Mystery Crime Books

I guess although I enjoyed the overall plot of the murder mystery and was intrigued by the clever way that the author put it "by" me, I was not as engaged by the characters. They seemed too "stock" and two dimensional to be enjoyable; however, before giving up on the series altogether, I might read a second book to see if they grow on me.

Because I liked the first book in the Murphy series by the same author, I tried this series - didn't even make it through the first ook - too much swearing.

This is the first in a series of murder mysteries written by Rhys Bowen. Constable Evans is a policeman living and working in North Wales. The author knows this part of the world very well, and writes in the style of Agatha Christie. This book served me very well as light reading while travelling. Rhys Bowen has also written another series of murder mysteries with an Irish heroine by name of Molly Murphy. Both of these series are very well worth while.

Rhys Bowen is a new author for me and I am delighted to have discovered this series of mysteries. I enjoyed Evans Above for many reasons. The mystery is actually a good mystery. All the clues are given and discernible (if you read carefully) so all the action takes place in a very logical progression. The characters are very likeable and read like real people. The location descriptions are clear and recognizable even to those of us who live here in the "flatlands". I liked Evan Evans. He was not a bumbling, stumbling idiot but neither was he a self promoting intellectual who always knew what the clues meant but had to keep the meaning hidden until the last moment so that he got all the credit.

A pleasant, enjoyable read that captured my interest immediately and held me in suspense so that I really wanted to know what was going to happen. I enjoyed it so much I was not even tempted to flip to the end to solve the mystery, I wanted it to unfold just as this talented author wrote it.

This is the first in the series and my first by this author, but I was not disappointed. It took 25 pages or so to get into the book, but after that, I kept wanting to get back to it.

The Welsh setting (in a village by Mount Snowden) figures large in this book. Constable Evan Evans (how much more Welsh a name can you get?) is a Welshman (Welsh is his first language, English his second) who (even though he was on track to be an inspector) has taken a humble position as the village constable after his father's tragic death. It's a good thing, because two bodies appear, apparently the victims of climbing accidents -- but Evans doesn't think so. The powers that be have a very low opinion of village constables and dismiss him and his theories, but he keeps plugging away. In the meantime, there's this child-killer on the loose that everyone is looking for.

The mystery is full of the village types (including a Major who runs the Swiss chalet style inn and the two ministers' wives whose husbands pastor the two adjacent chapels in this village). Evans spends much of his time dodging single woman (or the grandmothers of single women) who regard him as a catch.

Evans is likeable and the plot of the mystery was flawless -- kept me guessing until the very end. I look forward to reading more in this series.

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 love the character who is much more than he appears to be. Very smooth reading, captures your attention with twists and turns, and for me a very exciting end.

I have read all of Randy Wayne Wright's Doc Ford books and am anxiously awaiting his next. This particular book is the one that really got me hooked into the characters and Doc Ford. Mr. Wright is an unusual writer in that his books are based in Florida and are quite accurate and informative about the state, as well as entertaining about the characters and intriguing about the mysteries he incorporates. I have encouraged several fellow Floridians to read him and they all feel the same way. This man is OUR FLORIDA AUTHOR and in my opinion has John MacDonald beat by a mile.
Keep on writing Randy.

A sound follow up to White's "Sanibel Flats". Interestingly, White chooses to change his style and still makes it work. He adds an environmental flavor and again comes up with a thoroughly interesting story and a great read.

Love the "Doc Ford" adventures, especially all the references to Florida. Author makes each page an easy read and very hard to put down in the middle of the adventures. Just discovered Randy Wayne White and want more, more, more!!!

HEAT ISLANDS is the second book in the Doc Ford mystery series, after SANIBEL FLATS. Ford, a marine biologist and ex-secret agent, is pulled into trouble when a friend is accused of murder. The case is tied to some shady dealings involving land and the Floridian environment-destroying building boom.
Ford mourns for a lost Florida, everywhere he goes the state has been overrun by tourits and developers. He's trying to hide at a quiet marina, but (like his forefather Travis Mcgee) can't resist a friend in need. White's description of Florida's nature is wonderful. The villain is sort of a stereotypical nut job, but Ford's quiet heroism makes up for it. Recommended.

