Dead Time by Stephen White

Dr. Alan Gregory and police investigator Sam Purdy are going through a possible mid-life crisis. A neighbor's sudden death has added a newly adopted son to Alan's life and his wife, Lauren and young daughter, Grace, are off to Amsterdam to look up Lauren's out-of-wedlock daughter born many years ago. As if this isn't enough, Alan's ex-wife Merideth has contacted him to hire Sam to locate her "baby", presently in the womb of the surrogate mother Lisa who has disappeared. Lots of stuff going on in this one, pheromones bouncing around all over the place. Interesting reading about the Grand Canyon. A pretty good read. Sandy P

Shadow of Power by Steve Martini

Paul Madriani and partner Harry Hinds are defending a young man being charged with the murder of Terry Scarborough, a legal scholar and provocateur who craves headline-making celebrity. I found this book pretty boring until about the 20th chapter when things livened up a bit. Martini closes explaining the historical background for the topic of this book, which in itself is very interesting regarding the issue of slavery. History buffs might like this. Sandy P

The Dead Room by Heather Graham

Heroine Leslie MacIntyre is an archaeologist with the ability to see and talk to ghosts. A year ago she was at an event when a gas line exploded killing her fiance, Mark Connolly and three others, and injuring Leslie while also enhancing her supernatural ability. Over the past two to three months, several prostitutes have gone missing as well as social worker Genevieve O'Brien, related to socially prominent Eileen Brideswell, who was trying to help the prostitutes get off the street and into a safe, secure life. Private Investigator Joe Connolly has been hired to find Genevieve. If you like ghost stories this is probably pretty good, but I couldn't get caught up in the story line. Sandy P

agnes and the hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

Food-writer "Cranky" Agnes Crandall is looking forward to the weekend. With the coming wedding of Maria (Frankie "Two Hands" Fortunato's daughter) and preppie golf course designer Palmer, which Agnes and her chef fiance Taylor are catering, their problems are multiplying. Taylor is not acting much like a boyfriend, let alone a fiance and if the wedding doesn't come off, Agnes loses the house. Enter a couple of hit men, Shane and Carpenter, some extended mob characters, Two-, Three-, and Four-Wheeler Thibault, uncle Joey and a house that needs a lot of attention, Agnes picks up her frying pan and goes to work. The author uses the "F" word way too much, but if you can get past that, this is a pretty funny story. Sandy P

What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman

A disoriented woman, involved in an auto accident, claims to be one of two sisters who disappeared several years ago, yet is reluctant to discuss what has happened to her. The police, a social worker, and an attorney work to solve the missing pieces of the puzzle. The angst of the parents, in an already rocky relationship, is revisited. The frustration of the police, unable to come up with any clues, is achingly real. Not an uplifting story but an ok read. Sandy P

Dead Ex by Harley Jane Kozak

If you have read Dating Dead Men, you will know that Wollie Shelley has a career as a serial dater, and in Hollywood that can mean many things, but in Wollie's instance, it is a real job. And it gets her tangled up in a murder that points to her best friend Joey as the suspect. Wollie's current squeeze is an FBI agent, currently on the job, and of course, can't talk about it, making her feel very insecure. Lots of twists and turns, an ok story. Sandy P

Vineyard Stalker by Philip R Craig

J W Jackson, left alone for a few days, investigates a complaint of vandalism and stalking of one Roland Cohen. Mr Cohen is considered somewhat of a recluse but JW finds that Roland does indeed have a lady friend who turns up dead. Well, who dun it? Sally Oliver, realtor and cousin of Roland's? Alfred Cabot, fiance of the dead woman whose mistress is Sally Oliver? Roland Cohen himself? Craig spins an interesting tale of murder and mystery. Sandy P

Miss Julia's School of Beauty by Ann B Ross

Miss Julia has gotten herself into a pickle. Sam convinces her to run off and elope and now they aren't sure the preacher was certified to marry them. Hazel Marie drags her into helping with a beauty contest for the sheriff's department's canine unit. You can imagine the hi jinks and consternation. Really cute read. Sandy P