Mystery Crime Books

I am a mystery buff and devour the likes of James Patterson, Tami Hoag and many more. This author was recommended on one of the websites and I found her totally enjoyable and will buy all of her publications. There is no blood and gore and an additional benefit are terrific recipes in every book.

I started with the 1st book of the Hannah Swensen mysteries, and now after reading the 3rd one I am totally taken. Like another reviewer said, I feel like a resident of Lake Eden when I read these books and encounter familiar characters from the last one. Small town charm comes through in these books, and even if you are a city person like me, you will find the pace of life described in the book a breath of fresh air.
Another thing that keeps me reading is wondering who will Hannah end up with in the end...Mike or Norman. Another review mentioned this particular book shows more in reference to Hannah dating both of these men. Right now I dont have a favorite...although Mike is very appealing.
I cannot say that I have ever tried any of the recipes in these books, but I enjoy reading the ingredients and how to go about making. For those collecting recipes, the ones included in the book are written in a way that seems simple to understand.
A definite find for cozy mystery lovers....this is why I love them, not so much gore and a comical element added. Also, for those who are dessert lovers and bakers a must read!

Imagine opening a book and finding yourself in a snow covered, chilly town of Lake Eden where the cookies are freshly baked, winter carnivals supply all the hot chocolate needed to melt of the winter chill and a detective who bakes those cookies is on the run to solve the next cozy murder mystery. Not only is this mystery actually very interesting and complex but it develops our relationship with it's inhabitants, the neighbors and family members, coworkers and tourists all add a fun touch as we get familiar with their habits and manners. I recommend reading this series starting with the first book because they only get better and better - knowing all the facts only enriches the entire storyline. Andrea has a big part in this book and I find her endearing, Norman and Mike are battling it out for Hannah's feelings and things are starting to pick up in the romance department and the new characters add a whole other layer to the all ready charming town.

Hannah and her sister Andrea have new trouble on their busy minds. When the famous television host to the best watched cooking show decides to make an appearance at the Winter Carnival, everyone is thrilled and enamored with the idea of meeting Connie Mac, the star of the show. She arrives and makes herself known all right, by pushing everyone's buttons and making their lives miserable. From ridiculous demands to her sugar coated viper spiked requests to change everything into her way, she ends up meeting her own doom. Found in Hannah's bakery munching on blueberry muffins she meets the maker and turns the Cookie Jar into an investigation site, closing Hannah out. Desperate to save her shop and still make the cookies for the carnival, she decides to snoop on her own and find out who killed Connie Mac. The funny part is that everyone who is usually mellow and calm has deep resentment to Connie and finding out the only guilty person who actually committed the crime was quite the formidable task that required a lot of work and sugar to keep up Hannah's energy. In the end the mystery is solved and the reader is left hungrier for more of these fun books.

This book was wonderful and Hannah was wittier than ever, I always felt the connection to the story and as a bonus it was full of great cookie recipes and cooking tips. I am all ready planning on making some of them, and I have tried her recipes in the past, they work perfectly. The mystery was always the most important part and the story never fizzled, it reached the ending with flying colors.

Fun, enjoyable and breezy read, highly recommended for fans of cozy books.

- Kasia S.

Book three in the series, and I liked it for a different reason than the first two. The mystery was less intriguing, but the relationships between the characters really got my attention. Hannah is now dating both Norman and Mike (though she is rather old-fashioned, it doesn't go beyond kissing!) and can't decide between them. It's the classic conundrum - every woman wants the dashing, exciting, handsome hero type (Mike) on occasion, but at the end of the day, it really is nice to curl up with the comfortable, familiar, easy-going type that can just make you laugh (Norman). She finds Mike very physically attractive, but he really irritates her with his chauvinist attitude. And Norman just makes her feel good, and his pudgy balding appearance is starting to grow on her... So which will she go for, a life of adventure and sparks, or a comfortable, happy (though perhaps less exciting) life? It's got me interested enough to go out and buy some more books in the series. Still haven't tried the recipes, though!

After finding a total of five dead bodies over the past few months, and solving two crimes that left even the local police force stumped, flame-haired cookie queen, Hannah Swensen is determined to act like a normal business owner for once, and throw herself headfirst into the work that she loves - running Lake Eden, Minnesota's booming shop, The Cookie Jar. First up, supplying an array of tasty treats for the annual Winter Carnival. But in the world of Hannah, where there are cookies, there's murder, and before she knows it, she's at it again.

Since returning to Lake Eden, Minnesota, Hannah Swensen has discovered that she truly adores the small town way of life. The fact that she knows each and every one of her neighbor's is a pleasant discovery, and she can't help but feel as if all of the customers who stop in at The Cookie Jar are like family to her. Except for world-renowned cooking sweetheart, Connie Mac. When the lifestyle maven agrees to bake the cake for Lake Eden, Minnesota's annual Winter Carnival, the Lake Eden residents are up in arms with excitement - except for Hannah. Connie Mac may seem like a lovely person on screen, but in reality she's a demanding, conniving, unkind individual - at least to the people who work for her. To everyone else she's an underhanded, manipulative mastermind who can get just about anyone to do her bidding. Except for Hannah. As much as Hannah dislikes the TV host, she certainly doesn't want to see her dead; but that's exactly how she finds her. When Hannah arrives at The Cookie Jar to start the days work, she is shocked to discover the burnt to a crisp Winter Carnival cake, along with the lifeless body of Connie Mac lying in her pantry, surrounded by Hannah's special Blue Blueberry Muffins. Hannah has seen people go wild for her muffins, but this is the first time someone has literally gone belly up. The victim of a skull-bashing, Connie Mac has managed to cause just as much turmoil in her death, as she did during her living days - especially for Hannah. Due to the fact that Connie Mac was murdered in The Cookie Jar, Hannah's booming business has been marked a crime scene, and is completely off-limits. With the Winter Carnival looming just around the corner, Hannah knows that she can't possibly get her work done without a slew of commercial ovens by her side, so she resolves to do something to save her business - solve the murder herself. But as people begin dropping like flies, Hannah will have to keep her head in an attempt to catch the killer - before she finds herself next on the chopping block!