I am actually getting sad that I'm nearing the end of this incredible series about the US Marine Corps. Griffin's characters continue to captivate, and he always introduces new ones that you hope to see more of in the future. In this case a Chief Petty Officer called McGuire is one that I certainly want to hear more of. This book takes McCoy and Zimmerman into the Gobi Desert on a very dangerous mission that has a two-fold goal - one to establish a permanent weather station in the Gobi, and the other to rescue a band of US people who have been trying to get out of Japanese held spots in China. We get to see all the planning and preparation work carried out by Flem Pickering's men as they plan this incredibly dangerous mission again behind enemy lines. Griffin's descriptions of the unforgiving Gobi Desert are also unforgettable. What a barren land this must be. Anyway, the book kept me going right from the beginning. I love Griffin's writing style.

This series is the best one I think I have ever read. With characters that have been developed in earlier books coming back in the series with a little back story for those who have not read the previous books. All books in the series can stand on their own, but read in order, they tell an incredible tale. I am always checking to see when the next book will be available and preorder it the day I see it. I devour them, they are so well written and interesting, worthwhile reading.

The Corps series is one of the best series I have read. I can't wait for him to come out with the next book.

This one of my favorite "Corps" books by WEBG. I have read several of the reviews of this book. I find them too nit-picky.
Lighten up! This is fiction!!

Semper Fi,

Hugh W. Davis

I think W.E.B Griffin(his real name is William E. Butterworth)is the best current day writer. I highly recommend this and all of his other books. This book is number 8 of 10 in the Corps series

This was one of the best Lou Boldt novels yet. I read it out of sequence and it was still great.

Only Ridley does Seattle really well. Lou Boldt is in charge of a task force that's going nowhere--a serial killer is on the loose in the Green Lake area, (his marriage is a mess (he talked his wife into an abortion & now she's cheating on him) Someone is leaking info to the press, Lou's best witness a pubescent 13 year old boy) is in jeopardy because of the leaks, and something smells--not all the crime scenes line up, or do they? Lou adds a new detective to the fifth--makes her earn it but he knows how to pick em. You want to learn more about the pacific northwest? Read Ridley Pearso. Want a Gripping mystery? Read Ridley Pearson. Want agood eascape from reality? Read ridley Pearson.

This has to be one of the best suspense novels I have ever read. I was up into the early morning hours reading this one. Lou Boldt is a detective in the Seattle area. He is hunting a serial killer. They thought they had him at one point and even brought him into court. He was shot by one of the victims fathers. But it turns out it wasn't him. Lou is getting really stressed trying to figure out who the real killer is. And bodies keep mounting up. With the help of his more than a friend psychologist, Daphne, they develop a profile for the killer.
This is the first book in the Lou/Daphne series. It is awesome. Can not wait to read Angel Maker.

The books by Mr. Pearson start with something that keeps you turning.....you can't read fast enough for what is coming next.....but.....you have to put down the book at times.....just to savor what you have read and to catch your breath....We have read all his books to date and must say the same for ALL.

Being the first in Pearson's Lou Boldt series, I would say he is off to a good start. With a serial killer they have dubbed 'The Cross Killer' loose on the streets, Boldt and his team must leave no stone unturned. Boldt is walking around looking tired and scruffy, having problems in his marriage, and is constantly on the outs with a colleague with whom there is no love lost. Despite this, Boldt must muster the energy to get cracking on this case or risk being taken off it. Pearson's Boldt series has the potential to be a top-notch thriller series. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Ruth Rendell does her usual wonderful job of engaging you in this mystery from the very beginning. The book is about a man who comes into a large sum of money and decides to give it away to those in need. Several different story lines are woven together skillfully. The book is a real page turner, but the ending was disappointing. I won't give it away.

Like most books by Ruth Rendall, this is a masterly study of the minds deviating from what we would call the normal.

It keeps the reader excitedly hoping for a happy ending --that never comes. Or maybe it does, after all. This goes beyond a common crime novel. Absolutely recommendable.

I went to my library to check out "A Sight for Sore Eyes" as I was trying to describe it to a friend and wanted to re-read it for some details. Discovered "The Lake of Darkness" on the Ruth Rendell shelf.

What a great book! I could hardly put it down. I loved the ending where the bad guy forgets one very important detail and can't do anything about it. We assume that he will be caught, but don't know for sure.

