D. C. Dead: A Stone Barrington Novel by Stuart Woods

Stone and buddy Dino are off to Washington, DC in response to the First Lady's request for their talents in an official capacity. Stone and Dino team up with CIA agent Holly Barker in a murder -suicide investigation that was started a year ago. Exposed to Washington elite, scandals, power- plays and more murders, Stone and Dino try to ferret out the truth without tainting the President and his First Lady. Pretty interesting reading with a little side story about an FBI agent with revenge on his mind. A good story.

The Knight by Steven James

A psychotic killer is on a roll and Agent Patrick Bowers is hot on the trail, he thinks. Thanks to step-daughter Tessa and her Rubik's cube, Patrick gets help leading to the identity of the madman. Time is running out and Patrick finds himself the murderer's victim. Will he be able to overcome this villain? Is Tessa ready to search for her birth father? Does the clever murderer have inside information? A good read.

Cry in the Night by Colleen Coble

Bree Matthews leads search and rescue with her dog Samson in Rock Harbor, Michigan a small community, close to the reservation. Babies have been disappearing. When Bree discovers a tiny little girl in the snow, her maternal instincts kick in and she wants to try to adopt the baby over her husband's objections. Nevertheless, she searches for the baby's mother. When she seems to see her deceased first husband she is convinced he is just someone who looks like Rob did. But when someone tries to kidnap Davey, her son, she is frightened. Her husband is having trouble at work with the forest service. His sister is mixed up with someone who doesn't seem dependable. An autistic adult, Victor, is blamed for the death of a neighbor. This is all very confusing, but evil does not prevail. Not a bad read.

Bridges to New Beginnings by David Freligh

Middle-aged Kim Johnson has created her own style of "witness protection program" and has ended up in Winterset, Iowa to start her new life. The product of a deaf and alcoholic mother; segueing into a disastrous marriage, she has finally escaped and is ready to remake her life. Coming from California, the middle of the midwest is extreme culture shock, yet a welcome from Kim's previous life. She gets a job, rents an apartment and begins to make many friends. One of these is a well-adjusted deaf young woman who plans to marry her childhood sweetheart and lives with her shy dad. Mom is out of the picture. Kim's journey to peace in her life, the desire to forgive and be forgiven, is heading in the right direction. Will Kim be able to be content in the middle of Iowa? Can she forgive her mother? Will she apologize to her ex-husband? Is there a chance for a new life for Kim? A pretty good read.

Shelter: a Mickey Bolitar novel by Harlan Coben

Mickey Bolitar has only been in school a few weeks and his girl friend Ashley has disappeared. Being new in town, Mickey has not yet made many friends. To make matters worse, he is living in his uncle's house since his father died in an auto accident and his mother has been in rehab. Mickey can't understand where she could have gone and when a pair of unlikely teens come to his aid, it is hard to let his guard down. You know how teens are, wanting to keep problems to themselves.... When a little old lady who everyone thinks is dead appears in her doorway and tells him his father may be alive, Mickey's life gets more complicated. Coben writes a compelling and believable tale of differences, bullying and secrets. A good read.

Lethal by Sandra Brown

Widow Honor Gillette lives with her four-year-old daughter Emily on the bayou in southern Louisiana. Her late husband, Eddie, was a police officer killed in a horrific auto accident. When Emily tells Honor there is a sick man outside, life is turned upside down for Honor. On the run for a travesty he claims he didn't commit, Lee Coburn is running from the law and searching for something he is sure Honor's husband has hidden. Honor has no idea what Eddie might have hidden, but her faith in trusted friends of the family is destroyed and she doesn't know what to believe. Her goal is to prove that Eddie was a "clean" cop, not tainted with the corruption of the darker side of life, human trafficking, drugs and guns. Brown writes a fast-paced page-turner of a suspense thriller. Hard to put down.

Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs

Temperance Brennan, forensic anthropologist, is in Montreal, Canada. When she is called to an autopsy of a Jewish man , possible suicide, she finds herself involved with international intrigue when a stranger hands her a photo of a skeleton. Detective Andrew Ryan has reason to go to Israel on a case that seems to be connected with Tempe's case so she tags along. In the meantime, she has acquired some old bones said to have come from an Israel archaeological dig, and people have been dying. Is her life in danger? Why are these old bones of such interest? Is the answer in Israel? Reichs puts together a fine tale of intrigue, romance, and murder. This reader had a hard time putting the book down.

Sacred Acre by Mark Tabb

Ed Thomas' story is one of the great ones. Raised by a Christian mother, an alcoholic father, Ed is determined to do God's will. He feels called to live the life many only pretend to. A hero, a father-figure, a husband and father, Ed Thomas is the coach we all would like to have had in our life, in our children's life. After thirty-three years of devotion to his work as a coach, as a church member, as a decent person, he is shot down, murdered. The response of his family and his community is an inspiration to all of us who wonder why bad things happen to good people.

The Drop by Michael Connelly

Harry Bosch and partner are called to a death scene that is loaded with political implications. The son of councilman and nemesis Irvin Irving is found dead after an apparent fall from the seventh floor of a hotel. The question is, did he jump or was he helped? Irving wants Bosch to find out what happened no matter what the outcome. But does he really mean it? Meanwhile, Bosch and partner have just gotten a lead on an old cold case that he wants to clear. The pressure is on, making Harry re-think his decision to continue working on cold cases. Will he retire when these cases are completed? His teen-aged daughter at home is making him consider his future. Connelly writes an action packed, thought-provoking mystery that this reader hated to have end. A great read.

Say When by Elizabeth Berg

Griffin is stunned when Ellen tells him she wants a divorce. What is wrong? he wants to know. Ellen isn't sure, but wants to take some time to think things over. Their young daughter, Zoe, is quite precocious, old enough to know something is wrong, but not sure what to do about it. Ever hopeful that things will turn out alright. It is Thanksgiving. Griffin has taken a job playing Santa at the mall a couple of nights a week and is getting plenty of time to do some thinking of his own. Perseverance pays off, Zoe gets a puppy, forgiveness is in the air. A good read.

Treasuring Emma by Kathleen Fuller

Emma is grief stricken. Her mother has just been buried and it seems as though everyone she has been close to has left her in one way or another. Concerned about her grandmother, who home she shares, she tries to put herself together. Her married sister has other plans however, and doesn't want to wait. When Adam, her lost love, returns she is more fearful of being hurt than ever. A new player, Mark, arrives on the scene, smooth as can be with ulterior motives. Will Emma find solace? Can she learn to trust God with her life? Another good Amish tale of forgiveness and love.

Satanta's Woman by Cynthia Haseloff

Adrianne Chastain, wealthy widow and grandmother in her mid-30s, is victim of an Indian raid. Stolen by Kiowa Chief Satanta, along with her granddaughter, they accept that their hope of survival is to do as the Indians ask. What follows is a tale of the perseverance of Adrianne, the adaptability of young children, and the blooming of adult love between two unlikely humans. A very good read.

"V" Is For Vengeance by Sue Grafton

Private Investigator Kinsey Millhone is about to get caught up in the most tangled web of illegal acts, one of which leads to personal disfiguring. People borrowing money from loan sharks, professional shoplifters, husbands with a wandering eye and a dirty cop. All of these lead to a very sinister bad guy, who really wants to lead a better life. Grafton writes a thrilling page-turner, leaving one wanting to know what happens next even as "The End" is stated. Surely Grafton's next book will be the sequel. Read this book now!

Springwater Wedding by Linda Lael Miller

Divorcee Maggie McCaffrey has returned home to turn in the historical Springwater Station into a bed and breakfast. This also brings her into contact with former lover J. T. Wainwright, divorced with a six-year-old son. J. T., renovating the old homestead, is also helping the town marshall out with mysterious cattle thieves, deaths and a murder. When Maggie finds a document relating to J. T.'s property, things begin to make sense. Rustlers, murderers, internet romance, and young love blend together to create a good modern western story.

McKettrick's Choice by Linda Lael Miller

Holt Mckettrick is about to get married to a mail-order bride when he receives word of John Cavanaugh's distress and his friend Gabe is in jail. Off he runs to solve the problems leaving his bride-to-be. Meanwhile down at the ranch, Lorelei Fellows is burning her wedding dress in defiance to her father and a groom who bedded the maid on the morn of the wedding. Holt and Lorelei are two fiery adults, knowing their own minds, stubborn and willful, a match made in heaven. Miller writes an exciting and page-turning tale of love and adventure in the early west.

The Secret Santa by Annette Mahon

Mele Pitman is working hard to get her degree and doesn't need to be thinking about matrimony. Her matchmaking Aunty Deni has other plans and when Ben Mendoza is invited to the family Thanksgiving dinner Mele finds her heart and head thinking about Ben instead of school. When little gifts and surprises appear, she wonders who the gift-giver could be. A nice little novel of love and romance.

The Last Chance Cafe by Linda Lael Miller

Hallie Royer, single mom and desperate, is on the run from the bad guys. When her old truck breaks down in a Nevada snow storm, she and the girls wade into the Last Chance Cafe and in turn meets Chance Qualtrough who takes her under his wing. Fearing discovery, she evades the law hoping to earn enough money to take her and the girls even farther from the danger she risks but Chance knows she is hiding something. Miller takes the reader on a merry chase, page after page, wanting the good guys to win in the end. I liked the story.