I don't know how she does it, but with each addition to the Hannah Swensen series, Joanne Fluke manages to make the reader feel more and more like a resident of Lake Eden, Minnesota. Hannah is such a delightful character whose no-frills demeanor, firecracker personality, sarcastic slings, and passion for baked goods makes her lovable from beginning to end. Her fast-talking ways are quick-witted and creative; and her recipes are absolutely to-die-for (no pun intended!) treats. The only person who almost manages to overshadow Hannah would have to be her precocious four-year-old niece, Tracey, who comes off as sweet as Hannah's original concoctions. Once more, Fluke has proven that Hannah Swensen is a character who is here to stay - and her next adventure will be just as mouthwatering as the last three. Third times the charm!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

I purchased from my book club as part of a 3 pack of books by this author. All of them were written in 2007. I had never read any of her stuff before but thought I'd give her a try. I guess she started out as a romance writer but has since switched to crime/mystery writing. This is a FBI thriller that is actually quiet good. Lots of twists and turns to it - most I was completely blindsided by. There is a little bit of character background in the story that I didn't completely understand. I assume these characters had been introduced in earlier books. I will certain try to get some of her old mystery stuff and read more. I recommend this book for people who like murder who done it kind of stories.

This is my first time reading Mariah Stewart and I must say I enjoyed this book very much. It had a great mystery and surprising ending. My only complaint was that there was very little romance, if any. One kiss in the entire book was a little dissappointing, but if you buy this book just for the suspense, you will love it. If you buy it for the romance, there won't be any. All in all, a very entertaining and enjoyable read.

I am in total disagreement with the other reviewers of this book. The suspense is just okay and the romance was nonexistent. I am a fan of Mariah Stewart and I have realized that the last two books that I have read of hers, this one and Hard Truth, lacked in the romance department and didn't exactly thrill me with the suspense. I was looking forward to reading this new trilogy of hers and was disappointed. I will think twice before purchasing from Stewart again. It's like she is a totally different author! Some of her older books, Dead Even, Dead Certain, etc. were much better! Borrow the book from someone, don't buy it.

Mariah Stewart's trilogies are some of the best suspense novels out there and this one is no exception.

Looking forward with great anticipation to the next two months and the next two books!

In 1983 in the town of Hatton Shannon Randall disappeared and the chief of police thought that eighteen year old Eric Beale from the wrong side of tracks had something to do with it. Out of his depth he calls in the FBI who sends Special Agent Matt Ranieri to take over the case. Although he couldn't get a confession out of Eric, Shannon was seen in his car, her blood was found on his shirt as was her homework book. When the case comes to trial Matt is so convincing that the jury finds Eric guilty and sentences him to death. He is executed eight years later.

In the present Shannon's body with a bullet and stab wounds is found on Shelter Island off the coast of Georgia. She died approximately eight hours ago which means an innocent person died. Special Agent Andre Shields is assigned to find out who killed Shannon assisted by Matt's daughter FBI agent Dorsey Collins who is unofficially working with him.. When they arrive in Hatton, Dorsey thinks that Shannon ran away and was a victim of abuse. Getting answers in the small town won't be easy as the townsfolk know how to keep secrets. As the FBI agents work the case, romantic feelings spring up but they don't let their feelings get in the way of finding out who beat up Shannon before she ran away and never returned home.

Mariah Stewart can always be counted on to write an exciting romantic suspense thriller and LAST LOOK is no exception. The protagonists are totally believable in their actions and desires especially Dorsey who know what she learns will hurt her father whose reputation was made by the Eric case. Ms. Stewart does a good job of showing how the small town *inhabitants close their doors politely to the outside authorities.

Harriet Klausner

I love Stephanie Plum!! I bought this so I could re-read these books. They are full of off-beat, quirky characters, and I love it. Just the thing to read after a stressful day at the office.

I ordered a book that was supposed to be in good condition. I was very disappointed when it arrived. It was soiled, some of the pages stuck together, the spine broken and pages loose. It even smelled bad. I sent it back within a week in April. I hadn't heard from them by the middle of June so emailed them and they finally credited my account. Bad experience all around.

This is a great series. The writer has a wonderful sense of humor. One of the few times I've ever laughed out loud while reading a book. I had to read the funny parts to my husband.

The Stephanie Plum series is a riot to read - If you like to laugh you'll love these books!!

No one can make you laugh like Janet Evanovich! What a hoot! Love her Plum novels...

The first scene is of an accident involving a large carrier-truck in the mountains which, crashing, spills and kills its contents: the corpses of women lie in the snow, littering the mountainside like so many bright dolls.

As in many Brunetti novels, justice does not light upon all the principal perpetrators of the worst crime, but on middlemen, illegally, some of whon you are glad to see go. And others, not.

There is a phrase in the English language which may have aroused your curiosity in the past--do such things exist? What are they like if they do? Donna Leon walks you through one, and you will never forget it...even if you want to. (Like the Chicago trolly fire of 1950? Something like that, but that was an accident).

My sister and I have often wondered aloud: why hasn't Leon been assassinated, by one government or another? She really lets it all hang out--the corruption, legal and otherwise, perpetrated not only in Italy, but our country and others as well.

WELL! Happy reading! It's one of my favorites.