What I like about this book was that the characters seem to be normal, but they are anything but. It makes one wonder what ones neighbors might really be doing.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a great story.

Ruth Rendell is a fabulous British author who has churned out mystery after mystery filled with dark, demented twists. This is another tautly plotted, well crafted mystery with characters that, though seemingly normal, are just a tad off the beaten path.

This book features Martin Urban, a staid and somewhat stuffy young man who would have felt at home in Victorian England. Martin wins a very large sum of money in a football pool with a little help from Tim Sage, an old friend of his. Altruistic and given to some rather god-like pronouncements, Martin wishes to give the money away to the deserving poor, in order to enable them to buy a home. Poor Martin, there are none so blind, as those who will not see.

Beset by subliminal homo-erotic thoughts regarding Tim Sage, he meets a mysterious young woman named Francesca, who is as demure and submissive as a Victorian maiden and captures his heart. Unfortunately, she is bound to another. All, however, is not as Martin thinks that it is.

Enter Finn, the twisted son of Lena, former cleaning lady to Martin's mother. When Finn's path crosses that of Martin's, during one of Martin's fumbling attempts to give some of his winnings away, a very clever dialogue ensues between these two with some unexpected, deadly results.

Fans of Ms. Rendell will not be disappointed by this book. It is filled with the slightly off-beat characters for which she is known, some of whom harbor dark twisted thoughts, while others are entirely socio-pathic. Well-written is spare, clear prose and filled with enough twists and turns to satisfy the most discerning of readers, this is another gem in Ms. Rendell's treasure trove of mysteries.

For those interested, this book is available as part of a two book package, ISBN # 0 09 187009 7, which combines the present novel with "The Veiled One" at a bargain price.

This is not a long novel, but it is compelling and hard to put down. There are no major flaws in the novel: it is well balanced, it has good characters, it has a a good plot, and it has mystery. It is what one expects from the author. She delivers a near perfect tale. The book came out in 1980.

There are no extraneous diversions or literary trips made. All the writing is directed around the plot of what happens to an accountant after he wins an English football pool, and a prize of over £100,000.

Highly recommend: 5 stars.

Will Eisner's "The Spirit" is one of the classic works of the Golden Age of Comics, famed for the legendary artist's use of interesting angles, inventive plots, and a vast array of classy and dangerous women for the main character to deal with. The hero himself, a blue-hatted fellow who wears a domino mask as a token nod to superhero conventions, was mainly a vehicle for telling these stories, as opposed to a really exceptional character in his own right. This made the act of reviving "The Spirit" somewhat more challenging than it might have otherwise been, since it isn't mainly a matter of getting a grasp of the character's detailed personality; to resurrect this property, you need to resurrect a style of storytelling. The Spirit is a nondescript figure whose success or failure depends on how clever the stories he appears in are.

Darwyn Cooke, as a writer and artist, is one of the clear choices to have a go at reviving the Spirit, being perhaps the preeminent retro-ist in the current comics world. His "DC: New Frontier", which I personally found ot be more then a bit overrated, is regarded as a classic, and his art style borrows much from the Golden/early Silver Age art look. He is a well-known advocate for a light-hearted approach to stories, which suits the Spirit well. This strong colletion contains seven stories by Cooke: six issues of the regular title, and the "Batman/The Spirit" specia that he collaborated on with Jeph Loeb. The main series mixes standalone detective plots with an ongoing mystery that is just getting going at this volume's end. Briefly, the stories are:

#1, "Ice Ginger Coffee", introducing us to the Spirit's wrold, and reassuring audiences that Cooke can do silly puns on female characters' names just like Eisner (the titular reporter, 'Ginger Coffee').

#2, introducing the roguish and likeable Hussein Hussein, and revamping the classic Eisner femme fatale P'Gell. Cooke supplies her with a sympathetic backstory in order to explain her black-widowing ways, which you can debate the merits of.

#3, wherin Cooke revisits the origin of the Spirit for this series, telling it from different points of view, encompassing virtually every character involved. This is probably the most effectiv dramatic piece of the lot.

#4, with the return of Hussein Hussein and the updating of another of the Spirit's gals, Silk Satin, now a tough CIA agent out to prove she isn't an affirmative action case. We also get the return of the Octopus, the Spirit's Blofeld-esque arch-foe whose face is never seen.

