Mystery Crime Books

There is a great difficulty in finding all the works of this author and that is a shame. They would be a great series especially for those of us entering retirement and preferring to listen to books rather then reading them. They are well written and fun and thoroughly enjoyable.The author needs to have all of the series put on tape or cd!!

_Mrs. Pollifax Pursued_ is definitely candy for the mind. It's a very quick read, entertaining precisely long enough to be a treat, contains nothing challenging and nothing difficult. The characters are fun, the plot isn't too unbelievable, and the writing is excellent. It should be just the thing if you're in the right mood.

Mrs. Pollifax finds young Kadi hiding out in her closet, and takes her on the run to escape her pursuers. The Bishop stashes them in a rather unusual safe house-- a carnival in rural Maine-- and together they need to discover why Kadi is in so much danger.

Mrs. Pollifax is an senior citizen who works for the CIA. When Mrs. Pollifax finds a college student hiding in her storage closet, she soon becomes the target of hitmen. Can Mrs. Pollifax elude her pursuers and protect Kadi (the college student) from harm?

I am a big fan of Mrs. Pollifax, but I found Mrs. Pollifax Pursued to be a bit disjointed, and cluttered with too many annoying minor characters. I liked the circus theme, but I found Kadi very irritating and too helpless for my taste. She acts like an infant, rather than a college age adult. I also wished the author had stuck with the Circus theme. I found the dynamics of the sideshow much more interesting than the farfetched African theme. Overall, while I enjoyed Mrs. Pollifax pursued, I wished it had been a tad more realistic. This novel was too farfetched for me to find it as enjoyable as the other adventures.

This time Mrs. Pollifax begins her adventure right in her own back yard when she discovers Kadi, a young woman who is fleeing her pursuers and is hiding in Mrs. P's house. She tries to help the girl get away, but the pursuers are right on her tail, so she appeals to Carstairs, her CIA contact, who sends her to a "safe house". Much to her surprise the safe house turns out to be a carnival and Mrs. Pollifax and Kadi learn some new skills to become part of their new environment. Someone who is also on the run and is hiding in the carnival is badly beaten and Mrs. Pollifax has a new angle to explore. This is all tied in with Kadi's friendship with a young man from a small African country and the disappearance of a wealthy American businessman. Before it's over, Mrs. P. and Kadi are whisked to Africa and new problems surface before a satisfactory ending is achieved. This is a delightful romp with the intrepid 60-something heroine and most of it is set in the United States, a nice change of pace from her other adventures.

For a change, trouble finds Mrs. Pollifax instead of the other way around, when she finds a young woman hiding out in her closet. An extended chase ensues, ending up with Mrs. Pollifax and Kadi, the young woman, hiding out in a carnival subsidized by Mrs. P's CIA friends for just such a purpose. The threads are complex, and there are a few more coincidences than are comfortable, but it all boils down to a plot to take over the African country where Kadi grew up and where her friend Sammy has a politically prominent position.

It's another enjoyable Pollifax romp, weakened a bit by the coincidences, but again brilliantly read by Barbara Rosenblat, whose skill I admire ever more increasingly with each new voice she comes up with.

Having read a lot of "serious" books lately, I found this to be a light and easy read. Being an avid scrapbooker myself, I was enthralled that a new series was based on scrapbooking. The beginning of the book was slow, as mentioned by other reviewers. And sometimes I felt like I was reading the script for a Hallmark Channel or TV Movie. But, it was enjoyable nonetheless. I wasn't expecting a literary masterpiece. The ending could have been a little more creative, but as other reviewers said, perhaps it was the fact that it was her first story in the series or that she was writing too many at one time. I learned a little more about New Orleans and Mardi Gras, so the author is well versed in that area. I'm hoping that next time the plot will be a little more interesting and the ending a little more creative. I will be reading the 2nd title soon - maybe on vacation at the beach.

There were more references to the foods of New Orleans than to scrapbooking. And, the author spent more time on red herrings than the actual crime. However, the book was still a pleasure to read. The heroine's friends are very interesting and I look to spending more time with them in future books.

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I feared it would be a little too "cutesy," especially with that awful cover. But I found Carmela, Childs' scrapbook store-owning protaganist, to have more of an edge to her than I expected.

Still, the mystery was a little light, as other reviewers have mentioned, and there were some extraneous occurrences and absolutely strange goings-on, including characters (like Carmela's ex) who pop in for no apparent reason and then disappear again. But overall, Childs is a smooth writer who can, apparently, make a book from the slimmest of plots.

