How The Light Gets In by M. J. Hyland

Exchange student Louise "Lou" Connor, product of an impoverished dysfunctional family from Austrailia, is greeted by her upper middle-class American host family, the Hardings, each of whom have expectations that are difficult to meet. Needless to say, there is a lot of tension between the family members and Lou, as they try to satisfy their needs. I thought this was one screwy book. Not too crazy about it. Sandy P

"T" Is For Trespass by Sue Grafton

Wow. Sue Grafton has Kinsey Millhone dealing with some pretty deep issues. Sociopath Solana Rojas is hired to care for ailing neighbor Gus. Kinsey and landlord and friend Henry Pitts become concerned that all is not right in Gus's world. Will Kinsey discover what is happening before it is too late? Also stirred in the mix is her hunt for an accident witness who doesn't want to be found. What is he afraid of? This is a very disturbing tale of what goes on underneath the ordinary sameness of everyday living. At one point, I exclaim "Oh my gosh!" at the turn of events and I think you will, too. Sandy P

Master Sniper by Stephen Hunter

Stephen Hunter visits World War II with a tale of American OSS agent Jim Leets and German master sniper Repp and the invention of infrared vision. This is not a pretty story, but one that details the fears and horrors of war and the choices men make for personal and patriotic reasons. I can't say that I liked this book, but I am glad I read it. If you are a war buff, you will probably like this. Sandy P

Time to Hunt by Stephen Hunter

Published in 1998, Time to Hunt is still relevant. Master sniper Bob Lee Swagger (the Nailer) must face his deadliest foe from Vietnam - and his own demons - to save his wife and daughter. Events that colored the nation's history in Washington during this era, a peace march and a young Marines ideals, combine to touch Swagger and his family just when he thought he had it all behind him. Bob's wife, Julie, has a difficult time dealing with the "black dogs" that torment him, the secrets he seems to contain, and the danger she feels she and Nikki, their daughter, could be in. Even though Stephen Hunter has taken liberties with the facts, this story is quite believable and makes a lot of good points. Worth reading if you like mystery based on some fact. I liked it. Sandy P

Now & Then by Robert B Parker

Boston PI Spenser is hired by Dennis Doherty to find out if his wife is being unfaithful, but he doesn't really want to give Spenser any information. Spenser agrees to the job, does the investigating, catches the wife, reports back to Doherty, job done right? Wrong. Next thing Spenser knows, all hell breaks loose and 3 people are dead. And his beloved Susan Silverman is in danger. Parker's writing is like a movie unfolding in your mind. I really like this style and the characters in his plots. Great story. Sandy P

Third Degree by Gred Iles

Laurel Shields, mother of two and a special education teacher, has been having an affair with Danny McDavitt, father of one of her students. They recently broke off their relationship and now Laurel is pregnant, but doesn't know if Danny or her husband, Warren, is the father. Two weeks earlier, Dr Shields and his partner Dr Kyle Auster had been notified by the IRS that their medical practice was being audited; since then the stress on Warren has steadily ratcheted up. The story begins when Laurel awakens and hears thumping noises downstairs. Upon checking, she sees Warren in the study, wildly pulling books from the shelves hunting for something. The tale escalates into a thrilling plunge into a world of sex, violence, marital betrayal, medical malpractice and intrigue. I have to admit, this novel was hard to put down. Iles is a master of suspense, twisting the plot this way and that. I liked it. Sandy P

Betrayal by John Lescroart

Dismas Hardy and Abe Glitsky reunite in a tale of the war in Iraq and how it affected two men. National Guard reservist Evan Scholler and ex-Navy SEAL Ron Nolan are thrown together in the chaos of the conflict in Iraq. Dismas is asked to take over the caseload of recently disappeared attorney Charlie Bowen and he thinks it will be easy. Well, nothing is ever "easy." The events that happen half-way around the world with Evan and Ron add escalating consequences. I found this book extremely depressing. I like to think our government is better than it is I guess. Lescroart writes a very intense story of corruption that I hope is exaggerated. Sandy P

