How the Light Gets In: An Inspector Gamache Mystery/ Louise Penny/ 405 pages

How the Light Gets in is the ninth novel in Louse Penny's Inspector Gamache series.  Gamache's well built department has been disseminated as one after another colleague is transferred to other departments.  Beauvoir has abandoned Gamache and spiraled down in his drug addiction.  When called to help Myrna in Three Pines, Gamache is happy to escape the turmoil.  Myrna's missing friend, at one time of the best know woman in Canada is discovered murdered in her home.  Gamache tries to discover who is responsible for the murder while staying a step ahead of the people trying to bring him down.  Who will win?  For more information and read a likes see the SCCCLD website.
 

Brutal Telling / Louise Penny/ 372 pages

A Brutal Telling by Louise Penny continues the story of Inspector Gamache and the town of Three Pines.  A dead body, a hermit's cabin and cedar wood carvings create a page turning tale as Inspector Gamache assembles his crew to solve the latest murder in Three Pines.  A new family in the Hadley house and a hermit's cabin filled with a surprise add to the twist and turns of the mystery.  Who is telling the truth and who is lying?  This book will hold the reader's interest on every page.  For more information and read a likes see the SCCCLD website.

Little Death in Dixie/ Lisa Turner/ 298 pages

A Little Death in Dixie is a mystery written by Lisa Turner set in Memphis, TN.  Detective Billy Able and his partner Lou are called to an abandoned car belonging to Sophie Dupree, a Memphis socialite.  Before the day ends, one of the detectives will be dead, a prominent family and several civil servants will be involved in a twisted tale of scandal and money.  This book will appeal to readers who like a good mystery with lots of plots turns and surprises.

The Brutal Telling: A Three Pines Mystery / Louise Penny / 384 pages / 11 discs

     Inspector Gamache has returned to the village of Three Pines to try and solve a murder that hits close to home. In the beloved local bistro a body has appeared and no one knows him. Even the owners are perplexed as to his identity. As Gamache begins to follow the twisting trail, he begins to suspect one of his friends, a villager isn't telling all he knows. The village has also seen the historical mansion on the hill turn into a spa. This means direct competition for the bed and breakfast. Is this part of the murder or is it a red herring? Gamache and his team follow all the available clues, uncovering some unpleasant truths about the village's history. Is he on the right trail or is he letting his personal feelings cloud his judgement?
     The fifth volume in the series and it has definitely turned toward a darker tone in voice and the plot. The reader is uncomfortable with what is happening to familiar characters. Has the author been fooling us all along and everyone has terrible dark secrets that will ruin them? One of Penny's best in my opinion. She has turned her fictional world on its ear. I was pulled along by the story even though my mind was screaming "No! No! I don't want to find out anymore!" Our village which seemed a tranquil place has begun turning into something else.The ending has unsettled me so much I am taking a break from my beloved Gamache. I need to come to grips with what has happened. As usual the narrator has done an excellent job. I truly recommend listening to him read this series.

6 Degrees of Reading: Bruno, Chief of Police: A Novel of the French Countryside by Martin Walker, Death of a Cozy Writer: A St. Just Mystery by G.M. Malliet, Death at La Fenice: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery by Donna Leon.

A Rule Against Murder: A Three Pines Mystery / Louise Penny / 322 pages / 9 discs

     Inspector Gamache is on vacation. He has taken his wife to the beautiful and historical Manoir Bellechasse. They have gone there every year since Gamache asked his wife to marry him. It is a secluded retreat from the pressures of being a policeman. Also at the Manoir is a family reunion though it isn't a happy one. They are there to remember their patriarch and to put a statue in the garden. During a severe thunderstorm the statue falls over and kills a young woman. Gamache is pulled into the family's tragic past while investigating the murder. He finds secrets from the bus boy to the Manoir's owner. Will he figure out what happened in order to save them from themselves?
     This is the fourth volume in the Three Pines series. Gamache is a bit battered from the events from the last novel. He needs time to reflect and gather his strength. The novel's tone has changed a bit from the last few stories. It is a bit darker and not so quick with the puns. Gamache has seen some of his friends betray him and that has caused some hesitation in his thinking. Don't get me wrong. The novel is pure Gamache with his questions, provoking comments and undying love for his wife. We learn even more about the history of Quebec and its peoples. But the change is there. The ending is so surprising and exciting that you realize Gamache isn't done yet. Heartily recommended for mystery and well as history aficionados.