City of Whispers by Marcia Muller

When PI Sharon McCone receives an e-mail from her brother asking for help, it is the last thing she wants to do. Darcy Blackhawk is the black sheep of the family, a long list of faults, but she wants to reach out to him anyway. When she searches for him, not an easy task, an unsolved murder comes to light, a kidnapping takes place and people are dying. Determined, McCone plugs away, one clue leading to the next. Will she find Darcy before it is too late? Not a bad read.

Flabbergasted by Ray Blackston

A nice little piece of fluff to pass the time.

Hurricane by Karen Harper

Julie Minton runs a camp for self-abusive girls in south-western Florida. It is the hurricane season and she needs to make sure her girls get home to the mid-west ok. When her 14-year-old daughter takes off on a jet ski with 17-year-old Thad Brockman who she barely knows, unbeknown to Julie, tempers begin to shorten and when they don't show up in a reasonable length of time, fear sets in. Local authorities are busy evacuating residents and don't have time to look for the missing kids, who they don't consider missing yet. Thad's father, Zack, and Julie begin an all out search for the kids. Threats and bodies start appearing and the storm is a category three. Batten down the hatches! Harper writes a page-turning tale of life in the semi-tropics. A good read.

Becoming Lucy by Martha Rogers

Seventeen-year-old Lucinda Bishop arrives in Oklahoma to live with her aunt and uncle after her parents die. Ranch life is a real change from Boston but she is determined, with God's help, to adjust to ranch life. Also on the ranch is drifter Jake Starnes, running from the past. When the two are attracted to each other, Jake makes a double decision to embrace Christianity and go back to Texas to turn himself in for murder. Will Jake return? Will Lucinda have faith that God's will might be done? Will justice reign? A good story exploring the true meaning of love and forgiveness.

Painted Ponies by Amanda Harte

Recovering from injuries from a fire, Anne Moreland returns home after a year, hoping to get back to normal. But nothing is normal. Her twin Jane is involved with someone her family doesn't approve of; her brother is married; and nothing is the same. Attracted to a wood carver who is creating a carousel for her, she resists change. A piece of fluff.

A McKettrick Christmas by Linda Lael Miller

Lizzie McKettrick is returning to Indian Rock with Whitley Carson who she suspects will ask her to marry him. When the train is assaulted by heavy snows in an avalanche, Whitley's true colors show and Lizzie finds herself drawn to young Doctor Morgan Shane. With the engineer and the conductor killed in the wreck, some of the passengers hurt or sick, Lizzie and Dr Shane step up to the task of caring for them. Praying that the McKettrick clan is on the way to the rescue, Lizzie experiences a miracle of Christmas. Heart-warming story of family love and caring.

Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich

Stephanie Plum is returning from Hawaii with an envelope in her bag she didn't have when she left. Now her seatmate is dead, and she is being chased by pseudo-FBI agents, real FBI agents and one scary Razzle Dazzle who is determined to do her in for the picture in the envelope. Only she doesn't have the picture any more. Trying to do her job as bail bondsman, her car is stolen by Big Buggy repeatedly, Lula falls for one of the skips, the temporary headquarters goes up in flames and horror of horrors, Joyce Barnhardt moves into Stephanie's apartment. Joe Morelli and Ranger seem to be eyeing each other warily. Evanovich continues to create chaos for Stephanie Plum, bail bondsman.

Mr. Paradise by Elmore Leonard

Eighty-four-year-old Detroit lawyer Tony Paradiso (Mr. Paradise) has manipulated people for years. Kelly and Chloe are roommates. Kelly is a Victoria's Secret lingerie model and Chloe is a paid escort of Mr. Paradise's. Montez and Lloyd are former cons, working for Mr. Paradise as gofer and house man. One evening, with the girls as entertainment, Mr. Paradise and Chloe are murdered. The plot thickens, Montez is angry. He has been written out of the will. Lloyd is playing it safe. Kelly is playing the field. Enter Homicide Detective Frank Delsa, with a double murder on his hands. Who has motive? Will Det. Delsa fall for Kelly's charms? Does Montez get revenge? Is Lloyd as innocent as he portrays? Leonard writes a challenging mystery with plenty of dialogue and action. A good read.

Montana Creeds: Tyler by Linda Lael Miller

Tyler Creed, the youngest of the Creed brothers is ready to return home, mend some fences and see if Lily Ryder Kenyon is around. An old girlfriend has a 13 year-old son who just might be Tyler's boy and guess what. Davie's mother wants Tyler to raise him. Lily is back with her father, local vet who is recovering from a heart attack and her daughter Tess. Husband flew into a bridge a couple of years ago and Lily is rather at loose ends. When Tyler and Lily get together, the sparks fly, hormones are raging and testosterone is at an all time high. A racy read. A good third book in the series.

Montana Creeds: Dylan by Linda Lael Miller

Leaving a rodeo life of riding bulls and romancing women, Dylan is ready to pack it in. Needing to make amends with his brothers, Logan and Tyler, he arrives home with a two-year old daughter, Bonnie, in tow. Bonnie's mother is too busy with her life to be a mom and expects Dylan to step in and become the father he hasn't yet been. When romance blooms again with old girlfriend Kristy Madison, Dylan's life gets even more complicated. Miller sprinkles this story with a mystery. Someone is breaking into Kristy's house and leaving threatening e-mails. The local sheriff announces that he thinks there is a body buried with her old horse on the home place where she used to live and wants permission to exhume the horse's grave. A great second story in the series.

Montana Creeds: Logan by Linda Lael Miller

Logan Creed has finally returned to the old home place, ready to settle down. Now a lawyer, ex-rodeo man and from a family of brawlers, he is ready to mend fences. Briana Grant, divorced mom, has been living in Dylan (brother of Logan) Creed's house while he is gone. Dylan rescued her when her ex-husband left her and their boys in the Walmart parking lot. Logan and Briana are definitely attracted to each other. When her ex reappears and her home is vandalized, Logan comes to the rescue, bonding with her boys and wanting to make her his third and final wife. Miller writes good romantic fiction, and this western is great.

Wild Horses by Linda Byler

Sadie Miller has a history with horses. The family moving reluctantly with Dat to Montana, she is 21 and not yet ready to give up her dream of having her own horse. Dat is not crazy about the idea. Her Mamm seems to be ailing but Dat says there is nothing wrong. When she encounters a dying horse on her way to work, she also meets Mark Peight who catches her eye. Her employer at the ranch encourages her to tend to the horse and thus the tale begins. Wild horses are rumored to be causing trouble among the ranchers, and talk of registered horses being stolen are circulated. Mamm is getting worse, Dat doesn't want to recognize there's a problem, the kinner are fearful that their home is falling apart. Byler writes a story that leaves the reader wanting more. Can hardly wait for the second book.

The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo

Widow Gaby Summerhill has surprised her four grown children with a video stating that she is going to get married Christmas Day. Always supportive of her community and family, she has three men who have proposed to her and she is making them wait until THE DAY of the wedding to tell them who the lucky man is. Patterson and DiLallo write an amusing and compelling story of family relations and interaction, leaving the reader with longing for more of the story when you reach the end. A great little Christmas story.

Ice Station by Peter Tonkin

Richard Mariner has responded to a call to Ice Station Zemlya in need of assistance. The floating Russian nuclear facility has lost some key people due to apparent accidents and is attempting to dock at Leningradskiy. An approaching ice storm is cause for alarm and when people keep disappearing or dying Mariner is suspicious that there is more going on than appears on the surface. An intriguing tale of modern cooperation between nations in the nuclear age. A good read.

Lilly's Wedding Quilt by Kelly Long

Lilly Lapp finds herself engaged to be married to a man she has loved from afar, Jacob Wyse, due to an unfortunate chain of circumstances. Jacob has loved Sarah King, but when she marries another, his heart seems broken. Can he find true love with Lilly? Will his impulsiveness ruin two lives instead of one. Can Lilly adjust to married life with a man she isn't at all sure of? Long writes a spicy little novel of life in the Plain community. A good read.

The Harvest of Grace by Cindy Woodsmall

Sylvia Fisher, the oldest in her family and only girl, loves her cows and her Daed lets her plan and run the dairy part of the farming. She also thinks Elam is wanting to marry her, but is she ready to get married, living with a man who wants to be in charge? Aaron Blank has been dry for six months now, and he wants to go back to his father's farm to talk them into moving to town and sell plain appliances. Since there are no other siblings, he feels they may be willing to sell the farm but he has not reckoned with Sylvia, now the hired hand. Woodsmall also winds up Lena and Ephriam's courtship as well and Israel and Ada's. A good ending to this trilogy. I enjoyed it very much.

Zero Day by David Baldacci

Military investigator John Puller has been assigned a case involving the murder of a military person and his family in the small town of Drake, West Virginia. The local sergeant Samantha (Sam) Cole welcomes Puller's help and assistance. Puller is nothing if not thorough and the clues don't make any sense. Stubborn as a mule, he keeps digging as yet more people are killed with two attempts on his life as well. This reader predicts that John Puller will be found in more of Baldacci's novels. A thrilling page-turner, hard to put down.

