Hannah and only Hannah has this amazing ability to solve crimes whilst her little cult of personality grows by leaps and bounds. Soon there won't be anyone left who hasn't had a family member killed and had to deal with Hannah's crime-solving prowess. Yikes. I get the impression that the author is getting a bit lazy and personally doesn't feel like bringing the triangle to a resolution for fear of alienating either the "Normans" or the "Mikes". Unfortunately, this leads to cringe-inducing moments that just make these books almost intolerable anymore. Perhaps Fluke should take a break from the series, compile a nice cookbook, then just be brutal and be done with it. It's just not fun anymore.

I love the series - each one seems to be better than the last - and the recipes - I've tried many of them from the different books in the system - so far they have all recieved raves from not only family but from fellow teachers. Thanks for the wonderful recipes! ! !

I always wait for the next Joanne Fluke book to come out to see what Hannah Swensen and her sisters are going to do next and to see if she makes a decision between Norman and Mike. It is a good clean fun book and I really enjoyed reading it. The combination of mystery,food and fun are great. The recipes in the book are an added plus.

But -- a lot of the book I found silly and/or irritating.

I thought the main character, Hannah, was kind of a prig, and her romantic triangle a bit too prim and proper for this day and age and a woman who is clearly well out of her teens.

And -- although I am a major cat lover -- there was WAY too much about Hannah's cat in this book. Who really wants to listen to descriptions of the cute things a cat did, unless the cat is your own cat! And I never did understand the cat tree this cat received as a present, despite an extensive description. I read the cat scenes because I kept thinking the cat had something to do with the plot.

I also think this would be a very bad book to read if you were on a diet, because there are a lot of descriptions of food and recipes -- not in the appendix, but mixed right in there with the book. I found this annoying and distracting from a pretty good plot.

The book needed a copyeditor, including one who would do some fact checking. A character flies from the Central Time Zone to Eastern Standard Time, and there's a conversation about what time is it there. Well, if it's almost 2 pm, it's almost 1 pm in CST, but the character acts as if she's talking to someone in Mongolia. Additionally, the author has already told us that this character is eating pizza so early in the day the parking lot at the restaurant is practically empty -- which is not likely to be the case around 1 pm! I think the Californian author was thinking of PST rather than CST.

Still, the plotting was pretty good, and it's light reading. I'm just glad I was given the book and didn't spend my own money on this.

I've read every book in the series so far & have enjoyed reading them. BUT, I have to agree with some of what the other reviewers have mentioned.

-The Mike/Norman thing is getting pretty old now.

-Every time someone visits someone, they have to serve cake/cookies. I'm surprised the characters don't all weigh 300 lbs! Way too much emphasis on bakery goods!

-The characters constantly telling Hannah, "I have to talk to you." They all tell Hannah stuff, but not the police. They come to her to ask if they should mention certain things to the police. Right!

-Even Mike thinks he needs Hannah to help him. Hannah might as well get a part-time job as an investigator - that way, the book won't seem so unrealistic.

-The most perfect/smartest/prettiest girl in the world - Tracey - is an annoying character. If she were more like a real kid her age, she could be a valuable character in the book series.

-Like in most mysteries, the characters always have to drive over to someone's house to ask a question instead of simply calling.

-Asking Hannah to make Red Velvet Cookies because they might make an Alzheimer's patient remember things. Oh, please.

I figured out the murderer early on. It was too obvious. Hard to imagine anyone killing someone for the reason that was stated.

Hopefully, the next book is better.

Just when you think it can't get any worse ... it does. This novel is a great example of noir literature. It has the usual noir elements of darkness, despair, hopelessness and betrayal. Layered on top of this noir novel is a very black comedy of gender warfare.

A young mother, living in the Tokyo suburbs and working the night shift at a boxed lunch factory, wants out of her miserable marriage to a philandering and abusive husband. Her solution? Strangle him. Unfortunately, this solution creates a new problem ... a dead body that needs to disappear. Fortunately, this young mother has empathetic lady friends who are equally desperate to get "out" of their own miserable circumstances and are therefore willing to help dispose of the body.

Unfortunately for these ladies, they find that the nightmare has just begun and this one act has pulled them into the "violent underbelly of Japanese society." In usual noir-ish fashion, all does not end well and no solutions are offered to resolve the hostilities between the sexes.

This is not my favorite type of reading, but I thought the story was well done and was an excellent example of noir and black comedy. The translation, by Stephen Snyder, seemed extraordinarily good to me; I never once thought about the fact that I was reading the book in translation.