#5, an oddball semi-satire of the consumer food industry that also contains some of the more violent moments in the series so far.

#6, probably the weakest story of the lot, about a group of musicians who get dyed blue by a meteorite. The Spirit himself is mainly an observer here.

Finally, there is the "Batman/The Spirit" special, which is almost entirely about two groups of villains teaming up, as well as the interactions between Police Commissioners Gordon and Dolan. This makes a lot of sense, since the supporting cast in "The Spirit" was always the life of the party. The result is a great deal of fun, and Cooke draws some very nice Bat-villains, in particular adding Harley and Ivy to his list of femme fatales.

Overall, Cooke is to be commended for his quality reimagining of Eisner's work; he expertly smoothes over the great embarassment of the classic stories (Ebony White), and touches up other characters in ways that make them a bit modern without losing their classic charm.

I must, however, join in with another reviewer here in noting the poor design of the dust jacket on this hardcover; in particular, the pieces that help define the "s" in Spirit seem destined to become bent or rip off.

No one can do the Spirit like Will Eisner and this book tries to hard to be an up to date version but, it falls short.

Will Eisner's original "Spirit" stories are kind of a cult-favorite thing -- they had a very peculiar rhythm and offbeat sense of humor to them and they were also lighthearted parodies of the superhero and detective genres, so they don't necessarily appeal to everyone. But they are also brilliant, funny, richly detailed and deservedly legendary.

Author-illustrator Darwyn Cooke has done an absolutely ingenius job of capturing the kooky charm and sensual feel of the original "Spirit" stories, while at the same time modernizing them and streamlining the action in ways that are quite satisfying. Fans of the old series will be pleased, as will any open-minded, intelligent comicbook fan. And if this delightful set of slam-bang, pure fun adventure tales also gets new readers to go back and check out the old Eisner stories, more power to 'em! It would be great if Cooke would continue the series, 'cause he's definitely got a feel for it, and opportunities like this don't come around too often. I read a lot of graphic novels and then pass them on to others -- this one, however, is a keeper. Highly recommended. (ReadThatAgain book reviews)

Darwyn Cooke's telent continues to entertain in this fresh take on The Spirit. His artwork is absolutely beautiful with the help of J. Bone's inks and Dave Stewarts colors which never cease to shine. Hopefully this art team sticks together on every project from now on.

OK, so now that you know how good it looks, how about the stories? Cooke proves to be as adept at telling a good story as he is at penciling it. The first couple stories are decent and worthy of The Spirit in the 21st century. The first one that really took off was the retelling of The Spirit's origin. There's another great story about Spirit meeting up with Silk Satin, a female special agent who can match wits and brawn with The Spirit. My all time favorite story in here was Almost Blue, where The Spirit has most of the story told to him as a flashback. This tale harkens back to the old Will Eisner stuff where Spirit doesn't even play that big of a role in it, and its just a great story all its own.

The last story, and the one I was most looking forward to was The Spirit/Batman one shot where Commishioners Dolan and Gordan recall the story about the first meeting of Spirit and Batman. This story is co-plotted with Jeph Loeb, who we all know is one of the best Batman modern Batman writers out there. However, I was slightly dissapointed with this one. It's basically just a big Spirit/Batman rogues gallery team up, where the artwork is more interesting than the actual story. One critism I read of Hush, was it felt like Loeb wrote in every Bat villain just to give Jim Lee an opportuity to draw them, which was a fair assesment. It seemed like a similar situation here, except done in a much shorter amount of time. Either way, it wasn't terrible, just too much all at once and not much of a mystery.

The biggest improvement Cooke makes over the Eisner's original is completely revamping Spirit's sidekick, Ebony, who no longer talk like a southern slave and is a much more appropriate modern take on him. Much praise on a job well done, hopefully Cooke will continue giving us many more Spirit adventures to come.

I am very familiar with French comics and found it refreshing to read a US comic like the Spirit. I knew the Spirit from the past and it was very good to see some new stuff.

