| Title |
Author |
Genre |
Rating |
Description |
Date Reviewed |
| 1491 |
Charles C. Mann |
Non-Fiction |
** |
The author provides a look at the Americas before the arrival of the Europeans in 1492. It’s conclusions alter the perception that North and South America were sparsely populated by a largely nomadic people. Instead, evidence shows that there were probably more people in the Americas than in Europe, that in addition to the Incas and Aztecs, there were highly evolved civilizations, and that the development of the primary crop, maize, was a feat of genetic engineering unsurpassed by the Europeans. A very interesting book, but not a page turner – a bit tedious at times but worth a read. |
2010 or Before |
| An Eagle Named Freedom |
Jeff Guidry |
Non-Fiction |
** |
Billed as the tale of a remarkable friendship between a man an an eagle, this is more a book about the author’s battle with cancer and how his attachment to an eagle at the wildlife rehab center he worked at helped him through. An interesting book, but not the inspirational story it was billed to be. And I’d be curious to hear the eagle’s version of the story. |
2011-04 |
| Black White & Jewish |
Rebecca Walker |
Non-Fiction |
** |
Autobigraphy of a woman with a black mother and white Jewish father and the trials and tribulations of her childhood. Interesting, but in the end her childhood doesn’t seem much more difficult than the average person. |
2010 or before |
| Blue Latitudes |
Tony Horwitz |
Non-Fiction |
** |
The author sets out to visit many of the places discovered by Captain James Cook in the 18th century. He alternates his travel adventures with great information about Cook’s voyages. Unfortunately the author doesn’t seem to like any place he visits and his attempts to be humorous (a la Bill Bryson) fall flat. Despite that, the book is worth reading for a better understanding of Cook’s navigational and exploratory skills. |
2010 or Before |
| Brunelleschi’s Dome |
Ross King |
Non-Fiction |
** |
The story of the daring design and successful building of the dome of the cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence in the 15th Century. A short book (160 pgs) and an easy read, but quite a bit of technical detail. Architects and engineers would enjoy this book. |
2010 or before |
| Caddie Sense |
Michael Carrick |
Non-Fiction |
** |
Written by Tom Kite’s caddie of many years. Moderately interesting but only for one who likes golf. |
2010 or before |
| Dragon Hunter |
Charles Gallencamp |
Non-Fiction |
** |
The true story of the Central Asiatic expeditions to Mongolia led by Roy Chapman Andrews in the 1920′s. Part science, part biography, part adventure story, part world history, the book provides a great look at all that was involved in mounting one of the most famous scientific expeditions in history. You will revel in the scientific finds and share the frustration of dealing with the Chinese buearacacy to obtain permission. A good book well written, but full of science and fact, so don’t expect a page turning thriller. |
2010 or Before |
| Elizabeth – The Struggle for the Throne |
David Starkey |
Non-Fiction |
** |
The story of the early life of Elizabeth I and how she ultimately became queen, with tons of historical information on Henry VIII and what was going on in England at the time. A worthwhile book full of interesting information, but a bit slow at times. Recommended for anyone with a real interest in the subject. |
2010 or before |
| First You Have to Row a Little Boat |
Richard Bode |
Non-Fiction |
** |
A book about sailing as a metaphor for life |
2010 or before |
| Growing Up |
Russell Baker |
Non-Fiction |
** |
Autobiography about growing up in the depression. Interesting read. |
2010 or before |
| High Exposure |
David Breashears |
Non-Fiction |
** |
Biography of well known climber and film maker who was on Mt. Everest during the huge storm in which many climbers died. Maker of the IMAX film Mt. Everest. A good book if you like this genre. |
2010 or before |
| Keep Australia on Your Left |
Eric Stiller |
Non-Fiction |
** |
Two guys attempt to circumnavigate Australia in a kayak |
2010 or before |
| Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid |
Bill Bryson |
Non-Fiction |
** |
Bryson’s memoir about growing up in Iowa in the 1950′s. Entertaining and insightful but not as funny as some of his other stuff. If you’re a Bryson fan, you’ll like it. If you haven’t read him before, try one of his other books first. |
2010 or Before |
| Lionheart |
Jesse Martin |
Non-Fiction |
** |
Story of a 17 year old Australian boy who becomes the youngest person to sail singeld handed, non-stop, and unassisted around the world despite not having much sailing experience. |