Bullets in the Sun by Robert J Horton

First appeared as a serial in 1931. When the county sheriff arrives in Sunrise and inquires about a man named Bovert, curiosity and rumors spread. Gambler Dan Farlin and his daughter Gladys are wanting to head south to ranch and better climes but he needs money to pay for the ranch. Big Tom Lester runs the Red Arrow saloon and the town of Sunrise. Outlaw Ed Lawson has special immunity in Sunrise, therefore he leaves the town alone. Lester approaches Farlin with a deal to get fast money and Dan feels this is his only answer to getting Gladys out of this town. Bovert, or Jim Bond, arrives and starts to stir things up. Not a bad read.

Just Go With It (DVD)

Potty humor. Not too funny. Jennifer Aniston does a good job as Sandler's assistant Kathryn. He is supposed to be Danny Maccabee, a plastic surgeon, but is more interested in "animal house" type behavior. Having been left at the altar, he pretends to be married to pick up women, then love 'em and leave 'em. When me meets the girl-of-his-dreams, his lies catch up with him. Watch if you must.

The Ambler Warning by Robert Ludlum

Another "secret government installation" holds men prisoner, either because they are mad or because they are to be silenced. Having special talents, Harrison Ambler is a special security risk. When a helpful sympathetic nurse gives him the opportunity to escape, he takes it and heads for what he thinks is home. To his astonishment, no one recognizes him. Nothing is as it is supposed to be. And there are unknown enemies closing in on him. Turning again to the sympathetic nurse he spends thirty-three chapters searching, looking for his past, and embroiled in government deception, murderous plots, and continental flight. An ok read.

The Ballad of Tom Dooley by Sharyn McCrumb

Based on history, McCrumb spins a tale of jealousy, deceit, and murder following the events of the early spring of 1866 and Pauline Foster, kin to Ann Foster Melton whose lover was Tom Dula (Dooley). Mountain life in Wilkes county after the war was harsh, most of the young men lost in battle, single women had to do what they had to to survive. The song of Tom Dooley romanticizes his life, but in actuality, he seems to have been a loner, not much for working, and a lover of the ladies. Very interesting, moves right along, hard to put down. A good read.

Son of Stone by Stuart Woods

Stone Barrington and former love Arrington Calder are reunited. Their son Peter has big plans and ages two years with a phone call. When Arrington is murdered, Stone finds Arrington has left him in charge. An ok story, not much action.

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

Forget the vampires. Charlotte "Charley" Davidson is the "grim reaper." Helping to enable people to pass over to the "other side," she poses as a Private Investigator to cover the conversations she has with dead people, usually ones who have been murdered. To complicate things, she seems to have a thing for a really "hot" supernatural being. Interesting concept. An ok read if you like this sort of thing.

The Litigators by John Grisham

David Zinc has worked for the Rogan Rothberg company, one of six hundred lawyers working fifteen hours a day 24-7. He arrives at work one morning, burned out, dreading one more day of work for this firm, turns around and heads out, not clear what he is going to do with his wife and for a job, but he has had it. Hitting a local bar, he proceeds to get plastered, in a nice way and the bartender finally calls a cab and sends him on his way. Seeing an ad for a couple of ambulance chasers, Finley & Figg, he tells the cab driver to take him there. When he gets there, he stumbles in, announces that he wants to go to work for them and collapses on the couch.

Grisham pens the greatest tongue-in-cheek novel about down-on-their-luck lawyers and how a really good guy (David Zinc of course) becomes an amazing litigator determined to do a good job. I recommend this latest novel. You will be highly entertained.

Shogun by James Clavell

Clavell writes a compelling history of Japan in the 1500's. An island unto itself, thousands of years of samurai and Emperors, Japan even today is affected by the beliefs and ideas of it's people and it's past. The reader follows the passage of an English ship, captained by a brave man, shipwrecked on Japan and assimilated into the people. A very interesting, a real page-turner.

Robert Ludlum's The Ares Decision by Kyle Mills

Covert-One top operative Dr. Jon Smith and ex M-16 agent Peter Howell are sent to Africa on a mission to subdue a frenzied leader who is threatening the world with a fast-acting horrendous parasite. To make matters worse, the director of Iranian Intelligence is in Uganda trying to get this biological weapon to unleash it on the West. Pretty exciting, hate to think this might be possible.

Fallen by Karin Slaughter

Faith Mitchell is a policewoman, following in her mother's footsteps. She is late picking up her baby, Emma, and when she arrives there is blood on the door, blood in the kitchen, a body in the laundry room. Emma is screaming. She calls for backup, then enters the house. What turns into her mother's kidnapping puts Faith and her partner, Will Trent, in the middle of chaos, murder, and revenge. Slaughter writes a twisted tale of good and bad, the heroine having to face problems from the past, the hero coming to terms with his past and justice for all, maybe. A good read.

Portrait of a Spy by Daniel Silva

Couldn't get interested in the concept.

The McKettricks of Texas: Austin by Linda Lael Miller

Randy, rowdy Austin McKettrick has ridden his last bull. He might have lasted the 8 seconds, but the bull won in the end. Filled with guilt and anger, Austin is taken home to the Silver Spur by his brothers to recuperate. Old flame Paige, also a nurse, is residing in the guest room while her residence is undergoing remodeling. Insisting on rest to restore his injured back, the brothers hire Paige Remington to keep an eye on Austin, hopefully to keep him out of more trouble. There is trouble on the ranch though. Rustlers are stealing and killing off the cattle. Someone is messing with capped off oil wells. Paige has her hands full trying to keep Austin out of the mix of things. Will the old romance flame up? Who has a grudge or ill feelings toward the Silver Spur owners? Will the scheduled double wedding for New Year's Eve become a triple wedding? A pretty good read.

The McKettricks of Texas: Garrett by Linda Lael MIller

Garrett McKettrick returns home, disillusioned by the man he has worked for, Senator Morgan Cox. In the meantime, school teacher Julie Remington with her 5-year-old son Calvin, is staying in the guest quarters of the Silver Spur, home to Garrett, read former boyfriend... Sparks fly from the get-go and the reader wonders just how long Julie will be able to hold out. To make matters worse, Calvin's absent father has decided to make an appearance and get to know his son. Miller puts the heat into the romance of this saga of the McKettrick brothers.

McKettricks of Texas: Tate by Linda Lael Miller

Tate McKettrick has been divorced from his wife for years. If it wasn't for his twin 6-year-old daughters, he would never see her again. When old flame Libby Remington crosses his path, he immediately feels those old familiar feelings and sets out to court her - again. This time seriously. Miller writes a romantic fantasy that all women will like.

The Mercy by Beverly Lewis

Hen is still anxious about her marriage to Ben, praying that he may see again, uncertain about their future together. Rose has been keeping company with Ike, and it looks like he might be going to propose. When she discovers Ike isn't as Plain as she thought, she is determined to let God guide her choices. Lewis brings a fine closure to yet another trilogy.

The Dark Tide by Andrew Gross

Karen Friedman began her day like any other, then a train explodes and her husband, a financial advisor and hedge fund manager, is missing, expected to be dead. Over the next year she and their two children struggle to resume living, ever mindful of the huge hole in their lives. Meanwhile, Ty Houck is investigating a hit and run homicide. The victim has Charles Friedman's phone number in his pocket. Unable to make a connection, the case remains unsolved.

When Karen receives a disturbing visit from a couple of unsavory characters, she turns to Ty for help. On the eve of Charles's death, there is a documentary of the explosion that claimed his life along with many others and Karen is watching. Unable to watch any more she goes to turn it off when she sees Charles in the video. This is shocking. She saves it and goes over the film several times, questioning what she has seen. Turning again to Ty Houck, they begin to connect the dots. Is Charles really alive? What connection does he have with Ty Houck's unsolved hit and run. Why are these unsavory characters threatening her and her family. Gross writes a thrilling page turner, hard to put down. A great read.

Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

Sookie Stackhouse takes her vampire story to New Orleans. An ok read if you like vampire stories.

His Other Wife by Deborah Bedford

Hilary and her son have survived a divorce and now he is graduating from high school. Eric, Seth's father, has remarried. Eric and Pam and the two children are coming to Seth's graduation and expect Hilary to entertain them in a "happy" family setting. Hilary finds she is still very angry and Seth's anger is surfacing, the strain on both evident in their actions. When a high school graduation party backfires, Seth is in trouble and Hilary is feeling guilty and alone. Bedford writes a convincing tale of blended families and the obstacles that need to be overcome.

Kabul Bearty School by Deborah Rodriguez

Deborah Rodriguez shares her story of living in Afghanistan, having a desire to help other women, and a degree in cosmetology. One wonders at her strength of character to push ahead and be able to establish a life-changing opportunity for the women of Kabul almost single-handedly. She overcomes language difficulties, makes friends, finds love, and empowers women traditionally second-class citizens giving them the means to help support their families. A wonderful story of life in a country we can't begin to understand.

The Tenth Justice by Brad Meltzer

Supreme Court clerk Ben Addison and co-clerk Lisa are fresh out of law school and anxious to make it good in their field. When Ben accidentally discloses court information he finds himself in hot water. Wanting to "fix" things, Ben, his friends, and Lisa use their power to catch the "rat", they only get into deeper trouble. Meltzer's first novel was a great start to his career and is still a good read fourteen years later.