I love reading theme books as well as mystery. I am a "new" scrapbooker so enjoyed her tips. This is a "light" read. I go to these books after I have read heavy classics or history books. I took it camping and was happy to escape into the world of murder, scrapbooking and New Orleans. Never having been there I don't know how historically accurate it is but this book made me want to visit New Orleans. I hope to try some of the recipes. Laura Child made them sound quite yummy. The depth of the characters are a little weak and somewhat inconsistant but it doesnt' necessarily detract from an entertaining story line.

I enjoy the entire series. I do enjoy scrapbooking, which is a fairly new experience, but I am a long-time mystery buff. I enjoy the scrapbooking scenes, since they remind me of comfortable sessions I have scrapbooking with friends.

The mystery part is pretty good. I picked out the murderer, but only slightly before the reveal, so I enjoyed that area as well.

The author has an easy, comfortable style of writing. It is an easy read. I enjoy her characters. They are clear and very interesting in their own right. I hope many more of these books are going to be written.

This is fifth book in the Stephanie Plum series and in this one, everyone's favourite bounty hunter is taking care of some family problems. Uncle Fred is missing and Stephanie's family enlists her for help. She is reluctant at first, but eventually gives in.

But a girl needs some money. And since the only FTA (failure to appear for a court date) is Randy Briggs, who is she is having a little bit of trouble obtaining. Stephanie ends up doing some work for her mentor Ranger. This involves taking care of some unwanted tenants, to driving a horny 15 year old to and from the airport.

In the course of the book; Stephanie will have her car blown up, a wedding to attend too, and more people will end up dead, all of them linked with the disappearance of Uncle Fred.

This is my first time anything by Janet Evanovich, but I don't think this will be my last. High Five was a fun novel with a great set of characters. Evanovich did a great job developing and giving life to her character, even the minor ones. Which is good, but I found that sometimes the minor characters out shined Stephanie. She's a good character, but there were times where I wanted to hear more from the others instead of her.

The only time where I felt that reading the previous novels would have helped, is in regards to the love triangle. I like the character of Ranger, he was mysterious and hot, but he just gave cars to Stephanie and most of the time she was thinking about Joe Morelli. So it didn't really seem like a proper love triangle, especially since most of the time, it seemed like Stephanie only wanted Ranger when she thought Joe was cheating on her.

One of the highlights, but also one of the disappointments was when Benito Ramirez was brought back. I have no idea which book he was in, all I know is that he's a crazy mofo who is scary.


When he showed up, it made me want to read the previous novels and find out why he is so scary. The book mentioned what he did to Lulu and a little bit of what he did, but not a lot to really make me know why he's so scary.

Stephanie does ends up having more encounters with him, which is a great way to bring an element of fear. My only disappointment was the way things ended with him, it made his purpose in the novel almost redundant. If he wasn't in the novel, I don't think the plot would have been affected at all. He made me want to read the other novels, but at the end of the day what exactly was his purpose in the book?

Overall, this was a fun, light novel and I now know why Evanovich is such a success. While I did have some problems, I did enjoy this novel very much. Make sure you check it out.

3.5/5

The book is used and you'd never know it. Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series is the best. Can't wait to read the next one.

I'm in love with this series and have read the first four books on my kindle - now I'm addicted and the next few books aren't available in kindle version - WHAT's up Amazon??

I absolutely love this book and the whole Stephanie plum series!! I never actually knew about the series till maybe a month or two ago but once I picked up that first book and started reading I found myself going back to the bookstore for two and three. Now I am up to the sixth book and I cant wait for the next one. I love the characters...crazy grandma muzur, butt-kickin ex-hooker and two hot sexy men to sit along side the greatest character the not so together funny as hell Stephanie Plum. its mystery, love interest, crazy antics and danger. you cannot go wrong with these books Evanovich is a gifted woman, each book makes me want more and more I just hope I dont run out of books before the next one comes out. I definetely recommend these books they are so worth the time and money.

Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter. Ummm...a Bail Enforcement Agent. And she works for her cousin Vinnie bringing in people that skip out on bail. Trouble is, business is a little slow and the rent is due. Enter Ranger, the Superman of Bounty Hunters. He handles all the really big, dangerous criminals and when he's not out catching bad guys, he's doing other odd jobs, mostly legal and sometimes moral. He lets Steph join the group, which includes guys with names like Tank. The jobs range from "interior decorating" (security) to chauferring a shiek. And Ranger even gives her a snazzy Porsche to use as a "company" car.

Then Steph's Uncle Fred disappears and her family wants her to look into the case. But when she starts digging into Fred's things, she finds pictures of a dead body....or at least the body parts. And what does all this have to do with the problems Fred has had with the garbage company....the errand he was running when he suddenly went missing??

