"F" Is For Fugitive by Sue Grafton

Kinsey Millhone is hired to prove Bailey Fowler's innocence. The problem is, Bailey was incarcerated seventeen years ago for the murder of Jean Timberlake. He then escapes and has been at large, as an honorable, tax-paying citizen under an alias. Bailey is caught and his father, who is dying of cancer, wants to exonerate Bailey. Kinsey is thrown into a dysfunctional family in a small town with all the small town characters and tries to find out who really killed Jean Timberlake. This is more like the Kinsey I like. Eccentric, stubborn, and determined. A good read. Sandy P

thirteen moons by Charles Frazier

Well, at least I can say I have read this novel. Orphan Will Cooper tells his life story in the nineteenth century in the Cherokee Nation. Bound to an older man for seven years at twelve, he is given a horse, a key, and a map and sent to run an Indian trading post in what is known as the wilderness. If you have any empathy for the native American Indians, you will again experience the inhumanity of one people against another, and come away with regrets and guilt. Can't say I liked this book very much, but if you liked Cold Mountain, you will probably like this.

Dead in vineyard sand by Phillip R. Craig

This book about J. W. Jackson, a retired Boston cop who lives on Martha's Vineyard with his wife, Zee, and their two kids. A teenage girl has already drowned in an early-summer tragedy. J. W. is not part of a golf course battle but has a confrontation with Highsmith, who is against the golf course. While playing golf with three other golfers, they find the body of Highsmith buried in a sand trap. Meanwhile, Highsmith's wife was almost ran over, and later shot. The evidence is pointing to J. W. He must prove he's innocent. I liked the book. It was a clean read. When you find out who-done-it, it makes sense. I would recommend this book. PatM

"E" Is For Evidence by Sue Grafton

Kinsey Millhone keeps getting herself in trouble, through no fault of her own. Someone deposits $ 5,000 into her checking account, she is set up for insurance fraud, her ex-husband turns up - definitely not good news, throw in a few murders, all of this and more over the holidays. Kinsey has to take on herself as a client to discover what is going on. Another good read by Sue Grafton.

"D" Is For Deadbeat by Sue Grafton

Kinsey Millhone, private investigator, gets into an emotional tangle this time. A man who identifies himself as Alvin Limardo hires Kinsey to find Tony Gahan, recipient of a $ 25,000 cashiers check. Alvin, of questionable character, ends up dead and Kinsey,left with a bounced check for $ 400.00, feels obligated to find out what was going on. Kinsey is as stubborn and eccentric as ever. A good read, somewhat down at the end.

Stranger In Paradise by Robert B Parker

This is a Jesse Stone novel. Jesse, chief of police of Paradise, Massachusetts, continues his relationship with Wilson "Crow" Cromartie, Apache hit man, his ex-wife Jenn and young Amber "Alice" Francisco, daughter of Florida mobster Louis Francisco. Louis wants Amber back home and hires Crow to find her. Then humanity takes over and the plot takes off in several different directions. Would make a great movie. I liked it; didn't last long enough.

"C" Is For Corpse by Sue Grafton

My gosh, this is like eating popcorn. Kinsey Millhone is a busy girl. She meets Bobby Callahan at the local gym working out. Bobby was injured in an auto accident and he thinks is was attempted murder, so he hires Kinsey to do a little investigating. In the meantime, her landlord Henry Pitts becomes enamoured of a lady of questionable character, and Kinsey wants to check her out, too. A few days later, Bobby is killed in another auto accident. But was it an accident? Need to read it to find out the rest of the story. Good one!

'B' Is For Burglar by Sue Grafton

Kinsey Millhone has chutzpah! She is one determined detective. Beverly Danziger hires Kinsey to find her sister Elaine Boldt, whom she hasn't heard from or seen for six months. Kinsey's detecting gets her involved in the unsolved murder of Marty Grice and a trip to Florida where she meets eighty-eight year old Julia Ochsner, amatuer sleuth. Things take a turn for the worse when it begins to look like the missing woman may have been murdered. Very good. I liked it a lot.

The Shooters by W. E. B. Griffin

The Shooters is A Presidential Agent Novel starring Charley Castillo and his "band of renegades." This time they are back in Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina rescuing a kidnapped DEA agent. Griffin gives a lot of detail and background so if you haven't read the books prior to this, you are pretty much caught up. A couple of surprises are in store for the reader, yet Castillo is, in my opinion the American version of James Bond and acts accordingly. Pretty good reading.

'A' Is For Alibi by Sue Grafton

OK, so I'm a little late getting started reading Sue. Pat told me I would like her, but I get kind of stubborn. Kinsey Millhone is a female private investigator, hired by Nikki Fife to investigate her husband's murder. Nikki has just been released from prison having served time for that offense, but claims innocence. Kinsey feels she is telling the truth so she takes on the job. First published in 1982, Grafton is a great story-teller. I really liked it and am looking forward to reading "B" Is For Burglar.

The Killing Ground

By Jack Higgins

I was disappointed with this new "thriller" novel dealing with terrorism and revenge. Mostly a lot of dialogue and killing people. Plot lacks authority. Would make a good B grade movie.

