Scarecrow / Michael Connelly 432 p.

Jack McElvoy (The Poet) has just been given his pink slip from the the LA Times.  He decides to go out in a burst of glory by writing about a teenager's drop into crime from growing up in poverty.  When he investigates the murder he finds that the teenager's confession is bogus.  When he links the LA murder to another, he is again linked with Rachel Walling, FBI agent.  Together they hunt for a serial killer as manipulative, smart, devious, and cunning as the Poet.  Before Jack even realizes just what he is up against, the Scarecrow strikes.  Jack's identity is stolen.  He finds himself in an isolated area without bank accounts, credit cards, and cell phones. The Scarecrow has been flying so low below police radar that no one has a clue about him.  Connelly skillfully interweaves the death of the newspapers with the romance of McElvoy and Walling and the investigation.  The Scarecrow's side is interspersed into the story, too.  Even without Harry Bosch, this is one of Connelly's best.
Scarecrow / Michael Connelly 432 p.

Book Stops Here : a mobile library mystery 307 p.

Mobile librarian, Israel Armstrong, is going home to London in a 30 year old about-to-be-retired bookmobile to attend the Mobile Meet, an annual library convention.  He and fellow librarian, Ted Carson, barely get to meet Israel's family, have dinner, and have some good coffee when the bookmobile is stolen.  The two head after the missing vehicle and encountering a variety of characters along the way.

Book Stops Here : a mobile library mystery 307 p.

Silver Swan / Benjamin Black 288 p.

The events of Christine Falls are two years in the past.  Quirke has moved on.  His daughter sees him for lunch on Tuesdays where they share a bottle of wine carefully portioned over the course of the meal as Quirke no longer the heavy drinker.  His curiosity draws him in when a old acquaintance, Billy Hunt, contacts him about his young wife's apparent suicide.  Things are revealed about Diedre that perhaps would be better off left uncovered and lead to danger to the ones he loves.  Her story along with the silver-tongued con man Leslie White are told in episodes as the characters become intertwined with Quirke and his family.  Quirke's family becomes an integral part of the story in the slow paced, mystery set in post-war Dublin.

Silver Swan / Benjamin Black 288 p.   Quirke mysteries no. 2            

Log Cabin Quilts / Rita Weiss Linda Causee 160 p.

The log cabin quilt is expanded and amended to create unique variations.  Using the basic block, designs feature the Chicago skyline, New York remembered and gone fishin'.  Stars and curves may be added. Nine patch incorporated into the center square.  Interesting is the turning the center square on point and surrounding it with trapezoidal strips.
Log Cabin Quilts / Rita Weiss Linda Causee 160 p.

After Midnight / Teresa Medeiros 370 p.

Caroline, the eldest of the three Cabot sisters, uses up the last of their savings to go to London to discover Viscount Trevelyan intentions towards her sister Vivienne.  Portia, another sister, astonishes Vivienne with her conviction that the viscount is a vampire.  After all, he is never seen in daylight and his castle is curtained at all times; and, he goes on nightly excursions to who knows where.  Caroline doesn't believe in vampires and puts off Portia's conviction.  When she meets the handsome viscount, she is attracted to him.  The more she learns about him the more she is drawn to him and the more Portia's belief seems to be true.

Do read this book before reading The Vampire Who Loved Me.

After Midnight / Teresa Medeiros 370 p.

Once Upon a Tower / Eloisa James 487 p.

Gowan Stoughton of Craigievar, Duke of Kinross values order.  He organizes his trips to London via a longer but better road.  He stables horses at every stop; and, he knows precisely when that stop will be.  He gets daily reports from everyone of his properties (a footman makes a daily journey).  It is logical to have each bedroom in his castle a different color so that everyone knows who is getting the blue room, the red room, etc. When he plans a visit with the Earl of Gilchrist to consult about the banking issues there is a ball and as he is somewhat in need of a wife and heir that he comes to the ball.  There he meets the earl's daughter and is so taken by her that he very shortly proposes marriage.  Little did he know that the true Edie would not appear until she was recovered from her fever.  All he knew is that he was so smitten that he had the marriage ceremony moved up.  What a surprise when they had their first falling out!  He takes himself to a distant estate leaving her alone with loads of self-doubt.  She, too, takes herself away to a nearby tower.  And he doesn't get admittance, that is until he finds himself crawling up the stones to her window much like Rapunzel.  

Once Upon a Tower / Eloisa James 487 p.

Overlook / Michael Connelly 224 p.

Newly recruited from cold cases to LAPD's Homicide Special Squad, Harry Bosch with his new partner draws a murder case that looks like an execution-style shooting, Dr. Stanley Kent has two bullet holes in the back of his head.  Dr. Kent does not seem to have ties to gangsters.  He was a medical physicist with access to radioactive materials used to treat cancer patients all across Los Angeles.  What begins as homicide investigation turns into a potential terrorist attack.  In come the FBI including Bosch's former lover Rachel Walling.  Bosch follows his leads relentlessly in this fast paced murder mystery.  He irritates LAPD brass along the way.  And, is irritated by the FBI shutting him out of his own murder investigation.

