Long Road to Mercy by David Baldacci

The first chapter of the story grabbed me instantly. However, the rest of the book did not explore that storyline except to use it as a basis for the main character's motivation. 
   This is the first in the Atlee Pine character series.  Atlee is an FBI agent serving in the Grand Canyon area. She is an accomplished agent and is highly motivated to avenge her twin sister's murder when they were only six years old.  
    Atlee is brought in to investigate a mule's death in the Canyon.  The mule has strange markings that are the beginning clues to a very involved plot.  With many twists and turns, Baldacci takes us into a sinister plot to overtake our government.  Atlee is determined to get to the bottom of this threat, but has to do it without support from her regional supervisor who has told her she needs to take an extended vacation.  He has decided his agent, Atlee, is over the top in her suspicions.
     Atlee's sister's murder will be solved in a sequel.  It was only a minor introduction in this book.

All the Light We Cannot See/Anthony Doerr/531 pgs./March challenge

Two characters on converging paths: Marie-Laure, blind since the age of six, living in Paris with her father, the locksmith for the Museum of Natural History; and Werner, living with his sister, Jutta, in an orphanage in Germany. Werner is quite brilliant when it comes to electronics--especially repairing radios. He is seen as an asset to the Germans as Hitler is taking a stronghold in Germany; as a result, Werner "earns" a place in the brutal Hitler Youth academy. Marie-Laure, now twelve years old, and her father flee the now German occupied Paris, arriving in Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure's reclusive great-uncle lives; her father may or may not be carrying with him an invaluable gem. Alternately, Werner is becoming a product of his Hitler Youth training. Years into the war, Marie-Laure's and Werner's paths cross--leading up to that point and its aftermath makes for a compelling and unforgettable read. Highly, highly, highly recommended!

Natchez Burning/Greg Iles/791 pgs

This is the first installment of the long awaited trilogy from Greg Iles.  It is a continuation of the Penn Cage series and was supposed to be one title which turned into three.  I have been listening to this series on CD because Dick Hill was the narrator but that has changed with this title.  Don't like the new guy as much but still love the writing.  Penn Cage's dad, Dr. Tom Cage is being accused of murdering his former nurse.  Penn is trying to help his dad but Tom is being very closed mouth about things.  The case is also bringing up old civil rights murders that have never been solved, so there is a lot going on.  At first I wasn't sure how they were going to make three books out of this but I can see now how this could happen.  Can't wait for book 2 - The Bone Tree - but that isn't until April!!

Vanished/Irene Hannon/328 pgs.

Moira Harrison is a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. She gets lost, at night, on a stretch of road in Defiance, MO.  A woman jumps in front of Moira's car, resulting in an accident. A good Samaritan stops by to help, assuring Moira that he has called 911, and that he will check on the accident victim. Moira loses consciousness, and when she awakens, the good Samaritan is gone, the woman she struck is no where to be found, and no help is on the way. Moira places a 911 call, and when help finally arrives, she can't convince the officer that she had hit someone, and that a witness was around to help her. Refusing to let it go, Moira takes a friend's advice, and takes her story to Cal Burke, an investigator, and part partner of Phoenix Inc. Cal takes on the case, and the plot takes off from there. There is suspense, romance, and an over-all Christian feel to the story. The action takes place in St. Louis, St. Louis County, and St. Charles which adds to the "fun." I would recommend this to anyone interested in a mystery with Christian fiction overtones. It's an entertaining read, and the first in the Private Justice series.