Key Lime Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke

Hannah Swenson stars in a series of mysteries as the owner of The Cookie Jar, making cookies and other sweet treats. In Key Lime Pie Murder, Hannah is going to be on a panel to judge baked goods at the Tri-County Fair. We have several mysteries going on with Moishe, the cat, going on a hunger strike, someone steels the money from the carnival, and Willa Sunquist is murdered on the midway. Boyfriends, Mike and Norman are competing for Hannah's attention and heart and her mother and sisters chip in to stir things up. Some good recipes included and will have to try a couple. A fluff piece, but an OK read. Sandy P

"S" Is For Silence by Sue Grafton

Sue Grafton takes a new approach to telling the story of private investigator, Kinsey Millhone. Thirty-four years ago, Violet Sullivan takes her dog, gets in her new car and disappears leaving her seven-year-old daughter, Daisey and a drunken husband. Tannie, Daisey's friend, asks Kinsey to help Daisey find out what happened to her mother. Using flash-backs, Grafton weaves a story of young lives going awry, middle-age despair, and family grievances. This is not as upbeat as a lot of the alphabet stories, but intriguing just the same. I liked it. Sandy P

"R" Is For Ricochet by Sue Grafton

Kinsey Millhone is hired to escort Reba Lafferty from prison, recently paroled, to her father's home. Nord Lafferty, an older father, has given his daughter everything and she has grown up wild and willful. Can Kinsey keep Reba out of trouble while she becomes acclimated to living in the real world? Is Cheney Phillips a re-newed love interest for Kinsey? Can William and Lewis Pitts, Henry Pitts brothers, mess up Henry's love life with Mattie? Is Reba so "in love with" Alan Beckwith, her former boss whom she embezzled $350,000 from, she will allow herself to violate parole and get sent back to prison? Kinsey takes a backseat to Reba in this story about a complex money-laundering scheme, love gone wrong and betrayed and avenged. A good story. SandyP

"Q" Is For Quarry by Sue Grafton

Lt. Con Dolan and retired police detective Stacey Oliphant, both with health problems, have been working a cold case and want Kinsey to help them. A young woman, Jane Doe, was found murdered 16 years prior in a gravel quarry and the assailant was never caught. Dolan, recovering from a heart attack and Oliphant, battling cancer, want to clear this case. Kinsey has some time and likes the old guys so she says sure, she'll help. If you have been reading this series of books, you will know that Kinsey has discovered some relatives that she isn't sure she is too happy about "getting to know better." We find out more about this in "Quarry" and Kinsey is at her best helping to solve this case. A good read. Sandy P

"P" Is For Peril by Sue Grafton

Dr. Dowan Purcell's ex-wife, Fiona, hires Kinsey to locate the missing man, gone for nine weeks now. Kinsey isn't sure she wants to take this job, but in the end curiosity wins. Kinsey is also looking for new office space and checks out a possible location not too far from her current office, resulting in a questionable association with two strange brothers. Her landlord, Henry Pitts, reads Kinsey the riot act for taking chances. Sue Grafton has another twisted tale of murder, mystery and intrigue for your pleasure. SPenton

"O" Is For Outlaw by Sue Grafton

Kinsey Millhone receives a piece of her past when a storage unit scavenger calls with a box of items from her first marriage to Mickey Magruder. A 14 year old letter leads Kinsey to believe that Mickey was innocent of the incident that caused him to lose his job as a policeman as well as ending their marriage. Feeling regret, she tries to find Mickey only to learn that he is hospitalized, in a coma, from gunshot wounds. Grafton tells a tale of remorse, graft and corruption, leading the reader through another story of Kinsey Millhone, private investigator.