What can I say?? I need to read something light and funny. And High Five was certainly all that. There is just no getting around laughing at the things Stephanie gets herself mixed up in. With a cast of characters that grows longer with each book, Evanovich weaves a good mystery with lots of fun. And sexual tension. The ever-present debate over who Stephanie should end up with is big talk among Plum fans. Should it be Morelli, the sexy cop with the smoldering looks that Stephanie has know all her life? Or should it be Ranger, the dark, dangerous bounty hunter that is gorgeous and built for speed?? For the first four books, I've been solidly in the Morelli camp. But Book 5, stepped up Ranger's interest....and I have to say I may be wavering a little!!

If you are looking for some fun, light reading, this is definitely the series for you. Now that I've finished High Five, I may have Plum Fever again. I definitely can't wait to see what trouble Stephanie can get into next!!

Violet Dawn was pretty predictable, Coral Moon was not. The murderer is well concealed until the last minute and that makes this book, very, very good.

The town of Kanner Lake has begun to settle down and return to its old routine. They're out of the headlines and back to be the sleepy little small town its residents love. But are things really as they appear, or is there an evil lurking in town?

A well loved citizen brutally murdered and left in Leslie's car. A second woman strangled and left on the street outside Leslie's home. A dead man's spirit seen and his hair found on both bodies. What is going on? Are Leslie's articles covering a proposal to build a controversial hotel to blame or has someone's past come back from the dead to haunt them?

Wonderfully suspenseful comes easily to mind. Collins has written quite a gripping mystery with Coral Moon. Mixing supernatural elements with reality, she's created a story that's both believable and mind bending. She's done a great job of not revealing who's really to blame while at the same time keeping everyone as a suspect. Additionally, Collins has written characters that are interesting and keep you wanting to find out more of their lives.

While the story is a murder mystery and most of what happens can be explained through what we know and see, I very much like that Collins has left some things beyond our understanding. She gives great insight into the spiritual realm and its reaches, but also is clear in letting the reader know, we don't have all the answers.

Collin strongly emphasizes Jesus' presence and power in defeating evil. Spiritual warfare books are extremely popular right now and while Coral Moon takes some of the ideas presented in many books, it goes a bit further and portrays a more concrete form for demons. Combining it with senesces, she has created a book both gripping and deeply spiritual .

This book is the second of great new series (Kanner lake) I really love this book also. This suspense was intense but took a little longer getting there, than the first book, but once it got there...there was no PULLING YOU BACK!!!

In Coral Moon Collins brings us a fascinating tale laced with supernatural chills and gut wrenching suspense. Leslies Brymes, reporter for The Kanner Lake Times, has her world turned upside down when she discovers a dead body in her car. Suddenly, a typical workday turns into a nightmare for Leslie and the other citizens of Kanner Lake. Police Chief Vince Edwards searches diligently for the culprit, only to be floored when his best suspect turns out to be the dead husband of the victim. As the truth is slowly uncovered, the citizens of Kanner Lake are faced with a dark truth and their faith will be challenged at every revealing turn.

Brandilyn Collin's Kanner Lake Series is hands down her best work. The fictional town of Kanner Lake is a delightful creation, full of cleverly crafted characters that are quirky, loveable, and memorable. From the twisting and turning plots to the shocking revelations, Collins proves she is a master of the suspense genre. Each story in the series is vastly different and yet all are equally entertaining and riveting. Embedded in the suspenseful storylines we find nuggets of hope and faith that are both insightful and encouraging. This series is highly recommended for fans of suspense thrillers and mystery. (Originally reviewed as a series for Christian Library Journal)

Clear your calendar before you even open this book. Brandilyn Collins has woven another spellbinding tapestry of story, suspense and characterization. Book two in the Kanner Lake Series does not disappoint.

Leslie Williams strives to be a great journalist. Her role in solving the Edna Sans murder six months ago catapulted her career into new directions. The quiet little mountain vacation spot of Kanner Lake was also catapulted into a grander focus of tourism. Battle lines against change are drawn. Leslie determines to investigate both sides.

Her plans alter the morning she walks out to her car and discovers a dead body with a note and a number attached. Her life spirals into a whirlwind of murder and séances as both human and spiritual forces that threaten to destroy her peaceful community and her self-confidence.

Brandilyn Collins has created a town in Idaho where you may wish you lived, but not until it's solace returns. From the first sentence you will be hooked. Be sure to leave a light on, because things happen in the night. And, if by chance, you look into the sky and see a crescent moon the color of coral, think of the folks in Kanner Lake and remember to breathe.