The Judgment by Beverly Lewis

Rose is engaged to Silas Good, but a childhood friend, Nick, is frequently on her mind. She hasn't seen or heard from him in quite some time since he left the community, yet she yearns to know that he is doing well. Her sister Hen is home now with her daughter Mattie, struggling with an Englisher husband who disapproves of her Amish background and the desire to raise Mattie as Amish, with strong morals and values. The parents Sol and Emma, are also suffering. Emma has been bed-ridden since her buggy accident several years ago, unable to walk and in a lot of pain. Sol tries to put his faith in God, knowing that He knows what is best for each of them, but it is a struggle when humans don't understand why things turn out the way they do.

Silas' old girlfriend Rebeka arrives to help with a new mother. Will Rose and Silas remain betrothed? Will Hen lose Mattie to her husband who wants a divorce? Is there any hope for Emma? A good second book in the trilogy.

Home to Harmony by Philip Gulley

Gulley writes of Sam Gardner, Quaker minister in the small hamlet of Harmony, his life growing up there, and coming back to practice his profession. Putting one in the mind of Garrison Keillor's Lake Woebegone series, the reader is amused and thoughtful as Sam shares his experiences with a very human Quaker congregation. An inspiration to read.

The Bride's House by Sandra Dallas

Three generations of women live in the Bride's House, each having secrets, keeping secrets, until finally the truth is told. Susan is the latest in the line of family members, from a wealthy family, living unobtrusively in a small town, in love with a childhood friend. Dallas does a good job of describing the lives of the women involved and the men who love them. A good read.

Prey by Linda Howard

Dare Callahan and Angie Powell are competing wilderness guides. Angie has been having to struggle to make ends meet and now faces selling the business, but she doesn't really want to sell to her competitor Callahan who she hasn't been on friendly terms with anyway. When a repeat client books a trip for himself and a business client to bag a bear, Angie is grateful for the business, but leery of the men. Arriving at the campsite on horseback Angie looks for bear sign. Discovering a hiker that has been mauled to death by a bear, she wants only to get out of there and notify the authorities. The two men have a different agenda. During a hard rain storm, she hears the men arguing and witnesses the murder of one. Howard writes an exciting tale, full of adventure and page-turning suspense. A good read.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Louis Zamperini must have been born to survive. From the first page of this book, you feel a connection to the boy/man to be, even though he was constantly mischief-making. Discovering a love for running, he channels his energy and appears headed for the Olympics. The arrival of World War II finds him in the Army Air Force. Getting the "behind the scenes" information of the training of airmen in the army, one wonders how they ever got off the ground. The horror of crashing in the ocean and being adrift over forty days surviving by ingenuity and stubbornness and hope. The shock and hopelessness of being a prisoner of war, the kindness of some captors greatly diminished by the cruelty of the worst. When finally released at the end of the war, the struggle to survive in a world that they didn't even recognize. A wonderfully sad, inspirational tale of a man's struggle to survive and come to terms with his inner self. You must read this.

Final Truth by Mariah Stewart

Reagan Landry has spent the last two years going through her father's notes and files, writing a book and researching a puzzle left behind by her father. Realizing she needs help, she hires an assistant to help her organize things. In the meantime, bad boy Lester Ray Barnes is on death row, counting the days until needle time, when news breaks that the DNA testing center responsible for Lester's conviction has been exposed for fabricating reports. Lester wants free and wants Reagan to write his story. Reagan is interested in this event and agrees to look into Lester's circumstances discovering a witness was coerced by a cop. Mayhem breaks loose when Lester is freed and murders begin. Has Reagan unwittingly played a part in the rape and murder of these women? Stewart writes a cunning tale of crime unleashed when people lie. A good mystery.

No Child's Game: reality TV 2083 by Andrea White

Have you ever wondered what life will be like in 2083? Mandatory television viewing, reality TV shows, education determined by the throw of dice? White follows the adventure of five winners of a contest, to survive the Antarctic in the same manner that Admiral Robert E Scott and group did in 1912 with their doomed attempt to reach the South Pole. Each fourteen, the five teenagers come from varied backgrounds, but generally life is pretty miserable for them. You are either rich or you are poor. The government is in bad shape. The media seems to rule. The reader joins the group, contestants on a reality TV show "Antarctic Survivor." With the odds seeming to be against them, are they smart enough to survive? This is a great tale, full of material taken directly from Scott's journals and other accounts of the expedition. Is this our future?

The Blessed by Ann H. Gabhart

It is 1844 in the village of Ebenezer. Fate brings two people together to share a life in the Shaker Village close to Ebenezer. Lacey Bishop has married elderly widower Preacher Palmer in order to keep caring for little Rachel (whose parentage is in question), but this is definitely not a marriage made in heaven. Isaac Kingston's wife, love of his life, has died and he is at a loss, living on the streets, begging for food, hated by his former father-in-law. Fortunately for Isaac, Shaker brother Asa steps in and offers him food and a place to sleep in exchange for honest labor. When the Shakers are in Ebenezer to sell goods, they visit with Preacher Palmer, who is convinced that since he and Lacey have a sinful marriage, their only hope is with the Shaker's. Loading up only the bare necessities, Lacey follows her husband (in name only) hoping to have a better life. Gabhart writes a compelling tale of marital love lost, of Shaker history and beliefs, and forgiveness. A good read.

The Affair by Lee Child

Child takes us back to Reacher's life as a military policeman. He is sent to Carter Crossing, Mississippi undercover to ferret out the facts of a murder that may be connected to the military base nearby. His cover blown by sheriff Elizabeth Deveraux, ex-marine, they join forces to solve the murders of three women in the last nine months. This tale probably explains why Reacher is footloose and a loner in Child's earlier stories. A great read. Totally believable. Bureaucrats are in charge.

Dark Truth by Mariah Stewart

Nina Madden arrives in her home town of Stone River, sixteen years after her father was imprisoned for rape and murder. He died in prison, with an appeal still ongoing, and now her step-mother has died. Hoping for a friendly reconciliation with Kyle, her stepbrother, Nina looks forward to closing things down and returning to her business. When an attorney tells her the house was left to her and the priest gives her a box of her father's belongings with letters to her and his deceased wife, old emotions rise to the surface. When new murders surface, casting doubt on her father's guilt, Nina turns to Regan Landry for help. Twists and turns make for thrilling reading.

Hard Truth by Mariah Stewart

Lorna Temple comes home to close her family's home after the death of her mother. Her brother and sister are not free to help her and she is faced with the job alone. There is construction at the edge of the field, a section sold off to pay for her late mother's medical expenses. When human bones are discovered at the site, memories of two children who disappeared 21 years ago again are in the spotlight. It is determined that the bones belong to Jason Eagan, brother of Lorna's friend Melinda, and their mother has been arrested for his death. Reagan Landry is called upon by Lorna for help, who turns her to T. J. Dawson, ex-FBI agent, now private-eye to assist. When more bones are found, investigators take a second look at the disappearance of the brother and sister. A great story, weaving mystery and murder into a captivating tale.

Treme (DVD) first season

New Orleans is trying to dig out from the debris of hurricane Katrina. John Goodman plays a writer-professor married to an attorney. They are trying to salvage the city, fight the bureaucrats, and get justice for the masses. Liberally laced with music of Bourbon Street, soul, jazz and close-ups of the misery experienced by the citizens of New Orleans. A great pseudo-documentary based on fact.

Cold Truth by Mariah Stewart

Twenty-six years ago, Cassie Burke's parents and younger sister were murdered. Today she is a homicide cop. When the small community is again shocked by killings that seem to be related to those committed years ago, Cassie is grateful for the help of FBI agent Rick Cisco. When her cousin is attacked and nearly murdered, the hunt for the killer is stepped up and Regan Landry is included in the searching. Stewart writes a thrilling mystery setting up the base for Landry's character for future stories.

Betrayal of Trust by J. A. Jance

When Washington State's governor turns to P J Beaumont for help with a family member, it becomes more than a joke to all involved. A fake snuff film becomes reality, people die and P J with partner/wife Mel Soames digs into the investigation uncovering corruption threatening young lives. Not a bad read.

The View from the Lighthouse by Melody Carlson

Four young women, neighbors, discover they have things in common. Diane wants to write a novel, Shelley a young mother of two, Margaret an artist and Beverly who comes to the Cove on weekends to care for her father. When they start seeing mysterious lights at the abandoned lighthouse, their curiosity is aroused. A simple tale of neighborliness, caring for one another and experiencing God working in the lives of these young women.

A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard

Jaycee Dugard shares with the reader the horrifying years she experiences after being abducted when she was eleven and her inner strength and resolve to protect herself and her two children born while in captivity. A heart-wrenching story.

Damages (DVD) the complete third season

Litigator Patty Hewes and Assistant District Attorney Ellen Parsons are still at odds. This time financier Tobin has created a Ponzi scheme, defrauding thousands of investors. Leading to murder and mayhem, a twisted tale emerges. Glenn Close and Rose Byrne do a great job.

A Darkness More Than Night by Michael Connelly

Harry has his hands full with a murder investigation. Meanwhile, Terry McCaleb has moved to Catalina Island, married and is the father of a little girl. He thinks he is satisfied with his new life but when Sheriff's Detective Jaye Winston arrives with a murder book and a tape, his blood-hound juices begin to flow. His quick look has him hooked and soon this crime seems to tie into Harry's case. As ever, Connelly writes an action-packed thriller, giving the reader a look into the deepest, darkest, blood-lust criminal mind.