For those readers who enjoy the Bosch fast-paced mysteries, they may enjoy the Jeffery Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme books.

Overlook / Michael Connelly 224 p.

Christine Falls / Benjamin Black 352 p.

Dublin pathologist, Garret Quirke, returns to the morgue late at night after an office party to encounter his brother-in-law obstetrician physician in his office writing up a report about his patient who died of a pulmonary embolism after delivery.  Too many small things about this patient, Christine Falls, irrevocably triggers Quirke's interest.  The more he learns, the more he wants to find out more and the more he learns the broader the conspiracy that seems to involve babies that vanish.   Black develops complex family relationships that are revealed as he delves deeper.  Falls caretaker during her pregnancy is murder and Quirke is brutally attacked.  And still he keeps looking for answers in this first of the Quirke mysteries.

Christine Falls / Benjamin Black 352 p.

Art of Taming a Rake / Nicole Jordan 399 p.

Venetia Stratham enter's a bordello to accost a rake who is courting her sister.  Venetia doesn't want her sister to become the social outcast that she is because of the actions of Quinn Wilde, Earl of Traherne.  As he escorts her to her carriage, after a somewhat sensuous meeting, he is assault by ruffians intent on taking his life.  Venetia enters the fray swinging her reticule.  Once again Venetia finds her name bandied about by the blue stocking crowd, causing Quinn to propose and enter into a hasty marriage.  There is some suspense as Quinn, aided by his family, seek the master behind the attempted murders, yes there are several attempts.  Of course, all ends happily in this very very steamy romance.  Considerable amount of the plot is devoted to the love affair between Venetia and Quinn.

This is the fourth in Jordan's Legendary Lovers series.
Art of Taming a Rake / Nicole Jordan 399 p.

Poet / Michael Connelly 434 p.

Jack McEvoy, crime reporter for the "Denver Post", just cannot believe that his twin brother, head homicide detective for the Denver PD, "ate" his gun while depressed over a horrific murder investigation that had stopped for lack of leads. His research into police suicides hits gold and gives the cops good leads as he finds the path of a serial killer. His inside knowledge gets him a berth with the FBI unit that is headed up by Bob Backus, son of the legendary FBI man who wrote the book on murder investigations. The Poet as he is dubbed leaves pithy Edgar Allen Poe as suicide notes. Jack falls for FBI team member Rachel Walling. Connelly intricately moves the plot along all the while concealing expertly the final twist.

Continued by The Narrows.
Poet / Michael Connelly 434 p.

This Duchess of Mine / Eloisa James 384 p.

Wedding bells have hardly stopped clanking after the arranged marriage between Jemma, Duchess of Beaumont and her husband, when she finds him enjoying his mistress in his office as a member of the House of Lords.  She flies to Paris where for nine years she enjoys her life.  When the Duke needs an heir, she returns finding she wants to seduce him.  This two have played signficant roles in the love lives of their friends now comes their story.  Both chess masters, the games begin.

5th in the Desperate duchesses series.
If you like Mary Balogh, try Eloisa James. For the Desperate duchesses series start with Desperate duchesses.
This Duchess of Mine / Eloisa James 384 p.

When the Duke Returns / Eloisa James 384 p.

Lady Isidore was married by proxy as a child.  The years tick by as she waits for her husband to return from the Nile or wherever he is currently exploring.  She successfully fends off amorous men while living the life of not quite a duchesses and not quite a spinster aging on the shelf.  When she puts into action a desperate plan to lure her husband home (see Duchess by Night), she pr finds him ordering her home with him pronto.  He finds a lady very beautiful and with fiery temper that goes off at him, not the docile obedient wife he expected.  Fireworks go off with this couple.

4th in the Desperate duchesses series.
If you like Mary Balogh, try Eloisa James. For the Desperate duchesses series start with Desperate duchesses.
When the Duke Returns / Eloisa James 384 p.

Duchess by Night / Eloisa James 384 p.

Harriet, Duchess of Berrow, has been rusticating in the country, dispensing her version of justice to the people of her county seat.  Widowed two years before when her husband committed suicide, she is ready for a change.  Opportunity is presented when her friend Isadore decides to lure her absent husband home (see When the Duke Returns) by visiting an scandalous house party hosted by Lord Justinian Strange.  Two noble women cannot just go alone, so Harriet becomes Harry, a young mama-protected cousin of Villiers, (see Duke of Her Own). Strange find himself strangely attracted to Harry.  And Harry finds herself attracted to him too.  But with the Harry's male persona, Strange is fighting it.  James is wonderful at weaving in characters from her other books.
3rd in the Desperate duchesses series.
Duchess by Night / Eloisa James 384 p.
If you like Mary Balogh, try Eloisa James. For the Desperate duchesses series start with Desperate duchesses.

Affair before Christmas / Eloisa James 400 p.