6 Degrees of Reading: A Fine Summer's Day: An Inspector Rutledge Mystery by Charles Todd, Vertigo 42: A Richard Jury Mystery by Martha Grimes, A Dangerous Place: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear. 

Cross My Heart/James Patterson/419 pgs

This is the 21th title in the Alex Cross series and I would say probably one of the best.  There seems to be a crime spree in Washington DC and both Bree and Alex are working long hours.  On top of that they are remodeling the family home.  Alex is working on a series of murders at massage parlors and Bree is working a series of child kidnappings.  What they don't know is there is someone else out there who wants to take down Alex in a way that will hurt the most.  You think you know from the start how it ends and I can't wait for the next one - it will be a continuation.

Deadly Heat/Richard Castle/291 pgs

First off I have to admit I love Castle.  This is the 5th in the Nikki Heat series based from the characters in Castle.  Nikki is still trying to find the people who had her mother killed.  She is also trying to find a serial killer who has decided that Nikki is his next victim.  The books are always part of the show itself - whether it is him writing them or doing his book tour thing.  The writing is pretty much the same as the show and I can hear the characters in my head (they are all based on characters in the show) or maybe it is just voices??.  A good book and some pretty light reading.

Stone Cold/ Robert Parker/ 218 pages

Jesse Stone is back for another adventure. This time he is trying to figure out who is killing random people with two gun shots to the chest. The evidence points to a team, but they are smart and leave little evidence. When they kill someone close to Jesse, it becomes personal. Jesse is also trying to find justice for a teenaged girl who was gang raped by three classmates. As always, his relationship with his ex-wife is part of the story.

I enjoy the Jesse Stone series for the actual crime and the police work. His character is somewhat annoying with his Gary Cooperish dialogue, but I can overlook that as well. But his relationship with his ex-wife really bothers me. He should have kicked her to the curb a long time ago. In this book, he seems to be realizing that she just uses him, but then he backslides once again. On another note, this is the third book in a row that I've read that deals with the rape of a young girl. I need to choose my next book carefully. I don't want to extend my streak.

Naked in Death/ JD Robb/314 pages

I will admit that I was avoiding this series since Robb is really Nora Roberts and I am not a fan of Roberts. But Kathy at GA said it was good so...And it was. Eve Dallas is a strong woman and after reading that horrible 50 Shades it was nice to read something where a woman can fall for a man and not be an idiot. It was written in the late 90s and set in 2058. Robb's "futuristic" setting isn't that futuristic anymore but they do have flying cars. Definitely going to keep reading this series.

11th Hour/James Patterson and Maxine Paetro/406 pages

This is the latest installment of the Women's Murder Club. Lindsey Boxer is married and pregnant. Yuki is dating Brady, Cindy is dating Conklin and Claire's personal life isn't part of this story. There are two investigations going on in this book. One involves someone killing off drug dealers. The other is begins with the discovery of two heads at the estate of a movie star's mostly vacant home. Ten years earlier, the movie star's wife went missing and he was tried for her murder. Further searching reveals five more heads buried on the property. Is the movie star a serial killer? Does the other killer have ties to the police department?

There is a sneak peek at another Patterson novel called Zoo. Two lions trap and kill a zoo worker and then escape from the zoo ready to hunt more people. I think I'll pass on that one.

Skeleton Canyon/J.A. Jance/373 pgs

This is the fifth title in the Joanna Brady series.  In this book, Brianna "Bree" O'Brien goes to Skeleton Canyon for a romantic tryst with her boyfriend, Ignacio Ybarra, who of course is not the kind of boy her parents want her to see.  She ends up going alone for the first night - Ignacio needs to stay to cover his uncle's shop.  When her parents check with the family of the girl she said she was visiting, they find out that she isn't there and was not supposed to be there.  They go to Joanna and want her to call in the FBI fearing that Bree was kidnapped.  When her body is found in Skeleton Canyon,  Ignacio is the main suspect.  Good story