Killing the Blues by Brandman, Michael

Police Chief Jesse Stone is looking at a busy summer season in Paradise, Massachusetts. Hondas are being car-jacked, something is killing the dogs, a public relations executive (read niece of a councilman) is promoting concerts to promote tourism, and to top it all off, Jesse learns a bad-boy from his past is probably headed his way for revenge. Brandman continues the saga of Jesse Stone in an excellent manner. Plenty of sassy dialogue, excitement and thrills. A great read.

The Overlook by Michael Connelly

It has been a dry spell, now homicide detective Harry Bosch has been called to the scene of an execution-style shooting. His new partner, Iggy Ferras, is hesitant to follow Harry's lead as Harry's reputation has followed him to this new position at LAPD. Due to the victim's work with radioactive capsules, the FBI arrives on the scene looking at the murder as a terrorist action. Leave it to Harry, ever vigilant, to determine that the officials are being played. When FBI agent Rachel Walling arrives on the scene Harry doesn't know whether to breathe a sigh of relief or be wary. Connelly again writes a great murder mystery.

Damages (DVD) the second season

Glenn Close and Patty Hewes and Rose Byrne as Ellen Parsons continue the saga of women lawyers in litigation. Ellen is pissed and wants to take Patty down. Patty has a man (played by William Hurt) from her past arrive with a box of information that he wants her to "take care of" for him. Pretty good second season.

Porch Talk by Philip Gulley

Philip Gulley writes essays, reminiscing much as folks do when they are lounging on the front porch watching the world go by. Easy reading, funny and fun.

The Sixes by Kate White

Author Phoebe Hall is taking some time off from writing, teaching journalism at Lyle College. When a student is found, drowned, in the river after Phoebe had talked to her, Phoebe feels her investigative juices warm up. Secret societies, lies, people missing. All these things seem to be coming together, causing even Phoebe to fear that something evil was about. Lots of darkness, lots of investigating, lots of "I need to talk to you in person" conversations. An ok read.

City of Bones by Michael Connelly

A dog finds a bone, leading detective Harry Bosch in search of a 24 year-old child killer. His partner, Edgar, is frustrated with Harry who heads out on his own in search of answers. His boss knows Harry has the right stuff but he isn't a team player. When the media exposes a suspect who then commits suicide, Harry plays hard-ball. Looks like Harry might not be at his job much longer if he doesn't start playing by the rules. A great, twisted, tale of murder, suspense and thrills. Hard to put down.

Damages (DVD)

Glenn Close portrays Patty Hewes, an aggressive litigator in New York. Protegee Ellen Parson (played by Rose Byrne) is thrilled to be hired by her prestigious law firm. In the middle of a class action law suit against CEO Arthur Frobisher (played by Ted Danson), Ellen finds things are not as simple as they seem. Patty Hewes is determined not to lose at any cost. Ellen finds she doesn't have a life outside of the office and her fiance isn't any too happy with their arrangement. People are getting threatened, even murdered. For an evening of suspense, check out the complete first season of Damages.

Escape by Barbara Delinsky

Emily Aulenbach and her husband have been on the lawyer "fast track" for seven years ( but it seems like forever...) working grueling hours 24-7 with no breaks. Emily finally feels the need to get away, to escape from the rat race she feels trapped in. So she jumps in her husband's car and takes off to the beach leaving only a vague note about her whereabouts. When the beach doesn't meet her needs, she again takes off for a place that she last seemed happy at ten years ago. Will running away solve her problems? Will her husband understand? When she meets a woman, named Lee, who is having troubles of her own and needs Emily's' lawyerly help, she seems to make a connection, a brief satisfying feeling that at last she is doing something worthwhile with her life. Delinsky writes a compelling tale of women living life in the technological age searching for meaning to life, love and happiness. A great read.

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

Jordan Scott, son of a modern day polygamist, struggles to rescue his mother from jail after his father is found murdered. In between these chapters, the reader learns about Ann Eliza Young, the 19th wife of Brigham Young, prophet and leader of the Mormon Church. Mrs. Young is known for her crusade to end polygamy in the turn of the century and the author used known records of her experience as a plural wife as well as other historical documents to create a work of fiction. The author's creation is the "what if" you really knew what happened, who said what and thought what. Entertaining reading, if a bit tedious at times.

Death of a Cattle King by Wayne D Overholser

Death is the story of families settled in Oregon, ranching and learning to get along with each other in the days before statehood and the advent of any kind of reliable law. Sam Holt and Jason Bell are the patriarchs. There is a fence that is causing some of the trouble. Morgan Drew accompanied the Holt family west but seemed to be cut from a different fabric than Sam and Jason, wanting to get bigger, run out the small settler, taking what he wanted. A good read.

Reversal by Michael Connelly

Investigator Harry Bosch is hired by long time defense attorney Michael Haller, only Mickie is working for the prosecution this go-'round. The current DA doesn't want to risk his own future appointments when convicted child-killer Jason Jessup, who has already served 24 years, is granted a retrial. Jessup has a celebrity defense attorney already working for him in the media. Harry has to really dig for any new information since a lot of the previous "players" have died or are incompetent. Jessup is out on bail for the trial, and Harry feels confident that Jessup will strike again. Harry and Mickie both have teenage daughters that they fear for com- plicating the investigation. What a thriller. A real page-turner.

The Ultimate Shortcut Cookie Book by Camilla V Saulsbury

Loaded with more than 800 recipes using cake mixes, cookie dough and cereals. For fast and easy cooking, be sure to check this one out.

Singing Wires by L. P. Holmes

Clay Roswell thought he wanted to be a Pony Express rider. When he was bush-whacked by the Pickard brothers, his trip to the Express office got delayed and when he finally arrived, they told him he was too late, that the telegraph wires were running them out of business. Maybe he could get a job with them. Signing on with Jack Casement, after another run-in with the Pickard brothers, Clay felt the responsibility of the new job. Things go well, then there is a rat in the woodpile somewhere, a drover gets killed before they even get out of town and a wagon load of supplies is stolen. Clay has his suspicions. If it isn't the thieves, the weather in the desert, or the Indians, it is that rat that Clay is looking for. A great western story, full of the thrill of the times, stringing the telegraph wires west.

Promise Me by Harlan Coben

Bachelor Myron Bolitar looks upon his friends children as "sort of" his own and he cares and is concerned for them as well as their parents. When he overhears a teen-aged daughter discussing partying and drinking and driving, he makes two neighborhood girls promise him that if they are ever in a dangerous situation, to call him. He will come get them, no questions asked. When his phone rings at 2 am and he responds, picking up the girl, taking her to her friend's house, his nightmare begins. When she doesn't show up at home, Myron decides to track her down, the investigation leading to the disappearance of another missing girl also. Things being the way they are with young adults today, this story seems to have a ring of truth. A very good read.

Echo Park by Michael Connelly

Harry has been working a cold case that happened 13 years ago. Marie Gesto disappeared when she went to a ranch to work with their horses. Harry had a gut feeling who was responsible for her disappearance, but could not come up with any proof. Now there is a serial killer in jail who claims he was the one who killed Gesto. Harry doesn't buy Raynard Waits story. This is the story of Harry and Waits, and how Harry gets to the truth of the matter. A real page-turner. Good to the end.

Tell No One by Harlan Coben

Dr. David Beck has been grieving for his wife for eight years. When he receives an anonymous e-mail his world begins to spin. Is his wife still alive? What has happened in the past is starting to come undone, drawing Beck, his sister, and two friends plus a patient's father into a mysterious, enthralling, hard to put down read. Evil abounds. A great read.

Blood Work by Michael Connelly

Ex-FBI agent Terry McCaleb is recovering from heart transplant surgery. When the donor's sister arrives at his boat he is surprised. She is not supposed to know who he is. He is not supposed to know who the donor was. When she begs him to investigate the unsolved murder of her sister, to run down the killer, he is reluctant. He is after all, retired; no longer in a position to have access to the murder book, the police investigation records. Risking the ire of his doctor and against his better judgment, he agrees to look into the case. His search puts him on the trail of a mystifying and horrifying killer. A great read. Have read before, enjoyed again the second time.

The Caregiver by Shelley Shepard Gray

Lucy is still trying to adjust two years after the end of an abusive marriage. She travels to Jacob's Crossing to help care for twenty-two year-old Mattie while she undergoes chemotherapy. On the train, she encounters Calvin Weaver and his little sister Katie who are returning to Jacob's Crossing after a visit with Katie's Uncle John. Calvin needed a distraction from a broken engagement to Gwen who decided she wanted someone else. A good beginning to introduce the relationship growth of two very caring people. A good read.

Angels Flight by Michael Connelly

Police Detective Harry Bosch is put in charge of a team investigating the murder of prominent attorney Howard Elias, much hated by the local police officers due to his lawsuits charging LAPD with racism and brutality. To complicate things, his one-year marriage to his wife seems to be on the rocks and he struggles to focus on his job. The clues lead to an inside leak compromising the investigation as well as "road blocks" hampering their work making a fast-moving tense story of graft and corruption, the good guys against the bad guys. A good read.

Hiding in the Shadows by Kay Hooper

Faith Parker doesn't have a clue who she is or where she is from due to an automobile accident. She awoke from a coma that surprised everyone. Her friend and benefactor, Dinah Leighton, has disappeared leaving Kane MacGregor to search for her and to try to connect the dots between Faith and Dinah, looking for clues. Faith seems to have a psychic connection to the absent Dinah. Interesting plot and characters. An ok read.