I LOVE Robert B. Parker - with my favorite being the Spenser series.
His witty dialogue, the action, the humor, Susan and the other babes, Pearl the wonder dog - but before all that, looooong before comes Hawk. One man, one gun, a few words and a car. That's all there is to Spense's best friend. But whenever he turns up the action gets to be non stop with as an added bonus some of the funniest dialogue in crime writing.
Spense is tough. Hawk is tougher. Both box and both like babes. Spense has one (Susan), Hawk, well let's say he takes it as it comes.
In this story (fifth in the series and my favorite) it comes down hard and violent as Spense is asked to get a group of terrorists who bombed a restaurant in London. With a few exceptions most of the series' other books take place in or around Boston. This one takes Spense, Hawk and you around the world in a day (or how long it will take you to read the book).
Spensers are addictive and usually read in one session. You can't stop - they're that good. Just get it and enjoy the roller coaster ride.

This is the fifth of many novels featuring the private detective known only as Spenser. A man hires him to track down terrorists who bombed a restaurant in London and killed his wife and daughters in the process. Spenser goes to London and manages to bait the terrorists into attacking him to get things going. Before long, he arranges to have a leg breaker named Hawk come over from Boston to help with the job. I won't give away any more of the plot, but once these two are on the case together, things get even wilder.

The highlight of this book is the presence of Hawk. He seems larger than life and steals the show in most of the scenes he occupies. Spenser actually suffers in comparison as he seems flat and dull next to Hawk. The first half of the book is pretty dry, descriptions of London amount to little more than street names and a small list of landmarks. Thankfully, once Hawk comes in things pick up. The highlight of the book is a major fight at the end with one of the terrorists.

This book is a good read. Established fans of the series will almost certainly enjoy it and it wouldn't be a bad start for someone new to Spenser either. I can't say that it's a great detective novel but it moves along at a pretty good pace and has some strong actions scenes.

In THE JUDAS GOAT Spenser made the TRANSITION from lone-and-lonely Private Eye to team player and dialogue master. Since Robert B. Parker is admittedly a guy who thrives on baseball, and since Hawk is the perfect rap partner to call forth Spenser's soul, the transition was obvious yet seamless. To me this shift almost felt as if it were written in the stars, maybe even on The Players' cards.

Yep, here it is, the beginning of Parker's famous rap/jazz dialogue, with Spenser and Hawk tossing brand-new (talking) "baseballs" back-and-forth, carrying them through to home plate conclusions. The pair of Black-and-White-Knights culminated this particular plot conversation at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, doing an award-winning street-scuffle with a whale-of-a-man named Zachary. You'll wanna see that event. You won't be able to read it because the words become vision. You'll see it.

To me, the point of departure was clear, the point at which the dialogue rhythm picked up its signature beat. The grand overture occurred halfway into this plot. I've marked the page. The movement seemed to emerge from Hawk's ebony hues and blues, and Spenser's playful counterpoint. This # 5 book in the Spenser sequence is the first one in which Hawk and Spenser worked together in a true duet, which allowed Spenser to contrast himself to Hawk, expanding the awareness of their common bonds, and filling in some of the dots of the drawn lines separating each man's code.

Hawk does have a code, with basically one main rule, and it's expressed succinctly (of course) by him in this novel. The key in that rule is "word." But, Hawk's words expressing it can't be beat. You'll want to read (and reread) them, from him, within this plot.

The first half of this book was so different from the last half I was surprised the binding didn't split. As the story took flight with Spenser preparing to go to London accompanied by enough fire power to do the job, as he was preparing to understand and follow the rules for passing those accouterments through airport security, I was carried along nicely, with heightened awareness of the contrast between then and now. Ironically, this plot, taking place in 1976 (probably conceived and composed a year or so prior to the 1978 copyright), dealt with terrorism and international travel, giving an uncanny prelude to today's necessity of intensified caution.

Parker gave just enough daily detail of Spenser's travel routines, airport machinations, plane ride, and settling into London. Spenser didn't have an easy time getting a lead onto the trail on the 9 amateur terrorists who blew up his wheel-chair bound client and family, but the super sleuth spent the delay prior to "connect" as a frustrated but true tourist. I was impressed by the effective simplicity of the technique Spenser used to accomplish his link, and how he played it out.

The Judas Goat theme was well executed, yet that theme and a few others Parker touched on (including the James Bond mystique) each applied tangy twists on well-seated stereotypes. As terrorists freely and guiltlessly blew up innocent people, Parker set gentle, prose-tweaking-bombs under stereotypes, including some of the cultural icons we've come to relish and revere. Yet, Parker didn't diminish or desecrate those icons; he toyed with them with such subtle humor it sometimes slid right by me (except in the case of the Kidney Pie, which he did not treat with kid gloves).