This is one of better novels I've ever read, and not particularly a fan of the genre. There's the mystery and the mayhem, but I was driven to read because Kirino creates real female characters and you care a great deal about what happens to them. While you read because of the main characters, in the meantime the book provides rare, deep insight into the character of Japanese society through its 'outcast' elements. A much deeper and much more interesting Japan than the wornout 'kimono and sarariman' one of proper Japanophilia.

I really enjoyed this novel, but it is very dark. It is not a book you should read if you're not in a good emotional place, because Kirino digs deeper into the more sinister aspects of human nature than most crime/thriller writers, and one of the central ideas in her novel is that any of us is capable of committing or abetting horrible crimes if we are pushed to the brink by the right combination of circumstances.

This is not a novel of cartoonish violence like that in so many other contemporary thrillers. Kirino's understanding of how ordinary people get caught up in desperate situations, and how one decisive act can create a litany of unforeseen and undesirable consequences, is reminiscent of Flannery O'Connor, Jim Thompson, James Ellroy and Andrew Vachss.

Despite the grim subject matter (a woman murders her husband and three of her female co-workers agree to cut up and dispose of his body), I couldn't put this novel down because of Kirino's incisive psychological profiles and spot-on internal monologue. Each character is distinct and three-dimensional, and Kirino does a great job of bringing together seemingly unrelated and dissimilar characters in a narrative that picks up momentum until the dramatic climax.

The first two-thirds of the novel is a combination of crime thriller, unconventional feminist treatise and deconstruction of how seemingly innocuous people metamorphose into efficient criminals when placed under financial, social and emotional duress. The novel gets sensational in the final third, and I was initially disappointed at how the story became too "over-the-top," but Kirino rescues the novel in the final twenty pages and I was left breathless.

The murder and the inevitable complications it creates are so real, it's jarring. If you like your crime novels profoundly dark, then you must read this one. It's on par with anything O'Connor, Thompson, Ellroy and Vachss have done.

"Out" is Japanese noir at its darkest best. The first of Natsuo Kirino's to be translated into English, it is gruesome, edgy, bizarre, and terrifying. It has also been mistakenly categorized as mystery simply because there is no mystery here at all. We know from the onset the who, what, why, where, when, and how of the crime. What we do not know is what will happen to the criminals.

Four women work the night shift assembly line at the Miyoshi Foods factory in suburban Tokyo prepping box lunches. Masako Katori is the smartest of the four, hardened by the injustices she suffered in a previous professional job, and by the callous indifference of her husband and troubled son. Yoshie Azuma is the most efficient at the line, earning her the nickname Skipper, but she's a widow burdened at home by an antagonistic, bed-ridden mother-in-law and a selfish daughter. Yayoi Yamamoto is the timid one, abused by her husband, Kenji, whose gambling and womanizing have drained their savings. Kuniko Jonouchi is young and foolish, drowning in a sea of debts to finance her shopping habits.

Unable to endure Kenji's abuse, Yayoi snaps one night and strangles him dead with her belt. Helpless and panicked, she enlists Masako's help, and with the understandably hesitant Yoshie and Kuniko, they dismember the late Kenji and dispose of the body in various places. (About halfway into the story, a detective theorizes that the reason dismembering is more often done by women is simply because they do not have the physical strength to carry the body in one piece. It makes perfect sense...well...in a morbid sort of way.) Yayoi collects on her husband's life insurance and pays the three for their trouble. Soon, Kenji's remains are discovered, and a club owner who fought with Kenji on his last night is fingered (sorry) as the killer. But the women's relief is premature--their lives are forever changed and threatened by someone who's figured it all out and now wants payback.

Ms. Kirino presents a gritty Tokyo here, not the cherry-blossomed, tranquil, Zen-like atmosphere postcards perpetuate. This is ugly Tokyo with its yakuza (mob), seedy Kabukicho (red-light district) `hostess' clubs, and killer loan sharks. (Those into photography may recall seeing works by Watanabe Katsumi who's known for his photographs of the gangsters, prostitutes, drag queens, and sundry of Kabukicho in the `60s and `70s. That's the atmosphere and mood here, only grittier, darker, and more menacing.) There are no likeable characters either, and money is a recurring theme. Wanting it, getting it, killing for it are always at the forefront. It's a gripping read and her characters may not be sympathetic but they're believable.