A Light In the Window

By Jan Karon

2nd in a series about Father Tim Kavanaugh and just as delightful as the first. Dooley is a little older and getting some of the roughness smoothed out. Father Tim and his neighbor Cynthia can't seem to quite figure out how to get into "senior" dating. Wealthy widow Edith Mallory has her hat set for Father Tim and causes no end of consternation. The arrival of cousin Meg adds to the mix. Stir with the rest of the characters and you get small town humor, faith and understanding. I really like this series.

Next

By Michael Crichton

What can I say? This novel about genetic engineering certainly entertains the many possibilities, sometimes downright scary, of what supposedly can and is happening in the world today. Many questions are raised. You get a condensed version of the chaos that could happen if unethical people are in control. Chrichton has an agenda and I'm not so sure he is wrong.

Stone Cold

By David Baldacci

If you read Absolute Power by Baldacci then you want to read this. It is the sequel. Oliver Stone is feared and respected and leader of the group the Camel Club, a group that keeps an eye on the bureaucrats. Annabelle Conroy, con artist, is persued by Jerry Bagger ruthless casino owner, who lost 40 million dollars to her scam. Old friends of Stones are dying and he thinks he knows why. Determined to get to the root of the problem, Oliver crosses paths with Annabelle who wants revenge for her mother's death. This is a pretty good story with a fairy tale finish. I liked it.

The Girl Next Door by Patricia MacDonald

The affluent town of Hoffman, NJ reeled in disbelief when highly esteemed physician Duncan Avery stabbed his wife Marsha to death one spring evening. The two Avery sons turned their backs on their father but his daughter Nina never stopped believing in his innocence. Nina returns to Hoffman after his father is paroled. Her father has come home to reconnect with his sons and to find the murderer of his wife. Then her father is killed, and Nina must help find who killed her mother and her father. It's a book that will keep your interest all the way through. I highly recommend it. PatM

At Home in Mitford

By Jan Karon

OK, I'll admit I'm hooked on the Mitford series. Father Tim and all the characters in this book are just that, characters. Makes me feel at home, gives my spiritual life a little boost and is totally believable. A joy to read, with humor and a little suspense thrown in, a little romance, and puppy love. Well worth the while to read.

The Grilling Season

By Diane Mott Davidson

Goldy is a caterer, married to a policeman and likes to do investigating on her own. After she discoveres her ex-husband's girlfriend body lying in a ditch, she wants to "connect the dots." Their son, Arch, wants mom to help his dad, who is a real Jerk, as Goldy calls him. Her husband, Tom, wants her to stay out of this business for her own good, but Goldy can't resist. Interspersed in the pages of this culinary mystery are recipes that sound pretty yummy. I rather enjoyed Ms. Davidson's novel but find Goldy exasperating as she goes about doing as she wants disregarding her husband's wishes. I will have to try another of her books to see if this is typical or an abberation.

Nineteen Minutes

By Jodi Picoult

A parent's worst nightmare. I couldn't hardly read it yet I couldn't put it down. Picoult's story of young people and adults leading up to and after a horrific act of violence leaves the reader exhausted and numb. This is not a feel good experience, but one that raises questions that have no easy answers. I want to say this is an excellent book, but not one that necessarily one that I enjoyed.

The Wrong Hostage

By Elizabeth Lowell

Orphaned at 13, Grace Silva has become one of the most respected judges to sit on the bench. She rules and lives by the law, except once. And does it ever come back to bite her on the butt. This was a great suspense thriller. Makes me wonder if life on the American/Mexican border is really how it is portrayed in The Wrong Hostage. I really liked it, hated to see it come to an end, and will select some of her older books to see where they lead me.

Charm City

By Laura Lippman

This is the second novel about Tess Monaghan, ex-girl reporter, now wanna-be private investigator. The first,can't remember the title, is at the library. Anyway, Tess makes me think of Stephanie Plum, so you Janet Evanovich and Edna Buchanan readers, I think you will like her. In this story, she is in a relationship with a boy-toy, has an uncle Spike whose relationship in the family is questionable, and a "found" grayhound named Esskay. Mix in some disreputable characters, a couple of deaths (murders???), and romance and you get some good reading. I liked it.

The Choice

By Nicholas Sparks

A romantic tale of Travis Parker and Gabby Holland, their meeting, their relationship, their life. I found Sparks a very talented writer, with his choice of words and descriptions creating vivid images in my mind. This is not my usual type of reading, but was ok for a change.

Flush

By Carl Hiiasen

This book is written for young adults, but I am a big big fan of Hiiasen and enjoy his writing, even for kids. Flush and Hoot are both written with an eye toward environmentalism in Florida and very informative, (even if the kids don't think this is an educational book). If you read one of these and like his writing, you should find some of his written for adults. They are far-out great!

Home to Holly Springs

By Jan Karon

I have not been familiar with the Mitford Series, but this first of the Father Tim Novels was very interesting, spiritually uplifting. Talk about having to examine your values, the way you were raised, the culture of the area. I liked it. Might have to read the earlier books.

Niobrara Crossing

By G. Gray McVicker

OK. This is the guy's first novel. It reads pretty good, and makes me think of a mid-western Peyton Place. I'm not sure how much more could go on. There is a discussion section in the back which would make for some interesting book club discussions, but this is really not my cup of tea. He is writing another book and I hope he does some really good research for it. I'm too picky, I guess.