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.