Leslie Brymes, reporter for the Kanner Lake Times has dreams of going national. Hoping her coverage of actress Edna San's murder last year would raise her to the stardom she dreams of. But when she awakens one morning to find seventy something year old Vesta Johnson, a woman loved by all murdered and put in her car she has second thoughts about being a reporter.

Police Chief Vince Edwards is at a lost as to who would murder Vesta. But all clues point to one person and that is impossible, that person being Henry Johnson, Vesta's late husband who passed away fourteen months ago! But what of the eerie feelings he has experienced? And even Leslie feels an evil presence is trying to kill her.

With a police department of only five men and with the Idaho State Police looking for clues at the crime scene Vince must figure this out, does he have a serial killer on his hands, a ghost or a one time murder? But what of the note found pinned on Vesta's chest? Vince is racing against time will the murderer strike again and what does Leslie have to do with all of this?

Leslie feels that she can't trust anyone but has to find out if in someway Vesta's murder is her fault. The second body appears and the notes begin to appear what does all this have to do with the new proposed hotel? And what about the teenager that calls Leslie with information that Leslie has to pursue? What of the evil that seems to have fallen on Kenner Lake? After all the twists and turns the climax will have you seating on the edge of your seat.

If you love mystery, intrigue and suspense than hold onto your seat as author Brandilyn Collins gives you a glimpse of the unseen realm of demonic forces and how God places prayer on the hearts of His people even those who question who He is and has everyone looking to the pastor for guidance.

Coral Moon is the second book of the author's new series, the first being Violet Dawn all revolve around the sleepy little Town of Kenner Lake. Brandilyn Collins has a way with words so much so that you find yourself not being able to put down this awesome page turner. The characters jump right off the page at you, characters or people you feel you know and become entangled in their lives.

If you're new to Brandilyn Collins as this reviewer is you'll find yourself wanting to read all ten of her other 3 series of books, while waiting in anticipation as to what is in store next for the people of Kenner Lake in the third book Crimson Eve. Word of advice don't read Coral Moon alone on a dark and stormy night!

Dorothy Gilman is one of my favorite mystery writers. I've read all of her first nine books many, many times, and highly recommend them. In this book and the ones that follow the author's voice shifts so completely, I wonder if she is actually the one continuing to write them. Mrs. Pollifax's character changes, she is "cross" several times in the first few chapters and the old Mrs. Pollifax was curious and philosophical and observant. This philosophical bent disappears entirely from these later books.

The adventures no longer sizzle along. An early chase in this book is poorly crafted; as it happens it is described without enough detail to make it interesting or suspensful and we are told Mrs. Pollifax looks back on it as a "nightmare," when there is no basis for this in the story. The earlier Mrs. Pollifax would roll with the punches and reserve "nightmare" for full fledged torture. These later books are so disappointing because the first nine are so wonderful....

Of course, I love all of Mrs. Pollifax's adventures! I want to be her when I grow up;) But this one had wonderful, colorful (to say the least) characters, plot twists, and bits of Sicilian culture that made for a overall very enjoyable read.

Mrs. Pollifax, intrepid Garden Club member and holder of a brown belt in karate, has gone on several assignments to exotic places for the CIA. In this book, she is called by old friend John Farrell to help him in his latest predicament. He is a former CIA agent who is now an art dealer and he has been asked to authenticate the signature of Julius Caesar on a document. In the process of doing so, he has been chased and shot at and he is currently in hiding. Mrs. Pollifax shows up with a young woman named Kate who has been assigned to help her. When they have trouble finding a safe haven, Kate takes them to her aunt's house. Mrs. Pollifax finds all sorts of interesting activities going on there and learns more about the people who are chasing Farrell. This story has the amusing complication of having Carstairs assign a person to follow and protect Mrs. Pollifax. She is not aware of this and she levels the poor man with a well-placed karate chop. Mrs. Pollifax fans will not be disappointed in this entry in the series.

I just finished listening to Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief on audio, and I must say, I was disappointed. I had to force myself to listen to it all the way through. This is definitely the worst Mrs. P, book I've listened to.. Why? Too many irritating minor characters. Not enough suspense, and, unbelievably stupid villains. Usually I can expect a TAD more realism than this from a Gillman book, but, this book was just plain silly and tried too hard to be cute.

Yes, it starts out okay, with Mrs. P, getting involved in the rescue of an old friend, Farrell, who owns an art gallery. We are led to believe that Farrell is some sort of super-agent, and super handsome, but instead he's just super annoying. Mrs. P, teams up with a spunky blonde agent, soon find themselves embroiled in a mystery surrounding an ancient roman scroll, art theft, and murder. Can Mrs. P and her gang of friends save the day?