In this plot Parker developed yet another intriguing female psychological type, Katherine Caldwell (who had at least 4 other alias's), into an interesting character with both warm and cold blood, as he slithered around another stereotype. I understand why Parker did what he did for this woman, in the conclusion of the plot. It was necessary for me to carefully reread the words in his explanation, about this soul-broken James Bond lady (and her comparison to Hawk), to get to the core of Spenser's reasoning. I don't know how to explain this without giving away too much. I also enjoyed the way Spenser skirted around Kathie's ambiguous sexuality, which provided yet another twist in the established P.I. mystique.

Given the abundance of licorice twists in this plot, I wondered if Parker weren't a master at breaking those Rubitz Cube games. I wouldn't be surprised to discover he has designed a few. On the other hand, Robert B. translates their essence so exquisitely into fiction, maybe he wouldn't have energy left to engineer physical puzzle cubes.

Okay. NOW we come to the Olympic scuffle scene in the plot culmination, in which Spenser and Hawk confronted the head terrorist and side-kick (Zachary). The fight scene with Zachary, Spenser, and Hawk was awesome, even for a reader like me who generally seeks the types of mysteries which don't engage in down-home-brutal graphics.

As I began reading along into that scene I wondered how Parker would deal with that essential physical battle, and was thankful that I'd read enough of his novels to know he doesn't overdo (or under do) the detail, and that Spenser fights with enough finesse that his prose doesn't require ten pages of gore, of fists, foot kicks, and bat tricks transforming humans into immobilized pulp. Just as I had that smug thought, however, the scene descended into basic pulp.

Somehow, I admired that grit and gore scene?

Maybe it was the fact that Spenser and Hawk were described from a never-lost mental-perspective of a potent and clear intent to come through the gauntlet intact, with the villain (who was one of the best characterizations of a true bad brut I've read) exactly where he had earned himself to be.

Whatever it was which caused me to read those scenes with appreciation for the gut-level-fighting craft, without flinching, without closing the book and tossing it into the coal stove; whatever it was, I was impressed enough to attempt to describe it as bait, then hand over the book to my husband to read through the fight, from the part where Zachary arrived and Spenser spotted him. Of course I took covert glances at my husband's face as he read (at the breakfast table). It was interesting to me that in several passages he grinned or laughed out loud. That response allowed me to realize that Parker's humor was part of what kept the fight detail from overwhelming my squeamishness and losing me, even as I could easily see why grittier souls could be pleasantly entertained by the humorless type of physically painful intensity which I avoid.

Parker's various skills as an author are so subtly intricate, I often miss the literary finesse until I begin writing a review, working to zero-in on exactly what caused my ability to be in the story at a solid level of anticipatory engrossment.

I reread the fight scene after Tom (my husband) had read it. I was looking for what parts made him laugh, and easily found them.

You done good, Parker. Again.

A straw gorilla, indeed. No, he was more of a cross between the bad side of Frankenstein, and The Hulk, with a blond crew cut.

Linda Shelnutt

THE JUDAS GOAT is the fifth Spenser novel, and it's the first book where Spenser and his friend Hawk work as a team in solving a case. Some people consider this the best Spenser book of all time. Although I wouldn't go that far, it's still a very enjoyable read.

The plot of THE JUDAS GOAT is unique, because it involves Spenser chasing after terrorists in Europe. This sounds more exciting than it really is, because much of the book is devoted to Spenser shadowing the terrorists instead of confronting them. The terrorists also have surprisingly bland personalities -- I didn't really feel they were very strong villains for the most part.

Still, this book has great dialogue (mostly between Spenser and Hawk) and some great action scenes once things get rolling. I think the major reason to read THE JUDAS GOAT is to enjoy the fun Spenser/Hawk chemistry, which makes them one of the great teams in crime fiction. Their partnership became somewhat stale in the later Spenser books, but it's really fresh and exciting in this early novel.

Three and a half stars.