2010 or before |
| Lost on Everest – The Search for Mallory & Irvine |
Peter Firstbrook |
Non-Fiction |
** |
George Mallory and Andrew Irvine were part of a British expedition in 1924 which attempted to climb Mt. Everest. They set off for the summit and never returned. There was much speculation as to whether this pair was in fact, succeesful in reaching the sum |
2010 or before |
| One Christmas in Washington |
David Bercuson |
Non-Fiction |
** |
The story of a series of meetings between Winston Churchill and FDR in which Churchil convinced FDR to enter the war. Well researched, contains a number of personal stories about both men. Will appeal to those with an interest in history. |
2010 or Before |
| Riding Lessons |
Sara Gruen |
Non-Fiction |
** |
Story quite similar to the Horse Whisperer, but not nearly as well written. Of interest to horse lovers or those wanting a light, quick read. |
2010 or before |
| Saving Monticello |
Marc Leepson |
Non-Fiction |
** |
The story of Thomas Jefferson’s home after his death until it became a national treasure over 100 years later. It focuses on the role of the Levy family, who owned the mansion for over 80 years and likely saved it from complete ruin. Worth reading if you enjoy history or are a Jefferson fan. |
2010 or before |
| Scent of the Missing |
Susannah Charleson |
Non-Fiction |
** |
True story of search and rescue dogs. The author works as a volunteer with a search and rescue team and eventually gets her own puppy to train as a rescue dog. Some good insights, but many of the actual searches described are lacking details and conclusions. Interesting and worth a read, but not written by a real professional writer and it shows. |
2011-04 |
| The Dinner Club |
Shannon Henry |
Non-Fiction |
** |
Washington Post reporter Shannon Henry tells the story of the Capital Investors, a group of high tech millionaires who meet monthly and invest in small companies. A must read for anyone in the DC tech industry and an interesting story for all. |
2010 or Before |
| The Dogs Who Found Me |
Ken Foster |
Non-Fiction |
** |
A man in Manhattan adopts a dog from the pound, then develops a knack for finding and rescuing stray dogs. Though he seems a bit misguided at times, he does relate some heartwarming stories and it a book that most dog lovers will enjoy. |
2010 or before |
| The Irish Game |
Matthew Hart |
Non-Fiction |
** |
Story of major art theft in Ireland in the 70′s. Somewhat interesting, but seems like it was a stretch to make it into a book. |
2010 or before |
| The Perfect Season |
Tim McCarver |
Non-Fiction |
** |
Tim McCarver, former major leaguer, makes the case that 1998 was the greatest season in baseball history. From the McGwire-Sosa home run battle, to David Wells perfect game, to Cal Ripken’s ending of The Streak, to several magnificent team efforts includi |
2010 or before |
| Three Cups of Tea |
Greg Mortensen |
Non-Fiction |
** |
A mountaineer gets stranded in rural Pakistan and then spends his life helping to build schools to educate children, mostly Muslim, in poor areas where education is not possible. Some critics question the truthfulness of all the accounts, but nevertheless it is a worthwhile read if you want to gain a better understanding of the “real world” and a Muslim country where things are very different from the USA. |
2011-07 |
| Caine Mutiny |
Herman Wouk |
Historical Fiction |
** |
1952 Pulizter Prize winning novel about life on a warship in WWII |
2010 or before |
| Girl with a Pearl Earring |
Tracy Chevalier |
Historical Fiction |
** |
Good story set in the time of the artist Vermeer. |
2010 or before |
| Golden Fox |
Wilbur Smith |
Historical Fiction |
** |
I have never read Wilbur Smith before, but there are a dozen of his books that came with this boat so I finally tackled one. It is historical fiction and though I am not sold on the story line or the charaters, the background events – turmoil in Africa during the 60′s and 70′s – is fascinating. |
2012-05 |
| Golden Fox |
Wilbur Smith |
Historical Fiction |
** |
I have never read Wilbur Smith before, but there are a dozen of his books that came with this boat so I finally tackled one. It is historical fiction and though I am not sold on the story line or the charaters, the background events – turmoil in Africa during the 60′s and 70′s – is fascinating. |
2012-05 |
| On Secret Service |
John Jakes |
Historical Fiction |
** |
Historical Fiction about the Civil War, Pinkerton, and the beginning of the Secret Service |
2010 or before |
| Punk’s War |
Ward Carroll |
Historical Fiction |