"N" Is For Noose by Sue Grafton

Kinsey, headed home from Carson City, Nevada, stops at Nota Lake, California to interview Tom Newquist's widow, Selma. Selma feels Tom, a detective in the sheriff's office, had a lot on his mind before he died suddenly and she just wants peace of mind. Kinsey agrees to look into things but doesn't feel she will find out much. Well, look out, 'cause things start happening when the citizens of this small town find out she is doing some investigating. Again, Sue Grafton has another great "who dun it?"

"M" Is For Malice by Sue Grafton

Kinsey Millhone is hired to find a missing black sheep brother, no one has heard from him in 18 years. Within 3 days she has found him, and not everyone is happy about it. Robert Dietz, off and on "boy friend," arrives at Kinsey's door step and she isn't sure how she feels about that either. Mix in money, the Malek family, memories and murder and you get a twisted tale that leaves you guessing to the end "who dun it?" Great read.

"L" Is For Lawless by Sue Grafton

Kinsey Millhone has had to be a "good" girl since having her office moved to her friend's law offices, but leave it to her to revert to kind when her neighbor Henry Pitts asks her to do a favor for him regarding a deceased neighbor. No murder here, no missing person, just some missing money, and the relatives are sure there is foul play involved. Grafton again rises to the occasion to keep the reader entranced. A good mystery.

"k" Is For Killer by Sue Grafton

Lorna Kepler's mother hires Kinsey Millhone to investigate the death of her daughter who, she is convinced, was murdered. Kinsey takes a different tack on this investigation, becoming frustrated when Danielle, her friend and informant is brutally beaten. She is given the opportunity to exact revenge. Will she do it? Read "k" to find out. Another good one. Sandy P

"J" Is For Judgment by Sue Grafton

Kinsey Millhone is employed by the same company that booted her out of her office the previous fall. Wendell Jaffe, who disappeared five years ago, is thought to be still alive, and the insurance company has just awarded his widow (if she really was) $ 500,000.00 life insurance monies wants to know if Wendell is dead or alive. If you have been reading the Kinsey mysteries, you will remember that her parents were killed in an auto accident when she was five and raised by an aunt who is now deceased. Thinking she has no other family, she discovers the possibility there might be some relatives after all. Sue Grafton does a fine job of continuing the saga of Kinsey Millhone, private investigator, allowing the reader to sneak glimpses of life in southern California and encouraging us to be as nosy as Kinsey. A good read. I like this series very much. Sandy P

"I" Is For Innocent by Sue Grafton

Kinsey Millhone agrees to take over another PI's investigation when he dies from a heart attack. Five years prior, David Barney was acquitted of his wife's murder and now he is being tried in a civil suit. He claims he is innocent. Is he? The former husband of Isabelle Barney and his wife live close by; what do they know? Isabelle's sister, Simone, lives in a small cottage on the Barney property. What is her secret? Time is running out and Kinsey has to come up with some answers. Oh what a tangled web we weave when we strive to deceive. A good read. Sandy P

"H" Is For Homicide by Sue Grafton

Kinsey Millhone goes undercover. Kinsey is hired by California Fidelity to investigate a suspected insurance scam and is pulled into the life of Bibianna Diaz, running away from Raymond Maldonado, a spurned suitor and scam artist. The police know she is involved and have promised her assistance, but a planned "insurance policy" is aborted when Kinsey and Bibianna are released from jail early. Raymond is there to pick up Bibianna and Kinsey goes with them thinking (or not) that she needed to keep close to the investigation. Very different from the previous books, but I liked it. Sue Grafton is showing diversity in her story plots which is a plus. Sandy P

"G" Is For Gumshoe by Sue Grafton

Kinsey gets to move into her reconstructed apartment for one night, then she is off looking for Mrs. Clyde Gersh's mother in the Mohave desert. Of course, she hasn't heard from her since Christmas. And, there is a hit man with a contract for Kinsey's life. We know by now that nothing is ever simple for Kinsey who finally hires Robert Dietz as a body guard. For someone who likes being alone, this is not an easy task. Join Kinsey and Dietz as they try to solve the mysteries of who, what, where and why for a good read. I liked it. Sandy P