11th Hour/James Patterson/488 pgs

Lindsay is expecting a baby and Joe is trying to get her to work less but unfortunately that isn't happening.  Two heads are found on the grounds of a movie star's home and there is someone killing drug dealers - it is thought to be a rogue cop.  Lindsay ends up working both cases.   Plus she is having to deal with a reporter who is making up stories to make the SFPD look bad and Yuki is sleeping with Lindsay's boss.  This all adds up to a lot of stress for Lindsay.  Love this series and this one doesn't disappoint

A Death in Paradise/Robert Parker/192 pages

Jesse Stone has settled in nicely in Paradise. He gets to be the star of the beer leagues baseball team. He still gets to see his ex-wife Jenn when she isn't seeing anyone else. He's not exactly pining away for her either because he's never at a loss for female companionship. The discovery of a young female body in the lake provides the initial crime for Jesse to investigate. His first mission is to identify her which is difficult because of the shape the body is in. When he gets a lead on her identity, the girl's family denies that she even exists. It just goes to show that you don't have to live in the big evil city to have family troubles leading to even bigger problems.

Dark of the Moon/John Sandford/373 pgs

Virgil Flowers, a character found in the Prey titles starring Lucas Davenport, is given his own series.  This is the first title and Virgil, who is given the hard stuff, is sent to Bluestem, a small town where everyone knows everyone else.  He is there to investigate the murders of a man burned to death in his home and a doctor and his wife - all murders seeming to be tied together and a ritual style of murder.  Virgil is unaware that he may be the next victim.  Not a bad story - Virgil is a lot more relaxed than the Davenport character so the story reflects that.  Will try the next one and see if that continues.

The Drop / Michael Connelly / 388 pages

One of our favorite detectives, Harry Bosch, is at it again. He works in the LAPD unsolved cases bureau and gets an unbelievable DNA lead on a 22 year old rape/murder case. At the same time, he is called in to investigate the death of the son of his old enemy Irvin Irving. With his usual nose to the grindstone style, Harry addresses both cases and tries to avoid the political pitfalls of the LAPD. Harry is a great character. I like these newer Harry Bosch novels; he's much happier since he stopped smoking and his daughter lives with him. He doesn't always play by the book, but he always gets his man.

Worst Case/James Patterson/356 pgs

A killer is targeting the children of New York's wealthiest families. He is not asking the parents for ransom but quizzing the children and if they can't answer the questions, he kills them. Detective Michael Bennett and FBI Abduction Specialist Emily Parker reluctantly team up to stop him but it isn't easy and there is also some underlying sexual attraction too. Good story

Sacred and Profane/Faye Kellerman/311 pgs

This is the second title in the Decker/Lazarus series. While on a camping trip with Rina's 2 sons, Decker finds the bodies of two young women. His investigation into the murders leads him into the world of snuff movies and pornography. All the while, he is going thru training for converting to Judaism. Stories are little slow.

The Ritual Bath/Faye Kellerman/282 pgs

I have always enjoyed the Alex Delaware stories written by Jonathan Kellerman, Faye's husband. So I thought I would try the first one in this series - Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus. I wasn't disappointed.
A report of rape in a LA yeshiva brings police detective Peter Decker into an Orthodox Jewish community. With the help of one of the school teachers, Rina Lazarus he tries to work around their strict religious practices and customs in order to investigate and ends up falling for the teacher.

Quicksand/Iris Johansen/340 pgs

In an effort to find the man who she thinks may have murdered her daughter, Bonnie, Eve Duncan enlists the aid of Dr. Megan Blair. She hears voices of people who have been murdered and they are after one of the men that Eve has been told could be the one who took Bonnie. This story was different in that it didn't deal so much with Eve's job as a forensic sculptor but more on the search for the killer.

The Midnight Club/James Patterson/283 pgs

New York police Lieutenant John Stefanovitch has been hunting Alexandre ("the Grave Dancer'') St.-Germain, and is caught in a devastating ambush one night which leaves him in a wheel chair. St.-Germain, enforcing his harsh, "street law'' terror, kills Stef's wife. Years later St.-Germain is gunned down in a posh Manhattan brothel and a string of other high profile mob bosses are murdered. Stef, and journalist Sarah McGinniss, try to hunt down the killers and find out what the Midnight Club really is. This was a very good book - one of Patterson's earlier titles.