** |
Written by a former Navy fighter pilot, the story is set on an aircraft carrier in the Persian gulf. It provides a good portrait of life as a fighter pilot and is worth reading for that. The story is not real strong, but good enough to hold your interest. |
2010 or before |
| The Invisible Bridge |
Julie Orringer |
Historical Fiction |
** |
A novel about various members of a Hungarian Jewish family at the start of WWII. At times interesting, at other times very slow moving. The strength of the book is in showing the effect of the coming war on what had been a normal family. |
2011-04 |
| 24 Hours |
Greg Iles |
Fiction |
** |
Thriller about a child kidnapper. Good page turner and reasonably well written |
2011-04 |
| Alley Kat Blues |
Karen Kijewski |
Fiction |
** |
A fun and entertaining murder mystery thriller featuring female private eye Kat Colorado. |
2010 or Before |
| Alone |
Lisa Gradner |
Fiction |
** |
This book at times show great promise but degenerates into a violent, how many people can be senselessly murdered ending. |
2011-04 |
| Angels and Demons |
Dan Brown |
Fiction |
** |
The prequel to the Da Vinci Code, this is another thriller featuring symbology, science, and the Catholic Church. Much better than Digital Fortress and Deception Point, almost as entertaining as the Da Vinci Code, this book at least will make you think ab |
2010 or before |
| Animal Dreams |
Barbara Kingsolver |
Fiction |
** |
A well written and enjoyable book about a woman who moves back to her small hometown and embarks on a journey to find herself. The characters all have flaws which make them believable but at times unlikeble too. A good read. |
2010 or Before |
| Animals in Translation |
Temple Grandin |
Fiction |
** |
The author suffers from austism, yet has earned a PhD and is a specialist in animal behavior because of her ability to “think in pictures” and see the world the way animals do. She has now designed over 50% of the country’s meat slaughterhouse facilities to provide more humane treatment of cattle. There is also a movie about the author which is well worth seeing. |
2011-07 |
| Atonement |
Ian McEwan |
Fiction |
** |
Set in England just before WWII this is a story of a big misunderstanding that changes a bunch of peoples’ lives forever. Well written and easy to read but not much point to it. |
2010 or before |
| Backspin |
Harlan Coben |
Fiction |
** |
Another in the Myron Bolitar series of murder mysteries. Poor Myron, a sports agent, becomes involved in more murders than you can imagine! But the stories are good and reliable. Good characters and plenty of plot twists to keep it interesting. |
2011-04 |
| Best Kept Secrets |
Sandra Brown |
Fiction |
** |
I have to admit, Sandra Brown is my guilty pleasure, Like her other books, this one is completely unbelievable. Sexy heroine lusts after unsuitable guy, silly plot, lust develops into love, mystery is solved. Intellectually, this is a really dumb book, but it really is fun. I like Sandra Brown when I’m in the mood for a mindless, stress-relieving story. |
2012-07 |
| Best Kept Secrets |
Sandra Brown |
Fiction |
** |
I have to admit, Sandra Brown is my guilty pleasure, Like her other books, this one is completely unbelievable. Sexy heroine lusts after unsuitable guy, silly plot, lust develops into love, mystery is solved. Intellectually, this is a really dumb book, but it really is fun. I like Sandra Brown when I’m in the mood for a mindless, stress-relieving story. |
2012-07 |
| Blood Memory |
Greg Iles |
Fiction |
** |
A murder-thriller whose hero is an alcoholic forensic dentist who is pregnant by her married lover. After suffering a panic attack at a crime scene, she returns to her childhood home where she is soon consumed by new evidence about the mystery of her father’s death. Though the plot is a bit convoluted at times, there is a serious underpinning to it having to do with childhood sexual abuse, which plays a role in the primary crime. The book does a good job of weaving a serious subject together with a decent story in a well-written thriller. |
2010 or Before |
| Blood Orchid |
Stuart Woods |
Fiction |
** |
Decent murder mystery set in Florida featuring a female private eye. Plot’s a little obvious, but otherwise entertaining. |
2010 or Before |
| Bones |
Jonathan Kellerman |
Fiction |
** |
Another in the Alex Delaware series, this was not one of my favorites. The story seemed weak. It evolves around a series of murders – but the serial killer in the end hardley seems believable. Nevertheless, it’s a typical Kellerman page turner, with enough interest to justify reading on a nice beach somwhere. |
2010 or before |
| Boom |