Whether you are a Donna Leon fan or not, this Inspector Brunetti mystery is in the true Leon genre, insightful of the lovable but often corruptible Venetian, and in essence, Italian culture. She weaves a plot line full of intrigue and possible evildoers, along with the usual and colorful suspects....his wife, children, Vianello, Patta, Scarpa and the delightful Signorina Elettra. In this particular story, one of the many existing problems that goes hand in hand with illegal immigration, is the problem of 'kidnapping' foreign women from troubled and often impoverished countries and bringing them into Italy and forcing them into prostitution for survival. Inspector Brunetti is a master of solving these dilemnas and keeping the peace among the less than moral administrators to whom he must report. Leon tells a story that goes beyond the plotline and reveals some of the essence of contemporary Italian society.
As a lover of Italian life and culture, Donna Leon's novels do not diminish this passion, but do ring home some of the problems in current Italian life and underscore exisiting problems throughout Europe and the fast changing world we live in.

Please be aware that this book also appeared under the title of A Venetian Reckoning. If you are trying to read the whole series, read one or the other. This is the fourth novel in the Guido Brunetti series of mysteries.

As the book opens, it's late September and a Rumanian truck carrying lumber plunges off the road and into a rock face to open up a grisly scene of crushed and broken young women amid scattered pine boards. Paolo, Guido's wife, notes the story where it remains tucked in her memory until it can provide a critical clue.

The scene shifts to late November when prominent international lawyer Carlo Trevisan is found murdered on a late night train to Venice, where Trevisan lived. Vice-Questore Patta is annoyed that he had been called to the scene when Brunetti could not be reached. The mayor of Venice quickly calls the next morning to ask for a quick and quiet solution. Since there's no evidence of robbery, Brunetti must probe into motives. Who didn't like Trevisan?

Brunetti gets a quick leg up when Signorina Elletra's sister agrees to share information about the wife and daughter of the murdered man, who had been patients. When the crime comes up for discussion at home, Brunetti's daughter, Chiara, says she knows the daughter and agrees to ask around a bit.

When Chiara turns out to be good at snooping through gossiping with friends, there's a major confrontation in the Brunetti household concerning the ethics of such undercover methods employing a minor.

The case becomes more clouded when a successful accountant is found dead of an apparent suicide, but leaving behind the telephone number of the dead attorney in his address book. When the numbers are matched up with the records of the attorney's calling, they show a disturbing pattern . . . including many international calls and to a bar where the ladies rent by the hour in a rough part of town.

Trevisan's widow and her brother seem determined to shut off the police investigation. Frustrated that he's getting nowhere, Brunetti calls in a favor for a judge who tells him more about the background of the attorney and his family. Tracking through a tangled series of clues, the case takes one more twisted turn when the widow's brother is also killed.

The case breaks open quite suddenly when an unexpected clue is dropped into Brunetti's lap. From there, it's a question of how to accomplish justice. But is there any justice other than God's? You may be reminded of the myth of Sisyphus as you contemplate the ending of this existential look at the human condition.

For those who like action and mysteries evolving in ways that they can solve just ahead of the author's revelations, Death and Judgment will be a disappointment. But for those who enjoy tough ethical questions, this is a very fine book. In either case, the book's primary limitation is Ms. Leon's customary dark view of human nature. In this book, she goes about as far as you can go and still slightly separate humans from vicious, uncaring predators.

I'm a big fan of mysteries and Donna Leon, but this particular book moved too slowly. I lost interest.

This is my first Donna Leon mystery and my first introduction to Brunetti. It won't be my last. Brunetti provides us with a disarming if somewhat ambling policeman working against the backdrop of beautiful Venice, brought to rich atmospheric life skillfully through Leon's writing.

I'm not certain why it's published under 2 different names and I didn't feel that Death and Judgment exactly captured the essence of this caper. Nevertheless, it was a good solid read with a charming protagonist, complex plot and multi-dimensional characters. Nicely cadenced, graceful and accomplished, with a plot that juxtaposes the ugliness of crime against the corruption of some of Italy's elite. I'll be back for more of Leon's Brunetti novels.

GOD SAVE THE CHILD is essential for Spenser fans. It is the second novel in the series, and is the first to feature Spenser's girlfriend, Dr. Susan Silverman, who would play a central role in the rest of the books. One of the great pleasures in this novel is reading about their first date.

The storyline of GOD SAVE THE CHILD involves a kidnapping of a 15-year old boy, and Spenser is hired by the parents to discover his whereabouts. The plot is nothing special, but the writing is strong and remarkably clever, as Parker begins to adopt his own voice, as opposed to just imitating Raymond Chandler's style.

This isn't the best Spenser novel, but it is well worth reading. Spenser is still a relatively young man in GOD SAVE THE CHILD (37 years old), and it's fun to watch him develop as a character. It is also enjoyable to travel back in time to 1974, and watch how Parker portrays Boston society during this period. In many ways, it is very similar to modern times.

Overall, this is a fun, quick read, and well worth your time.

Robert B. Parker and Tony Hillerman are the two authors I most consistently check when I go to a library or a bookstore. When it is a great day, one of the two has a new book. When it is a tremendous day, they both have a new one out and I have to decide which to read first!

In the meantime, I am making do by going back over their collected works as books on tape. I have a long drive to work every day and Spenser makes a very good ride-along companion. I have long-since read all of the older Spenser books, but the beautiful thing about a faulty memory is that the plot lines get a bit hazy over time and now I can enjoy them all over again!

Besides, it is always interesting to see how the reader interprets Spenser and the gang. One of the best to capture Spenser smart-aleck comments was Burt Reynolds, although his interpretation of Hawk was pleasurable, but questionable in terms of accent.