Although I'm one who doesn't mind a more cerebral book, typically, I found the first few books in the Spenser series to be a bit overfull of rhetoric and therefore lacking in the essential action necessary in a PI novel. Not "The Judas Goat." Here the action takes us across the pond to London, Holland and Amsterdam, then back to Montreal where Spenser - with the help of Hawk (I was so happy to see him again!) - foils an attempt to kill one or more participants in the Olympic games.

I have noticed a trend in the Spenser books so far; the descriptions on the back covers (at least on the newly released reprints in mass markets paperback) have very little to do with what actually goes on in the books. From the description on the back of this one, I expected there would be an affair between Spenser and the woman involved with the terrorists, but that wasn't the case (not that she didn't make a move). Although I am not one who likes stories spoiled by overly descriptive descriptions, I do like a small blurb on a book that is ACCURATE so I know basically what a story is about before I buy it. Just a thought in passing.

This was the first of the Spenser novels that I really could sink my teeth into; not that I didn't like the first few, but this was the first one I REALLY loved. I am going to enjoy getting through the rest of the massive pile I have awaiting my attention!

This is only my 4th or 5th book in this series and I have thoroughly enjoyed them all. Although the books all start out with a murder, you won't be reading the graphic "blood and gore" that is so popular with a lot of today's fiction. (That is NOT to say I don't enjoy the more graphic murder mysteries) You will also not be reading page after page of sex. The authors have a delightful cast of characters and the town of Cabot Cove seems like the ideal town in which to live or visit. You can get comfortable, and just "cozy on up" with these books. They can be easily be read in an afternoon or evening. Grab that cup of tea or glass of wine. Perfect for traveling. By the time the plane lands, you will know "whodunnit."

I've read all of the Murder She Wrote series and expecially liked this one set in Cabot Cove. Always enjoy jessica's interaction with Sheriff Mort Metzger & Doc Seth Hazlitt in solving a crime. Looking forwrd to the next book. Keep them coming.

This is my second Murder She Wrote. She doesn't disappoints. I enjoyed the return of Amos as as always in Cabot Cove just about anything can happen. This is a nice read. It has intrigue and suspense.

Takes you back to old Sunday night TV. Cabot Cove and Jessica Fletcher team up for fun and mystery. She does great description of the many places she visits. This was in the good days of TV when sex and terrorism and blood were not so graphic and you could relax with hometown characters

As this entry in the "Murder She Wrote" series opens we find that everyone's favorite mystery writer is at home in Cabot Cove for the town's 4th of July celebration. Cabot Cove it seems has always had a very appealing Independence Day festival and Jessica has told people all over the country about what a wonderful celebration it is. This year though there is some controversy about the festival and even a small protest march if you can believe it, along with a surprise visitor or two.

Cabot Cove has grown by leaps and bounds and some of the older residents aren't too happy with some of the changes. They are especially upset with the newly arrived Joseph Lennon who has relocated his business to Cabot Cove and seems to delight in throwing his weight and considerable fortune around. According to some residents he has basically taken over the whole celebration and they are more than a little upset but their objections do little to reign in Lennon or his brash assistants. Despite the tension however the celebration goes off without a hitch but shortly thereafter Mr. Lennon's body is discovered and it is up to Jessica to find out who sent Lennon to that great corporate boardroom in the sky.

I always seem to like these books better when they are set in Cabot Cove because I just love the people that live there. As an added treat in this book former sheriff Amos Tupper takes a few days leave from his retirement in Kentucky to visit Cabot Cove and it really is nice to visit with Amos again. There have been times in this series when there have been continuity problems between the TV show and the books but this time Mr. Bain followed the TV show to the letter by remembering that Amos' family lives in Kentucky. Well-done Mr. Bain!

As is usual in this series the writing is excellent and the characters are believable and fun. The reader will get all of the clues that Jessica gets and I found that I came to the same conclusion that she did. Maybe she and I were right and maybe we weren't but it was fun to try to come up with the answer. I have only been to Maine once but Mr. Bain does such a good job of portraying the scene that I feel like I have been there many times and this book is a superb entry into this series. As any good writer does, this author makes you feel as if you know the people in this series and I felt as if I were like Amos and was on a trip back to visit a place that I knew well. It takes some skill to take a series of books that are based on a TV show and give them a life of their own and this author has again proven that he has that skill. I can almost taste Mara's famous blueberry pancakes every time I read about them.