By the end of this novel, I just didn't care. Farrell, was the world's most irritating character.All he does is whine and complain. The spunky blonde agent who was Mrs. P's sidekick would never pass any Intelligence Agency's background check with a family like hers... And Aristotle? This villain was silly, *choke* get real.

Overall, I'd give this one a pass. I've listened to much better Gillman books, and this one was beyond disappointing.

The first 4 or 5 books in the Pollifax series are wonderful. This is the worst of those that follow. I think the problem that I am having is that Mrs. Pollifax no longer seems to be the author of her own success. Lucky chance may be the reason she wins through in the end, or some individual she meets up with does it all for her. And I don't care for these partnerships, especially with Farrell. The wonderful thing in the past was how Mrs. Pollifax would come to a case with lovely excitement and by being herself assemble a group of unusual people around her and inspire them to great things. The recent Pollifaxes have seem tired and dependent.

The first 80% of the book was a good story. Kept you turning the page for more even if it were somewhat predictable, it was entertaining. This is fiction and I realize an author will take a few liberties just like Hollywood does with films...but the last part of the book reminds you that yes, this is the guy that dreamed up the A Team. 2 stars for the last part of the book is being generous. Up until that point, it was a solid 4 star rating but he really crapped out the last section. Where was Mister T?

I'm also curious if he knows the difference between a Lincoln Navigator and a Chevrolet (or GMC) Suburban. He kept referring the the same vehicle as both in one section of the book.

Had I known how bad the last part was, I wouldn't have bothered reading the book. The first 80% wasn't good enough to make up for the last 20%.

Shane Scully series by Stephen J. Cannell is a must read! The whole series has great plots and lots of suspense. This book is no different and the plot is very contemporary, yet unusual.

For a couple decades starting in the mid-Seventies, Stephen J. Cannell was one of the biggest TV writer/producers around, responsible for such shows as The Rockford Files, Wiseguy, The A-Team and 21 Jump Street. In the past few years, however, he has focused more on writing and - after writing a few standalone novels - has now written a series of novels featuring LA detective Shane Scully.

In White Sister, Cannell offers a little change-of-pace by having Shane narrate instead of using the third person point-of-view. I suppose this is a necessary shift as Shane will undergo a major personal crisis in this book and the first-person viewpoint can show his internal feelings better. The crisis involves his wife, Alexa, who has turned up missing and who seems linked to the death of an undercover (and possibly dirty) cop.

Although Alexa will be found reasonably quickly (within the first 100 pages), things are far from good. Not only does evidence point to her having committed murder, but it appears she was the dead cop's lover (and the fact that he was black adds race into the equation as well). Far worse, however, is she is in grave condition, having apparently shot herself after confessing to the murder. It takes all of Shane's love and willpower to believe in her despite the evidence, and his efforts to find the truth will endanger his own job and will even get him accused of a role in the killing.

If Alexa's not the killer (and no faithful reader of the Shane Scully books will believe she is), then who is responsible? The answers will be found in a somewhat muddled plot involving intrigue in the world of rap music, with the center of everything being Stacy Maluga (the White Sister of the title), the wife of a major rap music producer.

Cannell still cannot fully escape his TV writer roots. On the plus side, this means he is a more-than-competent writer who moves things along well. On the minus side, he can be rather formulaic and he can't seem to make the push from being an okay writer to a great one (the ending of this novel includes a bit of silliness that better writers would avoid). In short, this qualifies as a so-called "beach read": a light and fast-reading book with shallow but decent entertainment value.

This book is another well writen one by the master of the pen, Stephen J Cannell. Rather then go through the plot of the book, since others have already done that, I will mention that to me, this book was loosely based on Death Row Records, and the LA rap scene from that timeframe. In fact, the owner of the main label in the book sounds exactly like Suge Knight, and there is an awards show in the same place that Biggie was gunned down. So, if the whole Death Row thing interests you and you haven't read a Cannell book, check this out. Oh yeah, and Shanes wife is in a coma!

While I have always thought that Stephen Cannell's "Shane Scully" novels were easily beyond plausibility, I have always enjoyed them just the same. White Sister, however, was a chore to get through. I often found myself skipping to the next paragraph or two each time he gets his "soliloquy" on. With astounding frequency, the main character begins to wax poetic about ______ (you fill in the blank) to the point that you expect him to break into a West-Side-Story-esque song and dance.

The "I know I lied to you five times and broke my promises to you three times in the past 10 minutes, but trust me this time." bit got quite old.

There were a lot of little worn out constructs and clichés used repeatedly, time after time, over and over again, and repetitively throughout the book.