The reader for this version was a Michael Prichard. His interpretation of Spenser was neither here nor there, neither good nor bad. However, his reading of the Mrs. Bartlett was right on the money. Here's the scoop on Mrs. Bartlett: She and her husband hire Spenser to find her son. He is missing and a note has been sent to the Bartletts asking for $50,000 for his safe return. Mrs. Bartlett is an insipid, vapid twit of the first order. A woman more concerned with fashion than her child's safety. She hosts a dinner party in her house on the same day that a man is killed in it and during the time her son is missing. She is a woman who believes herself to be an artist because it gives her an excuse for her bad behavior. Prichard nails her so dead on that you wish you could reach through the radio speakers and smack her upside the head on at least half a dozen occassions.

So, how's the plot? Good thriller, although you could see the ending coming as soon as you hear the details of the missing boy's case. Of course, that could be some latent memories from when I read the book 10 years ago...

We meet Susan Silverman.

We meet Healey of the State Police (Prichard nails him too - I never noticed before that Healey was funny, but Prichard reads him as Spenser's straight man foil and I laughed out loud a couple of times).

There's plenty of Spenser's dogged style of detecting and plenty of smart comments.

This listener was struck as to how old Spenser really is - there is a lot of descriptive detail about clothing from the 1970s that reinforce that fact. Luckily, Spenser is forever middle aged but tough enough to take on the world and Susan Silverman is forever ageless and beautiful.

I give this one an A-

The second book in the Spenser series gives us additional information about the character as well as continuing to show him as a wise-a** with little respect for anyone, unless they earn it.

The book opens with him being hired to find a missing boy (Kevin), whom the parents believe has been kidnapped. They begin to receive bizarre ransom notes and phone calls; the mother - who is a serious drama queen - decides Spenser's time would be better spent watching over her. The trouble compounds when the family lawyer is found dead in their living room.

Spenser tracks down a body-builder named Vic Harroway, with whom several youngsters are living. He learns that Vic is not only homosexual, but prefers "young meat" and Kevin has latched onto him.

I don't want to give away too much of the story itself. I would like to comment on the overall effect of the book - written in 1974, it is like a time machine to that era. Reading this book is almost like being there and while the book is relatively formulaic, it is easy to see how this series has continued over time - the characters grip you and make you want to come back for more. I know I'm going to enjoy getting through this pile of Spenser books, which I have finally managed to accumulate. Anyone who likes a good detective novel will love Spenser.

In this second Spenser "novel of suspense," our hero is trying to find Kevin Bartlett, a fifteen-year old who has disappeared from his parent's affluent home out in the Boston suburbs. The parents and the local cop think Kevin is just another runaway, but the fact that the kid left with just his guinea pig makes Spenser suspicious. However, when the ransom note shows up in the form of a cartoon strip and the kidnappers make a phone call with a jingle, things are only beginning to become confusing. Add to this the fact that the Bartletts are not the world's happiest couple and the suspicions just keep piling up for Spenser.

"God Save the Child" is a vast improvement over Parker's first Spenser novel, simply because he has reigned in the character a bit by doing a relatively simple thing: providing a couple of characters who can appreciate Spenser's skewed sense of humor and more importantly understand his skills and devotion. The first character is Lieutenant Healy, a State Cop willing to use Spenser instead of doing the stereotypical real cop distaste for private detectives. The second, of course, is Susan Silverman, making her first appearance in the series. The two character click and know pretty much from the first moment they have found someone special in the other, which is a welcome relief after Spenser's sexual escapades in the first novel.

Add to this the fact that Spenser succeeds as much by persistence as he does by virtue of being smarter than everybody else on the scene. The final scenes are not only exciting for the action they contain, but I also appreciate what the climax reveals about the collection of unhappy people this story is about. Although it has been a quarter of a century since "God Save the Child" was written, the period references are relatively inconsequential. As always, Parker's novels are a quick and easy read, perfect for those who live the commuter life.

Follow any mention of the guinea pig in GOD SAVE THE CHILD. It's like a clue-magnet for unraveling character, plot, and purpose (or motives, however you want to call it).

Parker opens ths second Spenser novel with the P.I. droning in liquid narration, turning fool's gold into the functional lead of realism. Spenser artfully exposes his disgust for the husband/wife clients in his office. His descriptions of the outfits and arguments adorning these two seersucker, suburban bozos become a classic caricature setting for the husband/father's comment that his son took his guinea pig with him when he left home and disappeared.

That single observation, made by Roger Bartlett, that his son came home to get his pet before taking off, lifted him from the miasma his self-absorbed wife had immersed him into, beginning under his skin, continuing outward through the awkward, classless, tasteless clothing she had him don for the interview with Spenser. The only comment which cleared through the putrid artifice of that interview was Bartlett's mention of the guinea pig, which, of course, the wife, "mother" hated.

So, okay, Spenser, you were telling me that the only thing in that home which may have given warmth to this kid was that pet. And, the fact that the father noticed his child's attachment to it without rancor, began to paint the man out of the seersucker and into the quiet, subtle honesty of a man who cared about his son, but had probably not been able to demonstrate it.

The first two chapters were so impregnated with 70's ambiance (hey, yeah, this classic mystery was written then, and is still around to be bought and sold!), so packed with clues and character enrichment, I'm surprised this book didn't birth a horde of ...

Well ... actually, in a sense, it did ...

Decades later Parker's readers have a total of 33 Spenser novels to trudge through with high entertainment diligently dogging their heels.

This novel, along with the pilot, THE GODWULF MANUSCRIPT, felt to have been composed in a more sensual, molasses-type rhythm, gathering more dense, lush detail around settings, character enrichment, and classic mystery dynamics, than Parker's later Spenser offerings. I enjoy the early narrative labyrinth meandering as well as the later smooth, speedy jazz. Mostly I enjoy that Parker's writing style has rhythm. Not all novels do. All novels (by definition) have some sort of plotting, setting, narrative means, and characters. But, actually, not many writers have a discernable syntax rhythm, which draws a reader along on its natural, symphonic momentum, through dialogue and plot machinations. Most novels draw readers through a book more by baiting curiosity than by rhythm-ing their brain waves into a dance through literary prose cast so smoothly the reader might not notice the constantly effective undulations of literary lace. More likely, the reader notices he's collecting an increasing repertoire of questions about what (among a plethora of outrageous or cunning actions or commentaries) Spence is gonna do or say next.