Cold Vengeance by Preston and Child

FBI agent Pendergast is left to die in the muck and mire of a Scottish moor. The murderer is none other than his brother-in-law Judson Esterhazy who announces that Helen, Aloysius' deceased wife, is not dead. Judson is not sure that Pendergast is really dead, and because of that, he is searching the country to make sure as his own life has been threatened if he hasn't succeeded. Is Helen really dead? Is Pendergast really dead? What is the evil that is lurking? An interesting read.

A Rose Revealed by Gayle Roper

Nurse EMT Rose has a guilt-ridden past. When her current client is murdered, she gives in to her hidden feelings, bringing her to her knees literally. Exhausted, she takes up residence in Zook's rental apartment and begins to recuperate. Jake Zook, wheelchair bound, is also part of her past making Rose take another look at her life. This novel takes a look at forgiveness of others as well as self, a good read.

A Secret Identity by Gayle Roper

When Cara Bentley discovers her great-grandfather was adopted, she heads to Bird-In-Hand to search for his mother. Attorney Todd Reasoner has agreed to help her and finds a place to stay for a few weeks at the Zook farm. When vandalism begins at the farm, Cara begins to think that someone doesn't want her to go looking at past history. A good story.

A Stranger's Wish by Gayle Roper

Kristie Matthews at 29 is trying to find her niche in life. Coming from a prominent family of lawyers, they can't understand that she marches to a different drummer. Having just moved to an Amish farm, she is bitten by the landlord's dog, rushed to the hospital by friend, and has an encounter with a man who, while having a heart attact, gives her a key and exacts a promise from her that she will tell no one that she has it. When her life seems threatened, she wonders about the key and if there is a connection. A bit of mystery, a bit of romance and a lot of faith, all in all a good story.

Hotwire by Alex Kava

Maggie O'Dell has been asked by her boss to look into livestock mutilations in western Nebraska. While in the vicinity, a group of partying teens meet trouble with a big "T". Some of the victims appear to have been electrocuted and have odd scorch marks. The survivors appear to be afraid to discuss what happened.

Maggie's friend, Army Colonel Benjamin Platt is investigating the scene of a deadly outbreak of some kind of food poisoning in a couple of schools. Kava writes a real page-turner, a good read.

Watch Me Die by Erica Spindler

Stained glass artist Mira Gallier is just getting back on her feet. Six years ago her husband died during the Katrina hurricane. When Sister Sarah Elizabeth asks her to restore the windows in a badly damaged church, Mira finds her life being restored. Three people are murdered with cryptic messages left as a clue and Mira seems to have a connection to all of them. Struggling with her emotional state and the arrival of her dead husband's best friend, Mira tries to clear herself with the police who are looking at her as a suspect. An ok read.

Getting to Happy by Terry McMillan

These four ladies are hitting the big "5-0" and are commiserating about life passing them by, being stuck in a rut, and wondering what lies ahead for them. All are learning that you make your own choices in this life and that it feels good to have self-confidence; it is ok to lose a job you are "stuck" in, to move ahead and take a risk. Pretty interesting.

Rough Country by John Sandford

Virgil Flowers gets called in to take care of the "tough" jobs for Lucas Davenport of Minneapolis, Minn. CDI. When a vacationing woman is found murdered on the edge of a lake, Virgil is sent to help the local police determine what happened. This resort is for women only, and likes to respect their customer's privacy making it difficult for Virgil to do his job. Determining a tie to a local talented country singer and the murdered woman, his investigations begin to turn up clues to another earlier murder in Iowa and leads to a list of suspects. Virgil is kept busy convincing witnesses to talk among other activities... Quite amusing story.

Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress

Georgia leads an uncomplicated life, living with her elderly mother and never-do-well brother. But Georgia has secrets. Not wanting to hold down a nine to five job, she has contrived the perfect solution. She just can't let anybody find out about it. Amusing story line, would make a cute movie.

Reckless by Andrew Gross

Ty Hauck watches the news and sees the face of a friend of the past who has been murdered with her husband and daughter during the course of what appears to be a neighborhood robbery. Ty used to be a cop, a good cop, but he's retired now, working in the private sector. When he vows to avenge her death, the clues lead to agent Naomi Blum of the US Treasury Dept, who works to keep all the financiers honest. Together, they gather evidence that there is a major conspiracy being hatched. Gross writes a thrilling page-turner, good to the last page.

Glory by Lori Copeland

Glory was found as an infant at the side of the road by a reclusive old man, whose wife has passed on. Nevertheless, he cares for her and brings her up as well as he can; no neighbors, no women folk who can assist, no schooling. When Poppy dies, nineteen year-old Glory is bereft. When drunken Uncle Amos appears, banging on the door, Glory runs away. This is Glory's first adventure in the world. Luckily, she meets freight-master Jackson Lincoln and his five young lady passengers, orphans too old to adopt, heading to Denver City as mail order brides. Jackson and the ladies take Glory under their wing, trying to teach her social skills and to read and write. Glory has a couple of secrets that trouble her and the young ladies embrace her, teaching her and reading to her from the Bible. Angels and faith play a big part in Glory's adventure. A good read.

Joy School by Elizabeth Berg

Young Katie has been transplanted to Missouri, leaving her only and best friend in Texas. She has trouble making friends, the kids across the street hate her and she annoys her father who seems pretty unfeeling, not understanding of teenage angst. An ok read.

June by Lori Copeland

Seventeen-year-old June Kallahan arrives in Seattle expecting to be met by her future husband. When his employer meets her instead, telling her that groom-to-be Eli is gravely ill, she begins to question where God is leading her. When Eli dies before they are married, she determines to stay and help build the magnificent cathedral of Reverend Inman's dream. Eli's friend logger Parker Sentell seems to be a road block to the reverend's plans and June persistently entreats him for assistance. When June confronts Reverend Inman about the existing problems of the community and asking why the church doesn't help them, she finds that her faith and her heart lead her in another direction. A good story.

The Betrayal by Diane Noble

Bronwyn, second wife of Gabriel MacKay, is still struggling with the issue of plural wives. When a 14-year-old is to be wedded to a very elderly man she interrupts the ceremony and whisks the young bride-to-be away away. Things turn sinister as threats are made, accusations thrown and murder happens. This second book of the series is interesting but I was disappointed in the ending although I don't know how else the author could have finished it off. An ok read.

The Long Hitch by Michael Zimmer

Buck McCready is promoted to wagon master when his mentor Mase Campbell is murdered. Kavanaugh freight line is in a race to win a contract and Buck has to step in to Campbell's shoes. Buck is determined to run down Mase's killer but is obligated to head the freight line in it's race from Corinne to Virginia City. When the drover's are plagued with mishaps, murder and bad luck, Buck begins to think someone doesn't want him to win this race. Zimmer writes an exciting and clever western, using mules instead of horses and bullwhips instead of guns and fists. A true page-turner, hard to put down. I recommend.

Hell Gate by Linda Fairstein

Public prosecutor Alex Cooper is investigating an off-shore shipwreck that leads to human trafficking, murder, political intrigue and an attempt on her life. In the freezing waters off the coast of New York City, Alex watches numerous bodies as well as survivors of the shipwreck wash ashore, all illegals. It is her job to be concerned specifically about the women and she finds it difficult to get them to talk to her. Fairstein takes the reader on a blustery cold investigation as well as giving you some obscure history of the area. Pretty interesting reading.

Vicious Cycle by Terri Blackstock

Barbara Covington and her son Lance are eagerly awaiting the "graduation" of their daughter/sister, Emily, from New Day Treatment Center. In the meantime classmate and drug- abuser Jordan has just given birth to her baby. Stoned and living with her abusive mother and brother, Jordan struggles with reality, wanting to provide the proper care of this baby yet under the influence of the drugs she has been using. Through a series of circumstances Lance, Emily and Jordan are drawn together, each trying to understand and help the other, knowing that in the end each person has to find the strength to make the right choices in their life but that they are not alone. Blackstone writes a compelling story of drugs and their ability to take over one's life.

South by Southwest by Johnny D Boggs

Zeb Hogan rises from the grave at Florence Stockade during the Civil War. With the help of Ebenezer Chase, a runaway slave, the two young men head South by Southwest, each heading for their own destiny. Traveling at night, fearful yet determined, Zeb has made a promise to fulfill and Ebenezer is in search of his young wife and baby girl who have been sent to a Dallas, Texas plantation. Ebenezer knows the country as well as knowing how to read and write and forms a somewhat shaky alliance with Zeb as they travel the war ravaged land of the Civil War. Boggs writes an unusual story of the wartime era, touching the hearts of readers as these two young men fight for their lives to achieve their goals. A truly great tale.

Lethal Legacy by Linda Fairstein

Assistant District Attorney Alex Cooper is called to assist when a woman is assaulted. When she is later found murdered, Alex starts looking at the woman's job as a librarian for clues. Fairstein includes a lot of New York Public Library history in this story of mystery, murder and intrigue. An ok read.

The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen

Someone is killing young women in Boston. The killer's methods suggest he is a member of the medical community. The similarity of the murders leads to Doctor Catherine Cordell, a victim of attempted rape two years earlier, and who killed her attacker. Police investigation keeps coming back to Dr Cordell, asking for her assistance and any forgotten memories. Finding it hard to trust, Dr Cordell has frightening memories and dreams, yet struggles to share whatever it takes to catch the killer, putting her own life at risk again. Gerritsen writes a real page-turner, exciting to the end.