I eagerly awaited this book after reading an interview of the author for his second book. I thought I should start at the beginning of what I hope will be a long series featuring Louis Morgon.

The writing is colorful with great descriptions of France as he walks through the country. Descriptions of food will make you wish you were there! The characters in the small town where Louis settles are a perfect cast of French citizens.

An enjoyable story all around. Amusing observations at the workings of the State Department and the CIA. It will make you think about airports in a different light!

Jane Whitefield is a blue-eyed, half-Seneca woman who helps people in danger of being killed disappear and establish new identities. In this novel, the second in Thomas Perry's enthralling suspense series, she must protect both an 8-year-old boy who is heir to a multimillion-dollar trust fund and a woman convicted of savings & loan fraud, who has served her time and is on parole, from some evil, murderous men who are after their money.

At first I was afraid I might get lost in all the financial intricacies of trusts and banks, but Perry explains it all clearly without slowing the action. His heroine is clever, devious and resourceful, and I found her instructions to her client on how to establish a new identity and avoid being tracked down fascinating. Jane relies on traditional tribal wisdom as a guide, e.g., that dreams are a good place to obtain secret information. I liked the strain of mysticism running through the fast-paced, complex story, and the thrilling denouement is followed by a most satisfying epilogue.

This is second novel about Jane Whitefield, half-Seneca (and half blue-eyed) "guide," whose specialty is helping those on the run disappear into the cracks in society. Most of these fugitives are innocent -- women fleeing from abusive spouses, etc. -- but not all of the. Mary Perkins is one of the latter, a successful practitioner of S&L fraud who was caught and served her time in prison. The thing is, she still has a very large amount of stolen money tucked away that she never admitted to, and if that fact becomes known, her parole will be revoked. So she has no one to turn to when the Really Bad Guys go looking for her hidden wealth -- except Jane. At the same time, Timothy Phillips, whose parents died and left him a huge trust fund, really is one of the innocents -- but he has been targeted by the same Bad Guys. What makes these stories fascinating, at least to me, is the detail Perry brings to the business of convincing society you don't exist. Many of the things Jane does in the mid-1990s wouldn't work today, of course, not in our security-happy post-9/11 world, so it will be interesting to see how she updates her methods. As always, Perry is strong on characterization and back story, and the action seems to flow naturally -- most of the time, anyway. In this case, he appears to have rushed the ending. Earlier in the story, Barraclough demonstrates that he understands how dangerous Whitefield can be, but he seems to have forgotten this in the climactic scenes. And we're never actually told how Jane sets up her final encounter, though it's hinted at. Nor does it seem quite in character for her to coolly take a shotgun to those who are hunting her. Also, Perry seems to think it's necessary to bring in a boyfriend whose existence was never hinted at before. Why?

I really enjoyed the first Jane Whitefield book and was eager to read the second. Yuck. Jane was totally unappealing this time around; the plot was incredibly contrived. She has, all of a sudden, a lover. Their conversation is contrived and stilted. She acts like a teenager about his phonecalls. What gives?

I was bored by the long descriptions of how money was stolen from savings and loans. The descriptions of sadism were unnecessary. Jane does all kind of illegal things and gets away with all of them, including killing people. She performs tasks such as climbing fences and running for miles that seem impossible to me. She sees people from long distances away in office windows and can tell whether they are bosses or secretaries.

In the first book, the Native American sequences were woven in seamlessly. Here they were a mere add on.

And then, just when I thought I would make it through to the end, I'm stuck in the head of this sadistic guy who's after her. Yuck again. This will be my last Jane Whitefield.

I love books that are both exciting and actually teach me something--trusts and banking--without slowing down the story. Jane is a fascinating character, a Native American whose culture and history are provided through visions and dreams, who is capable and inventive. This is a very good book in a fascinating series.

I have read all of Thomas Perry's books. He is a great author! He manages to combine huge amounts of action and suspense with literate writing and well-developed, sensitive and interesting characters. "Dance for the Dead" is about Jane Whitfield, my favorite Thomas Perry character. Jane is a Seneca Indian who grew up near Niagara Falls, and the book is loaded with Indian history. Jane saves people by giving them a new identity and helping them to hide from whatever trouble they are in. This puts her in a lot of danger and provides plenty of opportunity to meet interesting people. Since her life is so dangerous, she keeps a very low profile and doesn't have much of a social life. In this book, she begins a romance with a doctor from her hometown who she has known for a long time, but thankfully this series really sticks to the action and adventure, and never veers too far into romance territory. As other reviewers have noted, it makes me really happy to find a male author who chose to write about such a take-charge, capable woman. I would recommend this whole series to anyone who likes well-written action adventure.