Mark Haddon |
Fiction |
** |
Actually a children’s book but I loved this author’s other works. This was interesting but not his best. Short, but definitely more appealing to a young audience. |
2011-04 |
| By Order of the President |
W.E.B Griffin |
Fiction |
** |
A new series by the author of popular series about the Marine Corps and NYPD. This is a solid and entertaining novel about a young special forces major who helps his superiors and the President avert a terrorist attack. |
2011-07 |
| Compulsion |
Jonathan Kellerman |
Fiction |
** |
Another Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis murder mystery. Psychologist Delaware consults to the police and helps to nab a killer. Kellerman never seems to write a bad book – they are reliably entertaining, though I’ve probably just read too many suspense thrillers this summer, so I wasn’t overwhelmed by this one. |
2010 or Before |
| Day of Atonement |
Faye Kellerman |
Fiction |
** |
Mystery thriller featuring an L.A. police detective investigating a missing teenage family member in New York. The family is Orthodox Jewish and the book is a good view of their life wound around a good, page-turning plot. A worthwhile read |
2010 or Before |
| Death in Holy Orders |
PD James |
Fiction |
** |
A spate of deaths occurs at a seminary and a visiting detective sorts through a host of suspects to find the killer. Entertaining. |
2011-10 |
| Death Match |
Lincoln Child |
Fiction |
** |
A computer uses artificial intelligence to match up compatible couples with great results – until some of the super couples turn up dead. Good technological thriller. |
2011-04 |
| Deception |
Jonathan Kellerman |
Fiction |
** |
Yet another Alex Delaware novel, this one involves the murder of a teacher at an exclusive prep school. Typically entertaining Kellerman fare, with a decent story. Great beach book. |
2011-07 |
| Deception Point |
Dan Brown |
Fiction |
** |
Mystery thriller about a meteorite found in the Artic. Well written and pretty believable page turner. |
2010 or Before |
| Devil’s Claw |
J.A. Jance |
Fiction |
** |
Another in the Sheriff Joanna Brady series. Good story, doesn’t require too much concentration. A good diversion and entertaining. |
2012-05 |
| Devil’s Claw |
J.A. Jance |
Fiction |
** |
Another in the Sheriff Joanna Brady series. Good story, doesn’t require too much concentration. A good diversion and entertaining. |
2012-05 |
| Digital Fortress |
Dan Brown |
Fiction |
** |
First book by the author of the Da Vinci Code. An interest holding page turner, but not nearly as sophisticated or as believable as his most current effort. |
2010 or before |
| Divine Justice |
David Baldacci |
Fiction |
** |
The fifth of the Camel Club series. Not bad, but this series seems to be losing steam. The plot centers around Camel Club leader Oliver Stone going back to work for the US Government in the wake of a bomb explosion in Lafayette Park. The government naturally is full of horrible people who conspire at every turn, only to be outwitted by Stone. Some high points – Baldacci’s characters are always interesting and the plot involved enough to keep you guessing – but if there is a sixth in this series I’ll probably skip it. |
2012-02 |
| Divine Justice |
David Baldacci |
Fiction |
** |
The fifth of the Camel Club series. Not bad, but this series seems to be losing steam. The plot centers around Camel Club leader Oliver Stone going back to work for the US Government in the wake of a bomb explosion in Lafayette Park. The government naturally is full of horrible people who conspire at every turn, only to be outwitted by Stone. Some high points – Baldacci’s characters are always interesting and the plot involved enough to keep you guessing – but if there is a sixth in this series I’ll probably skip it. |
2012-02 |
| Double Cross |
James Patterson |
Fiction |
** |
Detective Alex Cross chases two serial killers in a thrilling but excessively violent story. |
2010 or Before |
| Enquiry |
Dick Francis |
Fiction |
** |
A jockey and trainer are stripped of their licenses after being falsely accused of throwing a race. The jockey launches his own investigation, which leads to lots of intrigue. Standard Dick Francis fare – good story, not too much violence, and lots of horse stories. |
2011-07 |
| Evidence |
Jonathan Kellerman |
Fiction |
** |
Alex and Milo (this is another Alex Delaware novel) investigate a double murder at an unfinished building site that leads them down several rabbit holes before finally solving the case |
2011-07 |
| Exit Wounds |
J. A. Jance |
Fiction |