I found myself looking forward to the next time I could pick up this novel, and I noticed that welcome surge of pleasure each time I reached for the book. Some mysteries require me to push through the plot at times, and I don't always feel that spark of anticipation as my hand reaches for a novel I've been into for a few sessions, when I know I'm going to have to force a focus, and reread a few paragraphs or pages prior to being caught up on the book's momentum, when I'm no longer required to apply effort.

Loved the way the local police chief responded to his lack of comprehension of Spenser's use of the
word, "candor." The extended means of coverup of lack of vocabulary easily and expertly exposed the breadth and width of Chief Trask's personality and pumped-up pomp. I'm not sure if I want to say Spenser is good or Parker is good. Sometimes I wonder where to draw the lines between them.

Oh my. Spenser meets Silverman, sets up their date, and moves into a relationship. What could I say but what Spenser did when he met her. Perfect. How cool that Spenser cooked dinner for Susan on their first date. And what a dinner. Maybe Nero Wolfe would have been impressed with Spenser's balsamic gourmet routines. Of course I wouldn't know. But, I know that I wallowed in the cooking prep scenes, and loved when Spenser noted that he hates when someone asks him for a recipe. Maybe he was a precursor to the Discovery Chef shows debuting in the 90's (if I remember the timing correctly) in which the flowing art of cooking took precedence over the craft and, possibly for the first time in cooking class history, no recipes were given, no lists of measured ingredients flashed on the TV screen (though they were made available on a web site for those who wanted that detail).

Just now (in 2006) reading the first Spenser novels, written in the 70's, is a treat of living, breathing cultural history. In fact, from this "now" perspective its easier to see how the Spenser series might be the best type of analog of the phenomenal cultural progression from then to now. It's easier to see why Parker was "set up" and compelled to include multiple tidbits, not only about what Spenser cooked for himself (lots of gourmet tomatoes, including pre-fame fried green ones), but what and how other characters ate, all of which surge into solidity in this second Spenser novel. Each character's eating choices and habits were telling, not only of 70's ambiance, but gave amazingly accurate insight into each plot walker. Not only that, the contrast (and sometimes lack of it) from the 70's to now, in eating habits and attitudes toward food and nurturing is mind blowing.

Eating/nurturing habits and attitudes might expose more about human culture and its historic development than any other significant factor, except possibly policies and proclivities toward sensitivity Vs cruelty.

And, Vic Harroway. His first appearance shows him not as a villain, but as a monster of the first (swamp) water. The way he jumped from his porch and landed, posed in baiting hostility, a few inches in front of Spenser, was so demonic in spirit, horns and tail were only a short nightmare away.

This book captivated me totally. I found myself rereading passages, not merely to seat them into memory, but to savor the flavor. When I arrived at the scene of Spenser beginning his supper prep of a pork tenderloin en croute, pausing to phone Silverman on impulse, and continuing the culinary coups up to and through her arrival at his apartment the first time, I was home. In a detective novel? Yeah.

Some readers have complained that the yummy, homey, cultured parts of Spenser take away from the expected P.I. mystique of the no life, a quarter-inch-away-from low life, lonely, solitary, macho man.

Okay. That's a valid addiction, and the availability of classic P.I. novels is readily enormous. Why should Parker create another one of those when he was obviously born to carry human culture through the transition from reefer madness to a prescription madness in which health is perverted beyond natural boundaries, and the joy of cooking and eating have been condemned into a phobia of the first water when 90% of the human population is suffering from chronic dehydration and related illnesses aggravated by 90% of the medical prescriptions which have become addictive. Many warnings for heart pills indicate that a heart attack will be induced if the pills are discontinued (not because the pill was successful at holding off heart failure, but because it is frighteningly addictive).

The redemptive generosity and rightness of the way Spenser brought antithetical elements and ugly character traits to catharsis in the denouement was to stand up, stomp feet, and cheer for.

Then, when Spenser and Susan had their concluding chat, I felt a "right on" slug come out of my psyche as Spenser offered his explanation for Harroway's appeal to Kevin, and for knocking that anti-hero off his pedestal, for the child's benefit.

Though I love Susan's character, her psychologist's hedging didn't have the brilliance of reality's uncompromising weight that Spenser's natural insights had.

From my canned predictions, if Susan's lucky, she'll be gleaning psychological truth not as much through her continued training and careful analysis, but through Spenser's struggles to understand his guilt and lack of it as he "boxes" his way through his P.I. cases. He'll be the one to grasp The Brass Ring of Wisdom. She'll be smart enough to share it, after nudging his elbow the quarter inch he wouldn't have had to reach it. What her training will be worth is its foundation to allow her to know he couldn't have done it without her contributions, and to see that he's right when he snaps the last puzzle piece into his Code of Ethics. Will that happen in # 38 or 39 in the series? In this prediction I'm not diminishing the woman; elevating the man. I'm just honoring the fact that Parker's the boxer/poet who's out there on the front line daily, regularly getting his ego bashed and nose in jeopardy.

The last line was a literary killer. I'm meaning "killer" there in the colloquial sense of being an awesomely appropriate "final sentence" to wrap the second novel in a detective series which would evolve to solidly span 3 decades. Or, would a more accurate description be that the Spenser series constructed a "bridge over (the) troubled waters" of 3 decades?

