Compound Fractures/Stephen White/ 438 pages

Boulder psychologist Alan Gregory and Boulder police detective Sam Purdy met over 20 years ago when the two were on opposite sides of a murder investigation. Dr. Gregory was intent on protecting his patient's confidentiality and upholding his ethical standards while Purdy just wanted to solve the murder. Over the years, the two formed a unique and endearing friendship while helping each other professionally and personally. That friendship is assaulted when a death from more than a decade ago comes back to haunt them both. Alan's life is ready to collapse, and he begins to question Sam's trustworthiness and loyalty.

This is the 20th and last in the Alan Gregory series, and this series has never suffered from the "series fatigue" like so many others. White's writing style is still crisp and full of wry humor, intricate plots and plenty of twists and turns. Surprisingly enough, not all of the ends are tied up in a nice bow here. I think that's a  nod to the fact that life does go on even if we aren't going to read about it in the next book. Stephen White and Harlan Coben are by far my favorite authors in the mystery/suspense genre, and I'm sad to see this series end. Knowing that White is an MS sufferer, I was afraid he wasn't going to stop writing, but according to his website, he intents to keep writing and possibly develop some television projects. Losing both White/Alan Gregory and Mauve Binchy books in the same year is beyond cruel, but the prospect of seeing something as well written as White would do on television makes me very happy.

Line of Fire/ Stephen White/ 371 pages

The latest in the in the Dr. Alan Gregory series finds no new homicides. Instead, Alan and Sam, his Boulder police detective friend, have to deal with the possibility that an old secret may come to light. Set against the backdrop of Colorado wildfires, White's story-telling gift brings many of his previous books together in tense story of two friends trying to cover their tracks. Sam made a decision years earlier to protect his and Alan's family from a real threat. Now a previously undiscovered witness and a blackmailer may bring down both men.

I was so excited to get this book that I actually waited 2 days to start it because I knew it wouldn't last long enough. I wasn't disappointed. I am sorry to report that White has announced that this is the second to last Alan Gregory installment. He wraps up many stories in this one, and I'm expecting everything to be tied up in the next one. I just wish he would write faster! Although, knowing we are nearing the end, I'm glad to draw it out. Hopefully, there are other stories to tell from White. And, oh, his Boulder is somewhere I'm dying to visit.