** |
A small town sheriff investigates the murder of a local woman and her 17 dogs. The sheriff is also pregnant and running for re-election while trying to solve what becomes a multiple murder. A good and entertaining thriller which will occupy a few hours. |
2010 or Before |
| Justice Denied |
J.A. Jance |
Fiction |
** |
Detective Beaumont, still working for the Special Homicide Investigation Team, teams up with his partner/lover to investigate several cold cases which end up tying together. Not the strongest plot of the series but the characters and story make it a pleasant diversionary read. |
2011-10 |
| Killing Floor |
Lee Child |
Fiction |
** |
Former militray policement Jack Reacher is wandering and gets off the bus in a small town in Georgia where he quickly becomes embroiled in an intricate scheme involving counterfeiting and murder. A good character, this is the first book of a series and I’ll probably read some more of them. |
2011-04 |
| Last Man Standing |
David Baldacci |
Fiction |
** |
Mystery thriller involving an FBI agent and a psychiatrist. Good action, reasonable page turner, with a so-so plot and a less than satisfying ending. A fine beach book to kill some time. |
2010 or before |
| Laws of Our Fathers |
Scott Turow |
Fiction |
** |
Hippes and revolutionaries from the 60′s grow up to become judges, lawyers, and politicians embroiled in a murder mystery. Interesting, but not my favorite of Turow’s works |
2011-07 |
| Long Lost |
Harlan Coban |
Fiction |
** |
Another Myron Bolitar murder, this time Myron goes to Paris to help his former lover solve the murder of her husband. Fun and entertaining, it’s a good blend of humor and bad things (a la the Sopranos). |
2011-07 |
| Minor in Possession |
J.A. Jance |
Fiction |
** |
A JP Beaumont mystery where the hero finally checks himself into an alcohol rehab facility, taking him away from Seattle to Phoenix. His roomate, an annoying kid, disappears, setting the stage for another mystery. A decent story. |
2011-04 |
| Name Witheld |
J. A. Jance |
Fiction |
** |
The 13th book in the J.P. Beaumont detective series. Guess I like them if I’ve read this many! |
2011-04 |
| Palindrome |
Stuart Woods |
Fiction |
** |
Set on Cumberland Island off Georgia, the story concerns a woman who is hiding from her violent husband on Cumerland Island, where a years old mystery unfolds. We recently visited St. Mary’s, just near the real Cumberland Island, so that made the book more interesting to me. Solid beach reading material |
2011-07 |
| Pleading Guilty |
Scott Turow |
Fiction |
** |
Another legal mystery, this time involving the disappearance of a law partern along with millions of dollars. Mack Malloy, the central character, is a cop who eventually got his law degree and is assigned to figure out what happened. He is not expected to solve the mystery, but of course he does. Very entertaining with good characters |
2011-07 |
| Promise Me |
Harlan Coban |
Fiction |
** |
Myron Bolitar returns with a new love interest who has a teenage daughter. Bolitar makes her and a friend promise to call him if they are every tempted to drive while drunk. That call does come, but the girl ends up missing and it’s up to Bolitar to find her. Good entertaining story. |
2011-07 |
| Relic |
Douglas Preston |
Fiction |
** |
A combination Jurassic Park/mystery features FBI Agent Pendergrass on the heels of a suspected brutal serial killer, or is it a strange new life form? Intersting book with just enough credence to be believable. Put aside a few annoying bits – such as every law enforcement agent who is not one of the “heros” breaks down in tears at the first sign of troubel – and its a fun book. |
2011-10 |
| Reliquary |
Douglas Preston |
Fiction |
** |
Sequel to Relic and continues in the same vein. Same main character reunited for a recurrence of brutal deaths, must solve the mystery and save the city from evil. Good page turning fun. |
2011-10 |
| Reversible Errors |
Scott Turow |
Fiction |
** |
Lawyer takes on a death row inmate and comes to believe he is innocent. Murder, love, intrigue, not totally believable, but a good book for the beach. |
2010 or Before |
| Ricochet |
Sandra Brown |
Fiction |
** |
A judge’s trophy wife shoots a home intruder – was it self defense or something else? A plot that has you guessing throughout, this is an entertaining read. The lust/love scenario between the detective and the main suspect is a bit overdone and not too believable, but still a good escape for a few hours. |
2011-11 |
| Ricochet |
Sandra Brown |
Fiction |
** |
A judge’s trophy wife shoots a home intruder – was it self defense or something else? A plot that has you guessing throughout, this is an entertaining read. The lust/love scenario between the detective and the main suspect is a bit overdone and not too believable, but still a good escape for a few hours. |