I'm very much anticipating MORTAL STAKES, Parker's third Spenser statement in the ongoing cultural conversation. I gotta see how his relationship with Susan progresses. Gotta see how his views of life's rights and wrongs continue to purge and clarify. And, it doesn't hurt that his plotting is riveting and his style is smooth jazz. Usually I don't seek books which are toooo riveting. But, how nice to have this one magnetize itself to my fingertips just enough that it flew into my hand each time I reached for it, and the pages began thumbing themselves just as my eyes passed the last word at bottom right. Now, if I can get the book to hold itself up, I'll have it made. Maybe I'll even be on the gravy train (choose your triteness).

Robert B. Parker, you're one heck of a phenomenon.

Linda G. Shelnutt

Very excellent new detective/crime based graphic novel. I personally love the character of Detective Fell. I like the idea that he has been ostracized from his regular post as a police detective over the River and has been vanished to Snow City. Fell is an excellent depiction of personal strife and character flaw, although he is a good man and very believable, because he is tough but not like a superhero, he has to rely on his intelect quite often to catch the bad guys, very much like Batman in the old Detective Comics.
Great book that leaves you wanting more.
Can't wait for the next installment.

Warren Ellis' (Transmetropolitan, Thunderbolts, Desolation Jones, Astonishing X-Men, this list can go on and on...) brilliant crime fiction saga Fell is something you have to read to believe. Revolving around the incredibly skilled Detective Richard Fell, who has been transfered to Snowtown: a crime-ridden wasteland from which there may be no escape. As the area around him decays with every passing minute, Fell makes a number of encounters (most frequently with an eccentric bar-maid) with the townspeople, and comes to one conclusion in the end about them all: everybody is hiding something, including himself. Peppered with fantastic dialogue, Ellis manages to make Fell one of his most intriguing works of crime fiction, with Fell himself being one of his most interesting character creations. Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night) provides his typical dark and moody artwork, and it more than suits the atmosphere of the universe that Ellis crafts here. All in all, the first volume of Fell is a brilliant piece of crime fiction from one of the true modern day comic book masters, and it more than deserves your attention.

Oh boy! Good doesn't even begin to describe it. Warren Ellis does noir and sets a different standard for everybody else. His inner cityscape is gritty, convincing and creepy. And I am not easily spooked. Richard Fell is beautifully characterized as the detective dedicated to his craft and every bit human and vulnerable. And Snowtown is the ultimate urban nightmare - a town that the rest of the world gave up on and only exists in the shadows of human society - inhabited by the true scum of the earth.

This is intense, gritty detective crime fiction that everyone who has any interest in the genre should not pass up. I'm not familiar with much of Warren Ellis's other work but he has brought a completely fresh new twist to your classic detective story. Its hard to believe that each issue is only 16 pages and is still more intruging than books that go a full 24-32 pages. Its hard to put down. My only gripe would be for a mature themed book the language is a bit too toned down for my taste, lets face it in a knife fight with a deadly criminal one would really call the other a "living fart" as he bashes his face in? But this is just a minor annoyance compared to the rest of a unbelievably great graphic novel.

Warren Ellis and Ben Templesmith have been around awhile. Warren is famous for his over the top horror and thriller type comics and Ben got famous for his incredible art with the original 30 Days of Night. And while this book has no vampires it has everything you would come to expect from these two masters. Warren delivers a great tale or I should say tales of Detective Fell and Ben creates his world with incredible art. When you have two master come together like this it's amazing what happens. I won't spoil the story lines I'm sure someone else will do that or has done that. If you enjoy Stephen King, Dean Koontz, or Chuck Palanuik you will most definately enjoy this graphic novel. Engrossing and at time nauseating you won't be disappointed.

I am a hugh fan of Mariah Stewart and she continues to amaze with her twisted plots and real life characters.

Twisted story of suspense. A serial killer is killing women in an exceptionally gruesome way. He tortures and plays with them first. He then leaves them wrapped in plastic for the law to find. The FBI is brought in and the killer steps it up by taunting the cops by leaving bodies close to their homes and lives. I knew by about the end of the second chapter who the bad guy was. It was frustrating to see the characters play so dumb to the clues I obviously figured out. Good book but very dark with lots of death. Not for those with a weak stomach. One of the better books I've read this month.

This is the first book I've read by this author. I wouldn't have known the author was a romance writer unless I read her bio. The book is more of a whodunit, and it's pretty easy to figure out. When I was first exposed to the character who did it, I though "surely it's not this obvious", but in the end it was. This book is a good quick read, but doesn't provide much else.

Mariah Stewart is one of the best writers out there, and I love the ideas of her trilogies, which tie together but also work as stand-alones, so you don't feel as if you've missed something by not reading the previous books.

This one wasn't as good as the first in this trilogy, mainly because I thought the culprit's identity was obvious right from the beginning. But regardless, the book is still a page-turner that you won't be able to put down until it's finished.

Mariah Stewart gives us the second of the tales of the Shields family. Mia is the sister of Brenden who murdered Dylan in one of her previous novels. She has been unable to conquor the feeling that she should have known what was going on and stopped the murders. Her family has been FBI for many yrs and her father and his brother have several children in the FBI.

Mia Shields is the only daughter in a family of five, her other four brothers are FBI also. Now she is living in Conner's house in the country. Conner is her cousin and the brother of Dylan who was murdered by her own brother. Her inability to deal with the stresses caused by the murder have pushed her to the brink of burn-out. Now she is coming off two horrible cases, and she thinks nothing could be as bad as those, however, the murderer killing young women in St. Dennis, Maryland comes very close.

Gabrial Beck, the chief of police, of St. Dennis, has asked the bureau for help and Mia is not quite what he expected. Beck's father was the previous chief and helps part-time now. The first murder is not in his town but the next girl he finds himself, the killer has placed her body encased in plastic in the back seat of his car.