Alas, I was rather disappointed in Strong Poison. True, it addressed one of the complaints I had early on in the series and featured loads of personal drama for the investigators. I liked the turn Peter took here--in love and accepting rejection with grace and angst--and I liked Harriet, too, though there wasn't enough of her. Miss Climpson and another enterprising spinster were also entertaining and made valuable contributions to the case.

But! I just about tore my hair out when Sayers reused one of her favorite plot devices AGAIN--a will. There was a twist involved that made it slightly different than a matter of mere inheritance, but just once, I'd like to read a Sayers book that mentions neither a testatrix nor a legatee! There was also a certain clue that, by the randomness of its inclusion, enabled me to immediately guess the method in which the arsenic was administered.

Despite not being everything I'd hoped for, it was still probably the best of the Sayers so far.

Dorothy L. Sayers created perhaps one of the most iconic of all detectives when she fashioned Lord Peter Wimsey. At first impression, Wimsey seems to be a lot of piffle, dressed to the nines, and overly confident in his intelligence. Yet there is something intriguing about his character and his buffonery that makes readers laugh at his expressions and marvel at his exploits. Such is the case with "Strong Poison", the book that introduced Lord Peter Wimsey to Harriet Vane.

The reader is immediately drawn into the story through a recounting of the evidence against Harriet Vane; she is on trail for murdering her lover with arsenic. The case against her seems airtight, and it isn't helpful that she was writing a mystery concerning arsenic poisoning, but Wimsey is convinced of her innocence, and is just as convinced of making her his wife. When the jury can come to no verdict, the defense has one month before Vane will be retried. Wimsey takes it upon himself, with a colorful cast of helpers, to make sure he clears Harriet's name and finds out who the real murderer is.

"Strong Poison" is a quick-paced read with ingenious plotting to the central mystery that is baffling to the readers. Although one can only handle so much of Lord Peter Wimsey at one time, the story clips along even with a wide array of characters and a plot that includes sleuthing, religious fanaticism, lessons in lock picking and spiritualistic shennanigans. All of these strange occurrences brew together to create a truly unique mystery. While Dorothy L. Sayers' writing can seem dated, since this novel was originally published in 1930 and the expressions that are used are not in modern usage, her stories have stood the test of time, and will continue to do so.

It's nice to see Sayers's unflappable and delightfully conceited Wimsey suffer from the disabling effects of self-doubt in this one. As opposed to his traditional dilettante approach to crime solving, there is something on the line here. Wimsey's in love and his new found love is in line for the gallows. Sayers aristocrat superman has fallen for murder suspect, Harriet Vane, and he is in a race against time to find the actual killer and while the solving of the case is far too dependent on Wimsey's use of intermediaries, there is a satisfying conclusion and a more human Lord Peter for the reader's enjoyment.

This was the first Peter Wimsey mystery that I didn't find totally satisfying. I had really high hopes; I couldn't wait to find out how Peter and Harriet met, and why Peter fell in love with her.

It starts off promisingly enough - the judge is summarizing the case against Harriet for the jury, who are about to start their deliberations. It's a pretty strong case; Harriet's former lover died of arsenic poisoning, and Harriet had been buying arsenic for research purposes.

Now, first of all, it was really easy to figure out who the real murderer was. Normally Sayers keeps me guessing much longer than she did here.

Second of all, Peter does almost nothing from beginning to end. Miss Climpson and her staff do all the actual detecting - Peter mostly flops around feeling a little useless because love for Harriet has impaired his judgement.

Third of all, Peter is already in love with Harriet as the book begins. Not only do we not see him actually falling in love, the first thing he ever says to her is to ask her to marry him. This is romantic and all, but what makes Peter and Harriet's relationship so magical to me, at least, is their repartee - they're so well matched in wit, sensibility, and principle. I thought something more mature than love at first sight would bring them together.

There's a little bit of a twist - but I guessed it around the same time as I guessed the murderer, which is to say pretty early on.

I still enjoyed Strong Poison, quite a bit, but Sayers has done better.

No one knows more about poisons than crime fiction writer Harriet Vane, which makes her the natural suspect when someone feeds ex-lover Philip Boyes arsenic. Enter Lord Peter Wimsey, who sees Harriet for the first time standing in the dock and is instantly convinced of her innocence. The rest of Dorothy L. Sayers' Strong Poison is spent in convincing the rest of us.