2011-11 |
| Ricochet |
Sandra Brown |
Fiction |
** |
A judge’s trophy wife shoots a home intruder – was it self defense or something else? A plot that has you guessing throughout, this is an entertaining read. The lust/love scenario between the detective and the main suspect is a bit overdone and not too believable, but still a good escape for a few hours. |
2011-11 |
| Rusty Nail |
J. A. Knorath |
Fiction |
** |
Another murder mystery thriller featuring a female detective, Jacqueline (Jack) Daniels. A decent read, but at times has excessive, graphic violence, interspered with humor – sort of like the Sopranos I guess. The author is acquiring a good reputation with this genre and will probably do well. If you like gruesome murder mysteries this won’t disappoint you. |
2010 or Before |
| Skipping Christmas |
John Grisham |
Fiction |
** |
A satirical tale of a couple, daughter off on an adventure to a faraway land, who decide to skip Christmas and go on a cruise instead. Subject to scorn and ridicule from all their friends, associates, and neighbors, they stick to the plan almost to the end. Funny and unfortunately all too true – it brings to light the materialism and lunacy surrounding many people’s approach to this holiday. Short and entertaining. |
2010 or before |
| Skull Session |
Daniel Hecht |
Fiction |
** |
A well written suspenseful novel with a hero who suffers from Tourettes syndrome. A good page turner although the ending is just a little too bizarre. The end also gets pretty violent |
2010 or Before |
| Step on a Crack |
Richard Patterson |
Fiction |
** |
Michael Bennett is a NY detective and hostage negotiator with ten adopted children and a wife dying of cancer. He becomes the lead negotiator in a meticulously planned mass kidnapping/hostage situation. Good enough to be believable, this is the first in what will likely be a good series. Unlike some Patterson books, this one is not horribly gruesome. |
2010 or before |
| Stolen Season |
Alex McKnight |
Fiction |
** |
Retired cop and private investigator Alex McKnight spends his summers in Upper Michigan where he becomes involved in a complex and dangerous case involving guns and money. Many twists and turns in the plot and some really bad things happen to the good guys, who I found to be pretty realistic – that is, they make mistakes, aren’t always smart, and sometimes have bad things happen to them. But in the end the bad guys of course get their due. Not a bad book for this genre. |
2010 or before |
| Taking the Fifth |
J.A. Jance |
Fiction |
** |
This is the 4th book in the J.P. Beaumont series. He is a homicide detective and the books are all entertaining and good page turners. There are 14 books in the series so it’s always reliable when you just want a fun murder mystery. |
2011-04 |
| The Alibi |
Sandra Brown |
Fiction |
** |
Interesting story that keeps your interest and keeps you guessing. An enjoyable read, though now that I’ve read several books by this author, her characters all seem to suffer from Love at First Sight and confusing lust for love. Not entirely believable, but a goot entertaining yarn. |
2012-02 |
| The Alibi |
Sandra Brown |
Fiction |
** |
Interesting story that keeps your interest and keeps you guessing. An enjoyable read, though now that I’ve read several books by this author, her characters all seem to suffer from Love at First Sight and confusing lust for love. Not entirely believable, but a goot entertaining yarn. |
2012-02 |
| The Book of Fate |
Brad Meltzer |
Fiction |
** |
A cheap take off of the Da Vinci code. The story involved a hard to believe conspiracy between highly placed US agents who happen to be Masons. Just good enough to keep you reading – just bad enough to make you glad to finish. |
2010 or before |
| The Burden of Proof |
Scott Turow |
Fiction |
** |
Another legal thriller from Scott Turow. Interesting plot and great characters. A great story with no violence or murder, yet still a page turner! |
2011-04 |
| The Crime Writer |
Gregg Hurwitz |
Fiction |
** |
Interesting murder mystery. Drew Danner, a crime reporter, wakes up in a hospital with no memory of the night before. His ex-fiance is dead and he was found with her body covered in her blood. Learning he has suffered from a brain tumor, he has no idea if he is guilty or innocent. This begins a quest for the truth, with many twists and turns along the way. Good story, well developed plot. |
2012-09 |
| The Deadhouse |
Linda Fairstein |
Fiction |