Four years after a romantic marriage, Perdita and her husband, the Duke of Fletcher, split.  She moves in with her friend Jemma, the Duchess of Beaumont.  Poppy feels Fletch has fallen out of love with her and is turning to a mistress.  She reflects that perhaps the problem may be more with her as her mother pushed her to marry a duke.  She is amazing naive, insecure, with a dominating mother full of idea about marital relations that she never hesitates to proclaim to Poppy.  No wonder Poppy has bedroom trouble.  Fletch realizes he misses Poppy and that he still loves her and is willing to compromise to get Poppy back and his mother-in-law out of his house.


2nd in James' Desperate duchesses series.
Readers of Mary Balogh's historical romances may enjoy these by Eloisa James
Affair before Christmas / Eloisa James 400 p.

Earl Takes All / Lorraine Heath 378 p.

Twin brothers are interested in the same lady.  She weds the heir, the Earl of Greyling.  When tragedy strikes, Edward Alcott honors his dying brother's request to pretend to be Greyling until his countess delivers their child.  He vows, though, to not take advantage of the situation.  With three miscarriages, he, too, wants his brother's child to be born healthy.  However, long tamped down desires come to life.  And the countess finds herself falling more deeply in love with her husband.  To complicate this romance, Edward's previous behavior to the countess convinced the ton and her husband that he could not stand her.  This steamy romance is the second in the Hellions of Haversham.  The secondary characters beg to have their story told.

Earl Takes All / Lorraine Heath 378 p.

Potent Pleasures / Eloisa James 455 p.

Young Charlotte Daicheston attends a masked ball at a small town where she falls for a  handsome masked footman and "ruins" herself .  She elects to bury herself in her hobby, painting.  Several years later, she decides to make her debut.  She becomes very sought after on the marriage mart.  There she runs into her footman, learning that he doesn't remember her.  But is he attracted to her.  Alex pursues her in this steamy Regency romance that has several ups and downs.

Potent Pleasures / Eloisa James 455 p.

Three Weeks with Lady X / Eloisa James 388 p.

Thorn Dautry, bastard son of a duke, has decided it is time to marry.  He has found a good prospect in Laetitia, but he has not told her yet.  First he must do more than gentrify himself, he needs to go farther and be acceptable to the blue bloods of society.  To make it happen he hires Lady Xenobia India whose specialty is creating just such an atmosphere.  She takes on rehabbing the dilapidated estate, hiring all the servants, redecorating in the most exquisite taste, and doing it all in three weeks.  But love has a way of throwing one a curve ball.  Even though Thorn has found a woman who fulfills his qualifications love may send him down a different path in this steamy romance.

Three Weeks with Lady X / Eloisa James 388 p.

Clandestine / James Ellroy 175 p.

Fred Underhill is a young LAPD cop in the early 1950's.  He aspires to make detective fast, faster than anyone else.  When his one-night stand ends up a murder victim,  he uses his "inside" knowledge she shared with him to get him onto the big guys murder investigation.  There he participates in the sweating out of a confession that crosses into brutality.  When he tries to take the credit, it blows up in his face and he is kicked out of the force.  He runs into another murder that takes him back to the original case.  He goes out on his own to investigate and finds a very grim conclusion.  The characters are rather unsavory and rather uninteresting in this hardboiled fiction showing the seamier side of both the police and the criminals.

Clandestine / James Ellroy 175 p.

Reversible errors / Scott Turow 225 p.

Arthur Raven draws a murder case where his client is on death row and has gotten the judicial system to reopen his case.  Told with flashbacks, there is much more to this than just a convicted murdered working the system.  With every rock Arthur turns over, more puzzles are discovered.  The original prosecuting attorney with an eye to making chief and the LAPD case detective fight to keep the conviction standing.  The judge in the case is called to testify and brings baggage of her own (disbarred and convected of a felony).  A dying con now admits he committed the murders.  Many twists keep the suspense rolling.


6th in the Kindle County series.

Reversible errors / Scott Turow 225 p.

Second Time Around / Mary Higgins Clark 373 p.

Nicholas Spencer disappears when his small plane crashes.  Since pieces of his shirt are found it is presumed that he is dead.  People are shocked.  He eluded such personal magnetism, charm, good well as well as a strong sense of ethics and determination.  In the messy aftermath, huge sums of money is gone--with him it is commonly believed just as it looks like the FDA will not be approving his anti-cancer vaccine. Marcia "Carley" DeCarlo is assigned the story.  Being the step-sister to Nicholas's wife, gives her access to the family, and Lynn, Nicholas's second wife, asks Carley to investigate.  Then comes the sighting of Nicholas in Europe so he did fake his death and steal the company funds?  Carley is digging and digging and finding out so much that it is difficult to decide just who is telling the truth and exactly what has happened.  Fallout from the mess has pushed a psychotic over the edge, as this story unfolds with multiple twists and turns as only Clark can do so well.

Second Time Around / Mary Higgins Clark 373 p.