Lawless by Ed Gorman

Sam Conagher arrives in Templar, giving up the dreams of his youth, being a train robber and all that. An old prison-mate is the sheriff here, and gives Sam an opportunity to get on his feet. Whoops, and who is sitting on Sam's hotel bed, but an old girlfriend of Sam's as well as the Bible-thumping sheriff's. Sam thinks he is falling in love with his employer's daughter, who has an arrogant big brother. The plot thickens when Sam discovers a secret plot to kidnap the employer's daughter. Sam has to make some life-changing decisions. Will he make the right ones? A pretty good read.

Summer Shift by Lynn Kiele Bonasia

Mary Hopkins is having a mid-life crisis. Her husband has died, she has to deal with the difficulties of owning a sea food restaurant, and an old boy friend has appeared. Ho-hum.

The Man From Yesterday by Wayne D Overholser

Neal Clark has lived the last nine years of his life looking over his shoulder. Now married with a little girl, a banker and a ranch to run, the nightmare of killing two men during a bank robbery has haunted him, preventing him from enjoying is family to the fullest, fearful of the one who got away. Now, a couple of shady investors has conned the community into thinking Clark is greedy by not loaning the townspeople the money to invest in the investment. They are angry. Only his bank clerk, the sheriff and the town doctor will stand up with Clark. To make matters worse, Clark has been receiving messages from the "one who got away" threatening him and his family. Overholser writes an exciting and plausible tale. A good read.

Heat Lightning by John Sandford

BCA agent Virgil Flowers is called to a murder scene in New Ulm with a lemony twist. Agent Davenport, his boss, is busy with other problems and Flowers has free rein to hunt the murderer down. Clues lead to an atrocity that happened during the ending of the Viet Nam war. It seems that someone is killing the men that were involved in the murder of a Vietnamese family. Sandford does a great job with characters and dialogue, a great read.

Riders of Deseret by Dane Coolidge

What could have been an exciting book has turned out to be truly boring.... Need I say more?

Dark of the Moon by John Sandford

Arriving in Bluestem on another case, Flowers witnesses a huge house afire on the bluff. Sheriff Jim Stryker welcomes his help with this case when it appears that arson and murder is involved. Flowers is his usual "good ol' boy" self, interviewing the community while seeming to share information in a casual aside. In the meantime, a few more people are murdered and things begin to heat up, everyone locking their doors and afraid to leave their homes. Sandford leads the reader on a merry chase, raising suspicion on all the characters involved. Very good read.

The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen

A freshly severed hand is discovered by a tour group in Chinatown. The rest of the body is on the rooftop above. Rizzoli's investigation is hampered by the closed community of the Chinese who live there. The arrival of Detective Johnny Tam helps with the communication problem and it seems he is knowledgeable in Chinese folklore as well. When the clues lead to a murder that happened 19 years ago and missing girls, the plot thickens. This reader could not put the book down due to Gerritsen's clever plot and believable characters. A great read.

A Kiss for Cade by Lori Copeland

Red-headed Zoe Bradshaw wants to keep the children of Addy and John after they die of the fever. Addy has expressed a dying wish that her brother, bounty hunter Cade Kolby, decide what happens to the children much to his dismay. When their elderlyand formiddable Aunt Leticia arrives wanting to take the children with her, Zoe is determined to have her way. When the townspeople come up with a plan to bring Zoe and Cade together sparks begin to fly. A really good tale of love and friendship.

Vendetta by Ed Gorman

Joan Grieves has only had her father home for a couple of months when he leaves again in the middle of the night to avenge the person responsible for putting him in jail on a trumped up charge of embezzlement. When she receives a telegram advising her to expect her father's body by train, she reaches out to Father Pete Madsen, a man troubled by his past. Madsen struggles with his conscience, wanting to help Joan, yet hating to pick up the gun that has caused his grief. Gorman writes a brilliant tale of friendship, love and hate. A good read.

Stranger in Thunder Basin by John D Nesbitt

Ed Dawes has a vivid memory of the last time he saw Pa-Pa alive, at age five. Sixteen years later, he is on the hunt for the stranger responsible for the murder of Jake Bishop. Determined to do his own detective work and mete out justice, he won't rest until he gets his questions answered. A fine story.

The Promise of an Angel by Ruth Reid

Judith Fischer waits for Levi Plank to court her. But he is such a flirt with other girls and when he and her sister Martha are caught after spending the night in the hayloft she thinks she might have made a mistake. This novel deals with the forgiveness of others, the belief in angels, and faith in God. An ok read.

Chasing the Light by Iris Johansen

Eve Duncan is persuaded to look for a missing child stolen nine years ago leading her to Russia and perhaps bringing her closer to the discovery of her own missing child, Bonnie. An ok read.

The Protector by Shelley Shepard Gray

Lone child Ella sells the family farm at auction when both her parents passed away and she could no longer maintain it's upkeep. Satisfied to settle in town and work at the library, she finds that someone she considered a friend is jealous of her and spreads rumors about her threatening her job and ultimately her life. Longtime friend and neighbor, Loyal comes to the rescue. Gray writes an inspiring and uplifting story of life in the Amish community.

Trouble Man by Ed Gorman

Ex gunfighter Ray Coyle heads to Coopersville to collect the body of his dead son, killed in a gunfight. Not wanting to rock the boat in the little town, the sheriff advises Ray to head back home on the next train. What ensues is the story of a bitter man, Harry Winston, recently released from prison also coming back to Coopersville to collect his share of robbery money and get revenge. The triangle is completed when spoiled, mean, vicious Bob Trevor finds his past catching up with him. Gorman writes a compelling and entertaining tale of life in the early west. A good read.

Outlaw's Bride by Lori Copeland

Johnny McAllister misses the hangman's noose when a lenient judge sends him to Barren Creek, to a rehabilitation program in Judge McMann's home. Wanting to be a model prisoner so he can serve his sentence and seek revenge on the man who murdered his parents and siblings, he fails to reckon with the judge's housekeeper Ragan. Copeland pens a colorful, humorous western about forgiveness that the reader will surely enjoy as I did. Another great read.

Too Far by Rich Shapero

Six-year-old Robbie wants to explore the woods in back of his house. His mother is afraid to let him out of her sight and his father wants him to be allowed to be a boy. Robbie has quite an imagination and a playmate who could get him into trouble. Interesting concept, but I didn't care for this story. Maybe another time.

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

CeeCee Honeycutt has borne the burden of her psychotic mother alone, her father taking a salesman's job so he didn't have to be responsible for his wife. Her only confidant the elderly next door neighbor. When her mother is hit by an ice cream truck, CeeCee is abandoned by her father. Not realizing that her mother's Aunt Tootie is her saviour in disguise, she is whisked to Savannah, Georgia where she meets an amazing array of women. CeeCee has stuffed her grief to the point that she is numb, but these women share their own stories of survival helping her to be able to breathe again and enjoy life. A heart-warming, humorous, uplifting story. A great read.

comfort food by Kate Jacobs

Heading for her fiftieth birthday, cooking show host Augusta "Gus" Simpson, finds she is going to have to plan her own party. Not only that, younger and better looking cooks are breaking into the televised cooking show business and she finds herself threatened to losing her show unless she comes up with something more original. Plot has possibilities, but this reader was pretty bored with the plot and the characters. Sorry.

Death Ground by Ed Gorman

Bounty hunter Leo Guild is tired. On the hunt for mountain man Kriker, he wants to make sure the law has the right man. Arriving in Sheriff Decker's town, Guild is not impressed with the deputies and suspects they might know more than they are telling. When a man and a boy are killed, Guild is determined to find justice. Heading to a settlement in the freezing winter mountains, Guild tracks Kriker. Gorman writes so convincingly the reader feels the chill of the winter wind, the bite of the icy snow. A good story.

A Cup of Friendship by Deborah Rodriguez

Sunny, The Coffee Shop owner, Halajan, owner of the building the coffee shop is in, and young Yazmina, from a remote village, husbandless, pregnant, and abandoned on the city street form a bond of feminine love and loyalty. This is a time of fearfulness, contradictory values and unlikely friendships. Rodriguez writes a story that rings true, giving life and believability to her characters. So many truths are unveiled here, giving the reader a glimpse of what life in Afghanistan is surely like. A great read.

Dreams of Joy by Lisa See

Joy, daughter of May Chin, raised by her aunt Pearl Chin, is 17 and sure she knows what she is doing when she runs away from her safe home in California to travel to China. Seeking her birth father and determined to to help with China's reconstruction, she is oblivious to the dangers in the Communist regime. Giving up her passport upon entering Shanghai, Joy has romanticized life in the country with the peasants, and for a while things are going pretty well. Pearl, concerned for Joy, travels to Shanghai, and tries to persuade her to come home. Needless to say, things just get worse. Lee has done a great job of researching the history of this period in China and the story she weaves keeps the reader spell-bound and anxious for Joy. A very good read.

Dead Zero by Stephen Hunter

Bob Lee Swagger is called upon by his government yet again. They say they fear there is a renegade sniper out to kill a very important person, at this time unknown, and want Bob Lee to scope out the possibilities for his anticipated attack; ultimately to capture or kill the sniper. Bob Lee says "ok" and begins his research. The more he finds out, the more he is inclined to sympathize with sniper Ray Cruz. Determined to get to the root of the problem, Swagger finds himself switching back and forth, understanding both sides, trying to sort out the truth. Hunter throws in a big surprise for Swagger fans. Read this exciting episode, you will go "oh my gosh, too." Great.