** |
Murder mystery involving a college faculty and excavation of a former insane asylum. Written by a real-life district attorney, it’s good enough to finish and OK for this genre. |
2012-01 |
| The Deadhouse |
Linda Fairstein |
Fiction |
** |
Murder mystery involving a college faculty and excavation of a former insane asylum. Written by a real-life district attorney, it’s good enough to finish and OK for this genre. |
2012-01 |
| The Deadhouse |
Linda Fairstein |
Fiction |
** |
Murder mystery involving a college faculty and excavation of a former insane asylum. Written by a real-life district attorney, it’s good enough to finish and OK for this genre. |
2012-01 |
| The Last Coyote |
Michael Connelly |
Fiction |
** |
A good murder mystery featuring detective Harry Bosch who attempts to solve the 30 year old murder of his mother. Will hold your interest and keep you turning the pages. |
2010 or Before |
| The Lincoln Lawyer |
Michael Connelly |
Fiction |
** |
Solid murder mystery starring a lawyer whose office is the backseat of a Lincoln. Not Connelly’s best, but entertaining and worth the read if you’re just looking for a good page turner for entertainment. |
2010 or Before |
| The Lion’s Game |
Nelson DeMille |
Fiction |
** |
A strangely frightening book written before Sept 11 featuring a Libyan terrorist, a hijacked airplane, and numerous references to the World Trade Centers. It’s a good page turner of a book, but the ending leaves a lot to be desired. Events of the past cou |
2010 or before |
| The Lovely Bones |
Alice Sebold |
Fiction |
** |
A young girl is murdered on her way home from school one day. The story is told from her perspective, mostly from heaven looking down on her family and friends and what happens to them in the aftermath of the murder. A creative and different perspective, |
2010 or Before |
| The Millionaires |
Brad Meltzer |
Fiction |
** |
Brothers who work at a bank plan a white collar crime but get in the way of some mean people. An adequate time passer. |
2010 or before |
| The Overlook |
Michael Connelly |
Fiction |
** |
Another in the Harry Bosch detective series. Nothing earth-shattering – the author almost always provides and interesting and well told story that provides some good entertainment. |
2010 or Before |
| The Smoke Jumper |
Nicholas Evans |
Fiction |
** |
By the author of the Horse Whisperer. I found this one a little disappointing. It was OK to pass the time and held my interest fairly well, but it was much more of a soap opera about classic star crossed lovers than about firefighting. |
2010 or before |
| Ties That Bind |
Phillip Margolin |
Fiction |
** |
A good page turner mystery. A little on the dark side and not truly believable, but a good read nonetheless |
2010 or Before |
| Total Control |
David Baldacci |
Fiction |
** |
Thriller with a plane crash and scheme revolving around federal reserve rate changes. Not really plausible, but a good time passer. |
2010 or before |
| Trial by Fury |
J.A. Jance |
Fiction |
** |
Another in the J.P. Beaumont series, this one is as good as the rest. Good, fun whodunnit. |
2011-04 |
| True Evil |
Greg Iles |
Fiction |
** |
An FBI agent works outside the system to unravel the mysterious deaths of spouses of a particular divorce attorney’s clients. A good suspensful thriller. |
2011-04 |
| Trunk Music |
Michael Connelly |
Fiction |
** |
A Harry Bosch murder mystery. Not his best, nor his worst. Good, entertaining story – if you’ve liked this series you’ll probably enjoy it. |
2010 or Before |
| Two for the Dough |
Janet Evanovich |
Fiction |
** |
Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter who is chasing a bail-skipper who it turns out is involved in much more than the assault for which he was arrested. Good characters and a fun book. This is a popular series and I will order some more! |
|
| Two for the Dough |
Janet Evanovich |
Fiction |
** |
Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter who is chasing a bail-skipper who it turns out is involved in much more than the assault for which he was arrested. Good characters and a fun book. This is a popular series and I will order some more! |
|
| Whiteout |
Ken Follett |
Fiction |
** |
Bad guys try to steal a deadly virus from a research facility in Scotland. Good story – not Follett’s best, but even so, he’s still better than most. |
2011-04 |
| Wild Horses |
Dick Francis |
Fiction |
** |
Typical, entertaining Dick Francis novel |
2010 or before |
| Zero Game |
Brad Meltzer |
Fiction |
** |
Reasonably interesting thriller about staffers on Capitol Hill and a game they play that turns deadley. Not particularly memorable, but passes the time and not a disappointment. |
2010 or before |