The "feminist" label that's been attached to this is a curious thing. True that Masako was treated very badly at a prior company for no other reason than wanting equal pay and opportunities. However, the fact that it portrays women who are treated as second-class citizens by a patriarchal society does not in and of itself make it a feminist novel, and insofar as they are capable of despicable acts as their male counterparts only proves that crime can be an attractive proposition for both genders. There is no underlying moral philosophy here that champions equal rights for its female characters, and I don't see it as the theme; championing their survival from a killer hell-bent on revenge, yes, but that's a totally different thing. It just isn't that kind of story. The four women are in no way bound by anything approximating sisterhood. They did what they did because each had a reason to--two of them for need of money, one for something that would give her life some meaning (as absurd as that sounds, considering the act), and another for no other reason than she reached the end of her tether with an abusive husband.

The author is frank, both with the violence and the ugliness of its world. Those of a more sensitive nature will find some portions unpalatable. Those who like their novels dark, such as myself, will find this very satisfactory. Why four stars? The ending became a mishmash of events, told twice by two characters with varying perspectives, and a bewildering final chapter. Nothing new is learned by the reader when the second perspective is given, therefore, why even do it? And what precipitated the main character's abrupt and bizarre metamorphosis in the last chapter? I can guess, I suppose, but I rather the author had told me. With a tighter ending, it would have been near perfect. So, terrific story, lots of tension and very dark themes, scary but believable characters, realistic portrayal of the working-class part of Tokyo, writing may have been somewhat pedestrian, solid plotting until an ending that left me scratching my head.

Out, to which I was originally drawn because I wanted to learn more about everyday life in Japan through the eyes of one of that country's best novelists, is my first real experience with modern Japanese fiction. Since I am also a fan of hardboiled detective fiction, I actually had two reasons for getting hold of a copy of Natsuo Kirino's prize winning novel. But in reality, this is no detective novel; it can, in fact, be more accurately described as a crime thriller and, because of its gritty setting, dark plot and tough characters, a perfect representation of Japanese noir.

Natsuo Kirino has written a story about a segment of Japan's underclass that is rarely discussed by outsiders, an underclass that has everything in common with its equivalent in this country: people who work full-time jobs for such low wages that they can barely get by from one paycheck to the next. As their desperation grows over time, some in that predicament discover that the everyday struggle for survival has turned them into people they hardly recognize, people willing to do just about anything that gives them a chance to get a little bit ahead in the struggle to carve out a decent life for themselves.

The four women who work as an unofficial team during the overnight shift at a box lunch factory because it pays a few pennies more per hour than the earlier shifts can feel their lives slipping away from them. For a variety of reasons, each has come to prefer the solitary lifestyle demanded of those who return home just in time every morning to see everyone around them leave for their own day's work. Yoshie, the sole support of an invalid mother-in-law and unappreciative teenage daughter, feels trapped in a situation she can barely afford to sustain. Masako has a husband whose life is so separate from hers that she only sees him at mealtimes and a teenage son who despises her, and she has come to appreciate the way that her night shift allows her to avoid both. Kumiko, youngest of the four, lives only to shop and has gotten so far into debt that she feels physically threatened by bill collectors. And Yayoi has two small boys and a husband who squanders the family earnings on his gambling addiction and the women who work the clubs he frequents.

Of the four, it is Yayoi who cracks first. The almost casual way that her husband discloses to her one evening that he has gambled away all of their savings throws her into such a rage that she finds the strength to strangle him to death. Desperate to cover up what she has done, Yayoi seeks help from Masako, the one person she trusts to keep her secret. The two hatch a scheme to dispose of the body by cutting it into pieces and placing the pieces in garbage cans around the city, a solution that requires the help of Yoshie and Kumiko if it is to have any chance of success.

Tension mounts when enough of the body is discovered to allow its identification and the police begin to suspect that Yayoi may be involved in the murder of her husband. But it is when the group's weakest link decides to cash in on what she knows about the murder that things really begin to come apart for the women; soon all four are forced to scramble not only to keep their freedom, but to stay alive.
Out is one bloody and gruesome novel. It is filled with brutality, despair, greed and sadism and I can actually only recall one genuinely likeable character in the entire novel, someone I never expected I would grow to admire, a Brazilian/Japanese citizen in Japan to work in the country of his father. It is perhaps somewhat of a feminist novel but only in the sense that the author portrays these women, still very much second class citizens in their culture, as being capable of the same extremes and callous behavior displayed by the worst men in their lives. This is true equality, I suppose.

All four of these women were looking for a way out of their hopeless circumstances. They got more than they bargained for.

Out is an interesting novel, to say the least, but some readers may find its tone and content hard to take for 359 pages. It has certainly given me a view of Japan that I had not considered before, an impression that will haunt me for a good while. I can't say that I enjoyed this book but I have to admit that I found it morbidly fascinating.