Both he and Mia realize this is no beginner and that there has to be a trail of bodies somewhere. As the bodies mount the evidence of a local killer emerges.

Although there is a romance in the book it does not take away from the horror of the way the victims are killed. I very much enjoyed this book and so far each of her novels has been a keeper.

I've been a consistent Spencer-Fleming fan since the first volume. This one held my interest strongly for the first two thirds or so. Hadley Knox is a great addition - lots of personality and she can take care of herself. The nun is cool too.

But this volume seemed to move more slowly than the others. And I got a little tired of the back-and-forth between Clare and Russ. One unpleasant character tells them, "You might as well use first names. Everybody knows
what's going on between you."

And I want to say, "You might as well bring them together Everybody knows the way this series is going."

Spencer-Fleming uses the "omniscient author" voice more than I remember from other volumes. Mostly it works but I felt we jumped from one character's brain to the other, instead of going more deeply into Clare or Russ.

The ending was inevitable. Frustrating but hey...we knew it would turn out this way.

Still, Spencer-Fleming writes better than most mystery authors and I'll be back for more when her next volume appears.

Absolutely loved this next installment for Clare and Russ. Gripping and a fast read. Can't wait for the next book.

I've read all the books by this author that I could find. She has a nice combination of personal stories of her characters, mystery & occupational complications.

It's always a thrill to find a genuinely good writer, and Julia Spencer-Fleming is all of that. The plots are exciting without being unrealistic, the love story is touching, the characters feel like real human beings; there's wit, there's trouble, there's goodness and evil, and it's all told in an intelligent voice that never fails to be interesting. Anybody who likes the work of Carol O'Connell, Robert Crais, Stuart Kaminsky, Andrea Camilleri, Donna Leon, Reginald Hill and others of like quality will LOVE Julia Spencer-Fleming's work.

This is currently (Aug. '08) the latest book in the series. If you haven't already done so, read the previous five in order of publication before you pick up this one, as the ongoing tale of Russ and Clare's relationship is a major thread throughout. I can hardly wait to find out what happens next!

I have loved all of the other Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne mysteries. This one disappointed me because Clare and Russ didn't seem to be in it as much as some of the others. Hadley is an interesting new character, and, as others have mentioned, some interesting and current topics come up... But I missed the interactions between Clare and Russ that seemed more limited in this book. As a stand alone book, I would give it 4 stars, but compared to the others in the series, I give it 3 stars.

The narrative's sanctimonious pomposity, the plot's absurdly thin veneer, the author's inability to get even simple facts (he thinks Lujan is not a Hispanic/Latino surname) correct is just the start. The main problem with this 100 i.q. book is there are no human characters in it. Just out of stubbornness i finished all 500 pages and all he could deliver were flat caricatures at best. I got the book from the library, and still felt ripped off. Yech.Pegasus Descending: A Dave Robicheaux Novel (Dave Robicheaux)Pegasus Descending : A Dave Robicheaux NovelPegasus DescendingPegasus DescendingThe Tin Roof Blowdown: A Dave Robicheaux Novel

I have been a fan of Burke for a very long time, however I have cooled to his last few novels. They have become repetitive, and more importantly he has endeavored to interject politics into the fabric of his work. This has disappointed me in a huge way.

Mr. Burke's use of language, the descriptions of his characters and settings are remarkable. And, most importantly, a joy to read.

James Burke can write beautifully, but his story telling abilities have deteriorated in this series and the books all run together in both theme and violent action. 1. Really bad people blow into town where they encounter
Dave and Clete who simply must find a way to kill them lest they injure more innocent people. 2. Dave manages to act like a gentleman concerned about proprieties and southern manners while giving reign to violent tendencies that typically cause people to be put in prison. 3. Clete, his soul mate is less concerned about being a gentleman, but matches Dave's violent behavior in all ways except that he is generally in an alcoholic fog, whereas Dave is now an ex-alcoholic. 4. Most of the bad guys get killed rather than arrested.

I heard James Lee Burke talk once and say his inspiration is often the old testament. His writing in this series is about the reality of evil and the idea that it must be opposed and contained at any cost by civilized vigilantes willing to step outside the norms of human behavior.

It had been years since I had read one of these books. I had gotten bored. I won't read another unless one day I get a yen for this kind of comic book writing. More than bored I now feel repelled.

Twenty-five years ago, deep in his cups with a keg's worth of beer and accompanying chasers under his belt, an alcoholic Dave Robicheaux witnessed the gangland execution of his friend, Dallas Klein. Swearing off the sauce and finding a good woman who accepts and loves him for what he is, Robicheaux has spent the remainder of his life in recovery attempting to live down that unforgivable inability to stand and help his friend so long ago. What most rankles Robicheaux is that he is certain of the assassin's identity - Whitey Bruxal, a mobster with a lengthy well-documented gangland jacket - but, with no proof, he is unable to act on the knowledge!

Now, out of nowhere, Dallas Klein's daughter, Trish Klein appears in town. In a set-up remarkably similar to Baldacci's Camel Club story of Annabelle Conroy's vendetta against mobster Jerry Bagger (both were published in 2006 so it's hard to say who beat whom to that plot-line punch), it looks like she's gunning for revenge against her father's murderer. Of course, as with any police procedural or psychological thriller worth its salt, James Lee Burke has expertly upped the ante with multiple plot lines that weave in and out of one another throughout the novel - a young girl's suicide after a drunken fraternity debauch and a brutal gang rape; the hit-and-run death of an aging drifter that, on the evidence of the post-mortem, has much more sinister overtones; and the complex life of the local black dope dealer.