The sixth of the Wimsey novels and the first of four to feature Harriet, this tale is a classic in the crime fiction genre, both for the mystery itself (I will never forget hunting up a copy of A Shropshire Lad so I could figure out how Lord Peter figured it out) and for the beginning of the rich, complicated relationship between Peter and Harriet. The minor characters (Miss Climpson, the Duchess, Blindfold Bill Rumm) are only added seduction, as is the peek over their shoulders of the all but forgotten years between World Wars. In order, the Wimsey-Vane novels are Strong Poison, Have His Carcase, Gaudy Night, and Busman's Honeymoon.

Worthy effort, but I felt the author could have done more to enliven the main character. I felt distanced from him, and didn't have a sense of the strong emotions that must have driven his actions.

John Blake, a preppy private eye sees what appears to be a picture of his high school love in the Daily News under the headline Stripper Murdered. It's been ten years since they were together and she went off to college. He can't believe what seem to be the surface facts and decides to investigate. He follows a path of lesbian love, big buck robbery and brutal murders up to a surprising finish. Good, quick page turner.

After rejecting the idea of reading yet another Robert B. Parker, and waiting for the next Michael Connelly paperback release, I was drawn to Little Girl Lost and the following Songs of Innocence by listening to Aleas/Adai's interview by Terry Gross.

The opening pages drew me in immediately, keeping my attention for the full ride. When I finished, I turned back to page 1 and started again, reviewing the initial chapters with knowledge of the conclusion. Even on the second reading, it worked. If you like the genre, the two books are highly recommended. Aleas really finds his stride in Innocence, but in addition to being an essential introduction to that second book, Little Girl Lost is worthwhile on its own. But if you like this one, please, please read on.

warning: minor spoiler follows:
"Don't judge a book by its cover" is an old adage to which I don't fully subscribe. It's easy enough to avoid reading the back cover, or the promotional material on the first few sheets, but the front cover is hard to ignore. In the case of Little Girl Lost, it's just too suggestive, influencing the reader's engagement in the unfolding mystery. The cover art alone is enough to keep this edition from a 5-star review.

Fans of hardboiled crime novels, in the vein of Chandler and Hammett, take heart. Dorchester Publishing has issued a new line of paperbacks under the banner of Hard Case Crime featuring the best of the new generation of hard-boiled writers as well as authors from the past whose work has been long out of print
More that just his first venture into the hard-boiled genre, "Little Girl Lost" (2004) is Richard Aleas' first novel. He introduces us to John Blake, a new breed of private eye who can hold his on when walking those mean streets of Chandler.
When Blake last saw his high school sweetheart, Miranda Sugarman she was on her way to school in the southwest to become an eye doctor. Ten years later he learns that she has been found murdered on the roof of the strip club where she had been working. Determined to find the truth he ignores the advice of his partner Lou and the threats of the thugs he encounters. Aided by a dancer Rebecca and his reluctant partner, he tries to follow Miranda's twisted path from academia to erotica.
I really enjoyed this book and feel that, in John Blake, he has truly captures the spirit of the hard boiled detective. I have no problem recommendeing this work to any fan of mystery or detective fiction. I am looking forward to the sequel, "Songs of Innocence"(2007 )

Author Charles Ardai (who wrote this book under his anagramatic pen name Richard Aleas) described Little Girl Lost's protagonist John Blake to Terry Gross as well-meaning but not very good at his job. Which is not say that Blake is incompetent, but rather that whatever he does, he only makes things worse. Thus the kernel of truth at the center of the Hard Case Crime books: things can always get worse.

I enjoyed this book for that very reason. Not that I revel in stuff going bad and characters messing up themselves and others with abandon (I couldn't read Walter Moseley's Killing Johnny Fry, not because it's porn, which it is, but because the main character was so singularly bent on self-destruction). It's just that sometimes in life, s*** happens. And so it is with Blake.

Blake never had much ambition for himself, but as his career trajectory degraded from literature professor to junior private detective in a two-man outfit with a ground-floor Chelsea office, he found solace in knowing that his high-school girfield, Miranda, had gotten out of the city, gone to college and probably wound up with a nice career and 2.5 children. Imagine the abject shock to his universe when he opens the paper and sees her picture beside an article explaining that a stripper was murdered execution style on the roof of the club where she worked.

And so Blake chases down the rabbit hole, unearthing progressively more painful truths about the city, Miranda and himself.

Sounds like a joy to read doesn't it?

Well, it is. Part of what saves it is that it's probably only about 60,000 words long, and moves at a furious pace. Not a lot of time to dwell on death there. The other thing that saves it is that it's all so authentic. The crap that befalls Blake and Miranda is not there to screw them up as fodder for the plot (that's not the only reason). It's a harrowing lesson in expectations and how we adjust or ignore them to get by.

Highly recommended: GOOD ENOUGH TO BUY