Quinn by Iris Johansen

Johansen gives the reader the background on Joe Quinn we have been waiting for. Filling in the blanks, then taking Eve and Joe deeper into the mystery of the missing Bonnie, searching for answers, they ponder Bonnie's last message, "the end is near...." Sure to surprise. A good read.

Born to Die by Lisa Jackson

Dr. Kacey Lambert seems to have a lot of look-alikes around town and in the news. When several of them begin to "die" from accidents, Kacey starts wondering what is going on, putting the puzzle pieces together until she finds her life in danger. Not satisfied with the progress the police are making, she uncovers a sinister plot that she reports to Detective Selena Alvarez and Selena's partner, Regan Pescoli who of course want her to stop doing her own detective work. Can Kacey's mother shed any light on the situation? Are these women somehow related or is it just a coincidence? Lisa Jackson has contrived an exciting thriller keeping the reader turning the pages to the very end.

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

Lavinia is a traumatized little Irish girl, arriving at Tall Oaks plantation after the death of her parents. Belle, household slave, takes on the role of mothering Lavinia, indentured servant. Grissom develops her characters early and their growth through the written word keeps the reader enthralled. "Seeing" the South in the late 1700's through the eyes of these narrators provides a glimpse of the compassion and cruelty of servants and slave owners. A great read.

Pray for Silence by Linda Castillo

Chief Kate Burkholder heads the police force in Painter's Mill in the heart of Ohio's Amish farm country. She is rudely awakened after an hour and a half's sleep by dispatcher, Mona, reporting a multiple murder at the Amos Plank farm. Dragging herself out of bed, she arrives at the grisly scene. Two adults, five children brutally murdered.

Having no clues to work with, she asks her friend FBI agent John Tomasetti to assist. The case proves to be difficult for both, awakening old memories from their past. Castillo writes an enthralling thriller, involving the reader on every page. A great read.

Silent Mercy by Linda Fairstein

Prosecutor Alexandra Cooper is on the scene of a late night fire on the steps of a church. When a headless corpse is discovered in the midst of the burning blanket, the crowd gathers nearer, curious. Partnered with Detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer, the three work together to investigate this gruesome death. The similarity to another earlier case leads them to believe the crimes are related. When yet another young woman is found with her throat cut, and similar injuries, the entire force is concentrating on finding the murderer. Fairstein writes an exciting, thrilling mystery that gives the reader a bit of religious historical background of the New York City area. I really enjoyed the story.

Senseless by Mary Burton

There is a deranged killer out there, stabbing and branding the victims. Eva Rayburn is trying to start over, working three jobs, and wanting to save enough to go to school. Feeling she has paid for her alleged crime, she keeps a low profile. When two of the victims appear to be connected to her from her past, she is more frightened than ever. She doesn't trust the cops or the news media. Her sister hasn't talked to her in 10 years. Who is the murderer? Can she trust Alexandria City homicide detective Deacon Garrison? Not too bad for a gory murder-mystery.

Rider on the Buckskin by Peter Dawson

Frank Rivers has been pardoned from prison and now he is looking for a lame carpenter who is supposed to have committed the crime Frank served the time for. Returning to the community where the crime was committed, Frank meets hostility from the local sheriff who thinks Frank is still guilty. Lute Pleasants, local rancher and thug, is determined to get control of the valley by fencing in and forcing other ranchers out. When Frank decides to help young ranchers Fred and sister Kate, the manure hits the fan. Read this exciting tale of the west. Sure to keep you entertained.

The Amish Midwife by Mindy Starns Clark & Leslie Gould

Nurse-midwife Lexie Jaeger knew she was adopted but when her dying father directs her to a carved box with a letter written in German and two locks of hair, she begins to question her past, wondering who her biological parents were. Her search leads her from Oregon to an Amish community in Pennsylvania where people who might know some answers have closed lips. Frustrated with the secrets around her Lexie is determined to unveil the mystery of her past, threatening to cause untold pain and anguish to members of one family. An interesting tale of suspicion, learning to trust God's plan for our lives, and forgiveness.

Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

Moist von Lipwig is to be hanged for various and sundry crimes. Astonished to find he has been saved from death, he has Lord Vetinari to thank for his "safety" and a job as the new postmaster of Ankh-Morpork. To this reader, Postal is a confusing, myriad mish-mash of stuff. Not a read for me.

Clouds Without Rain by P. L. Gaus

When Sheriff Bruce Robertson is severely burned while assisting at an automobile/buggy/eight- teen wheeler accident, Professor Michael Branden is called upon to assist with the investigation. Learning that one of the victim's was an Amish land-owner, Branden discovers that J R Weaver was not closely associated with the Amish community and in fact had become a lover of money, buying farmland, and encouraging practices amongst the people that tempted them away from the simple life. There was also a slightly dishonest bank employee who encouraged Weaver's financial practices. Business owners and "lease-to-own" young Amish farmers were going to lose their property due to the sale of Weaver's holdings providing quite a few person's of interest. Branden is brilliant as usual. A good mystery.

Broken English by P. L. Gaus

Jesse Sands is captured and jailed for the murder of Janet Hawkins. Her father, David Hawkins, is seeking the simple life of the Amish community. When Sheriff Bruce Robertson seeks Hawkins after yet another murder in the community, Hawkins drops out of sight causing Robertson to focus on only him as the murderer. Professor Michael Branden and Pastor Caleb Troyer, friends of the sheriff, are convinced Hawkins is not seeking vengeance and that there has to be another explanation. Gaus writes a convincing and exciting tale of intrigue in a quiet community, sure to entertain.

Mystery by Jonathan Kellerman

Forensic psychologist Alex Delaware and partner Robin want to share in the closing night of a favorite night spot. During the uneventful evening, they observe what appears to be a starlet waiting for someone, drinking champagne and smoking with a cigarette holder. They leave early and two days later discover said starlet is dead. Murdered. Shot in the face. Twice.

Coming to police detective Milo Sturgis's assistance, they begin the tedious task of identifying the remains, who she was meeting, where she lived and all that goes with a homicide investigation. Hollywood is twisted alright. Alex and Milo travel the many twists and turns, revealing the sad story of a beautiful young woman. Kellerman does a great job of story-telling. A great read.

Eve by Iris Johansen

Eve Duncan is a forensic sculptor whose specialty is cold cases involving skeletal remains. Eve's friend, Catherine Ling, has surprised her with a revelation about her daughters', Bonnie, abductor. Will this tear Eve and long-time friend and lover, FBI agent Joe Quinn, apart?

Johansen shares Eve's story with us. Her relationship with the father of her missing daughter and her struggle to get where she is today in the search. And now, Eve has to entertain the possibility that Bonnie's father, John Gallo may be the murderer of their daughter.

This thriller keeps the reader turning pages to the last.

Gideon's Sword by Preston & Child

Gideon Crew sees his father shot in cold blood at age 12. When his mother dies, her last words were for him to avenge his father. After years of planning, Gideon finally has his opportunity. This is only the beginning of the story. There is a government official who is looking for someone with the skills of Gideon and offers him a job. This leads him to international intrigue, a shocking discovery and realization that he can't depend on the promises of others. An interesting twist at the end, this reader expects Preston & Child to come up with a sequel or series starring Gideon Crew. Lots of possibilities.

Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich

Stephanie Plum, notorious bounty hunter, along with sidekick Lula, are still in business even though Vinnie's Bail Bonds business went up in smoke. Using Mooner's "bus", Connie is operating out of the back and handing out warrants as usual while contractors dig up bodies in the ruins. Complicating things is Morelli's grandmother, Bella, when she curses and gives Stephanie the evil eye. Always good for a laugh, Evanovich puts Stephanie through her paces in an action-packed thriller. Always a good read.

Devious by Lisa Jackson

Valerie Houston is in New Orleans running a B & B with her friend and also wanting to hear from her sister Camile, who has joined the convent at St. Marguerite. When Sister Camile is found murdered, Valerie is horrified. Determined to discover what happened to her, she digs into the convent, the other sisters, and Camile's boxes of stored things. Detective Montoya is shocked to find the killing of Camile and the residents of the convent more like old home week school reunion. Former lovers and classmates are thrown together, stirring up memories, some he'd like to forget. Will Valerie find out who murdered Camile? Will she and her husband reunite? Are things as dark and sinister at the convent as they seem? Jackson writes a thrilling murder mystery, sure to keep you up nights until you finish the last page. A good read.

One Summer by David Baldacci

Jack has a devastating terminal illness, is bedridden and his wife Lizzie is by his side, his three children stunned. In a few days it will be Christmas. Determined to see this last Christmas, Jack is writing a daily letter to his wife, to be read on his demise. When Lizzie is killed in a traffic accident the day after Christmas, Jack has to face decisions about the children he doesn't want to make, and Lizzie's mother, the grandmother, isn't helping. With children staying with family members, Jack is resigned to dying alone and lonely. What happens next is a series of miraculous events. Can Jack overcome this disease? Can he get the children back? Will he be able to provide for them? Baldacci writes a heartwarming story of the love of a husband and wife, of love for their children. A great read.