Although this is the apparently the 14th novel in which Burke has placed Robicheaux on center stage, this is the first time I've had the pleasure of sampling Burke's craftsmanship. And what an experience that was - his depiction of both the psychological mindscape and the physical landscape of a storm torn, poverty stricken Louisiana is outstanding. Any page opened at random will reveal Burke's masterful command of the language and his ability to create the most jarring and colourful metaphors and similes:

"The recycled air was like cigarette smoke that had been trapped for days in a refrigerator full of spoiled cheese."

On dealing with his own inner demons, for example:

"But the succubus I had tried to exorcise by marrying a woman of peace still held title to my soul. I saw the room distort and the faces of the people around me turn into Grecian masks, and I heard a sound in my ears like the steel tracks of armored vehicles wending their way across an unforgiving land."

The dialogue was creative, realistic, down to earth with a full, rich vocabulary of appropriate street lingo. The depth of characterization was wonderful (even though I was stepping into Robicheaux's world 13 novels after he was first created). The only "but" for me was the tortuous, almost Byzantine complexity of the plot. Don't let your attention drift or you may not find your way back.

I'll be hunting the second hand book stores for the Robicheaux canon starting from the beginning tomorrow.

Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

When comic Richard Belzer's friend, New York City assistant medical examiner Rudy Markovich disappears without a trace, the comic actor becomes concerned especially when his pal fails to meet him at MSG for the heavyweight title fight as they planned. The more he learns of the vanishing, the more worried he becomes. Unable to remain idle, Richard decides to investigate even as he keeps reminding himself that "I AM NOT A COP"; only an actor who has seen many TV corpses in NYC and Baltimore..

He understands his experience as a sleuth is based on his role as role as Detective John Munch in Law & Order, but he believes how hard is it for real life to imitate Hollywood. He affirms his belief when Belzer finds a clue that ties four deaths to his case. Meanwhile Belzer's producer worries about his actor getting hurt while on the mean streets of New York so Kalisha Carter is assigned to accompany him as he makes inquiries into the four deaths and their ties to Rudy.

The fun story line rotates action with detective musing as Beltzer investigates the disappearance starting at MSG and continuing on the mean streets of New York. Although Beltzer the literary amateur sleuth is no Munch, fans will appreciate his efforts especially his stand up comic Noir-Lit aside commentary.

Harriet Klausner

The author Richard "BELZ" Belzer portrays the infamous TV Detective John Munch on "LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT" and "HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET". In addition "Belz has made TV history by portraying Detective Munch in TEN DIFFERENT television series, including "LAW & ORDER", "THE WIRE", and "ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT". What makes this book such a unique read is the melding of reality and criminal fantasy. The story is told from the point of view of real-life star Belzer. He uses his real name... his real job... his real wife and home... but involves himself in a fictional crime mystery. "Belz", as he likes to be called, has dinner with his old friend, Russian immigrant, and soon-to-be former medical examiner, Rudy Markovich. Rudy just isn't his normal self at dinner, and leaves hints as to a problem he won't fully discuss, as they make plans to meet at Madison Square Garden the following night to see Alexi Zotkin a mutual friend, who happens to be defending his Heavyweight Boxing Championship. After dinner as Belz and Rudy leave the restaurant, Rudy is attacked by two Russian/Ukrainian types, and Belz comes to his rescue, dazzling the reader with his otherworldly martial arts skills. These skills become one of a number of ongoing themes in the story, as Belz spends a lot of time at his friendly "dojo", where the proprietor's are like family, and offer sage advice as well as martial art training.

When Belz gets to work the next day it turns out that the "New York Inquirer" a local gossip rag, has his picture in the paper from the little "dust-up" he had with the thugs that attacked Rudy. The reader is then introduced to one of Belzer's main foils in the story; assistant producer, Vernon Franker. The reader is led to believe that this is not the first time Belz has brought unwanted publicity to the TV show, so Franker assigns someone to shadow Belzer in an attempt to thwart negative publicity for the show. That someone is KALISHA "Kali" CARTER... "SHE'S BEEN WORKING IN PUBLICITY AND IS NOW YOUR OFFICIAL LIAISON TO THE PRESS." She went to City College and majored in journalism. At first Kali is out of her element as Belz is intent on finding out more about the thugs that attacked his friend... and when Rudy doesn't show up at the boxing match the next night... and is missing... and then linked to four murders... Belz, despite being warned by the police department to not get involved... because... HE IS NOT A COP... he relentlessly drags Kali deeper and deeper into an unlicensed detective investigation. Kali is shocked at first when Belz illegally "tins" himself in to investigation sites, but then she finds herself playing different roles and persona's to help solve the case... and she finds she really enjoys it. They could make quite a team in any subsequent sagas. An ongoing humorous "shtick" throughout the story is how so many people recognize Belz as being a famous personality... but never the right one. After the first fight... the cab driver thought he was Steven Seagal... later another driver thought he was James Woods... another character thought he was the guy on CSI... and throughout it all, Belz throws out classic one liners such as: "HER FULL LIPS COMPRESSED INWARD. IT LOOKED LIKE SHE MIGHT HAVE HAD THE SAME PLASTIC SURGEON AS SHARON STONE"... "WEARING A PHONY BADGE CAN OPEN A LOT OF DOORS. YOU JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE THE KIND THAT DON'T GET LOCKED BEHIND YOU"... "HIS CHEEKS ROSE UPWARD LIKE SOMEONE HAD PUPPET STRINGS ATTACHED TO THEM"... "STILL WEARING HIS ALTERNATE LOSER PLAID SPORTS COAT, THE LAPELS SO BIG A CESSNA COULD HAVE USED THEM FOR A LANDING STRIP"... "THAT GUY PUTIN, JUST IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD'VE BEEN LIKE IF INSTEAD OF GETTING SHIPPED OFF TO ALCATRAZ, AL CAPONE HAD BEEN ELECTED PRESIDENT."

This is a very imaginative scenario played out with enough humor and intrigue to keep you happily turning every page.