KEEP IT REAL by Bill Bryan: Former investigative reporter and now reality TV producer Ted Collins accidentally witnesses a violent exchange between gangsta rapper Boney and his current hottie, Patrice, just before Patrice goes missing.  Since rap music and reality TV rank right up there with prostate exams and root canals in my list of favorites, along with “TV personalities,” this was not a book I would normally purchase.  However, since it was sent to me to review, I felt honor bound to give it a try.  Reading the book reminded me of the evaluation a college friend got for a college ROTC paper he turned in after 72 hours of coffee, No-doz, and similar substances. “Well written and covers the subject matter.  Would have been more effective and very much shorter if the quantity of profanity had been reduced by at least 50%.”  That said, if you can get past the subject, the setting and the language, it ain’t that bad a book, just not for me. 05/07 Jack Quick 

THE KEEPER by Sarah Langan: Susan Marley wanders the town of Bedford, Maine, leaving a trail of nightmares in her wake. Everyone in the town thinks of Susan at their worst moments. Thoughts and dreams of her come unbidden and are beyond the townspeople’s control. Then, Susan Marley is dead. Rather than relief, her death brings a plague of darkness and evil to the dying town of Bedford. Those who are able, leave before the worst of it begins. Everyone who remains hides a dark secret in their past, a secret that the dead Susan Marley can now release upon them. Sarah Langan’s Stoker nominated debut is an absolute must for horror fans. This creepy tale will, at times, remind readers of King’s Needful Things. Like King, Langan’s characters are not ideal small town folk. Most of them are barely able to keep their dirty secrets hidden from the prying eyes of gossipy neighbors. It is just this element that makes the people of Bedford more realistic, if grandiose, depictions of the worst sort of people today. Langan has an impressive voice that is all her own. I recommend you lock your doors and curl up with this book late into the night. The Keeper is only the beginning. Langan’s recent follow-up, The Missing, revisits the cursed town of Bedford.  11/07 Becky Lejeune

KEEPING IT REAL by Justina Robson: When I picked this up, I was kind of like, "elves, bleh, they make my teeth hurt." But they kind of have the same effect on the heroine of the book, with lots of complaining about their twinkly pan flute music and prissy attitude. ("Elves don't rock!")
    In the story, it turns out there was some kind of temporal anomaly or something, it doesn’t really matter, and now people can travel between dimensions to the elf world and the demon world and possibly others, I don’t remember exactly. And there’s this one elf who is a rock star in the human world, and a human woman who is assigned to be his bodyguard because she was in a horrible accident and is now basically the Bionic Woman and more or less invincible. It’s definitely an unusual take on the whole elf thing, and it was pretty fun with lots of sciency details about magic.
    My only problem with it was the rather pointless romance aspect, which is a bit like Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series with the "we LOVE each other because we are SOULMATES because we LOVE each other because we are SOULMATES because we LOVE each other". Even so, I liked it a lot and will probably read the next one in the series. Jenne Bergstrom 03/08

KEEPER OF LIGHT AND DUST by Natasha Mostert:  Mia Lockheart is a Keeper like her mother before her and her mother before that and so on throughout the years. It is Mia’s job to protect and heal warriors. Her particular warriors are all martial arts fighters in the London area. Mia is also a tattooist and uses her art as part of her Keeper duties, using special symbols and ideograms to enhance her link to the fighters in her care. When one of her fighters dies mysteriously, just days after his last fight, Mia senses that there is something dark and sinister at work. How does an otherwise healthy man’s heart just stop beating? Nick Duffy, one of Mia’s closest friends and a fighter himself, also thinks the death is strange and manages to track down five other similar cases from recent years. As they both search out the truth, independent of one another, they are both led back to a stranger who calls himself Dragonfly. Little do they know that Dragonfly is a thief of the worst kind and he wants both Nick and Mia as his latest conquests. Mostert is one of the most creative authors I have read in ages. In each new book, she ties paranormal occurrences to scientific discoveries and philosophy to create intricate and thrilling stories. In Keeper of Light and Dust she has also incorporated the martial arts world and Eastern medicine as well as a new spin on the traditional vampire myth and the idea of Chi; another fantastic read from an amazing talent. 04/09 Becky Lejeune  

Kentuckiana by Johnny Payne:  This was seriously funny stuff, brilliantly written, about a family that will be impossible to forget.  I wasn't sure what to expect, I never heard of metafiction and still had some trepidations about Southern fiction.  Braselton drew me out, and now this...I may be over it!  I read it to gain some insight into the author, and I think I accomplished that, but I gained so much more.  Onward to North of Patagonia... 

KEY LIME PIE MURDER by Joanne Fluke: Hannah Swensen returns in Fluke’s latest mystery, the ninth in the series. Swensen, the owner of The Cookie Jar bakery in Lake Eden, Minnesota, is still bothered by the decision to marry Mike Kingston or Norman Rhodes. However, for a week in June, she can forget about it because it’s time for the Tri-County Fair, and Hannah’s whole family is involved. Hannah’s a judge in the baking contest. Her sister Michelle is competing to be Miss Tri-County Fair Queen, and Andrea is competing in the mother-daughter lookalike contest. Hannah’s other problem, besides her love life? Why is Moishe, her cat, giving up food to stare out the window? Those are her problems until another judge, a teacher’s aide, is murdered at the fair. Hannah’s family comes together to investigate Willa Sunquist’s past, because something in it might lead to the killer. Fans of Hannah Swensen will enjoy the return to Lake Eden, with its familiar cast. And those of us not on a diet will enjoy the wonderful recipes that Fluke includes in each book. 03/07 Lesa Holstine

KEY WEST CONNECTION by Randy Wayne White:  Ex-Navy SEAL Dusky MacMorgan will need all his military skills when a psychotic pack of drug runners turns the Gulf stream waters red with the blood of his beloved family.  His new life as a fisherman is shattered but soon he is tracking the pack responsible right into the island fortress of a corrupt U.S. Senator.  However, even that fortress in vulnerable to a one-man hit squad with MacMorgan’s expertise and arsenal.  Originally published in 1981 under the pen name of Randy Striker.  Hope they have some more stashed away. 06/06 Jack Quick

KIDNAPPED by Jan Burke: Reporter Irene Kelly and husband Detective Frank Harriman return in this latest installment to the series. The mystery begins with the murder of Richard Fletcher, member of the famous Fletcher family, and the disappearance of his infant daughter Jenny. Five years later, Jenny is still missing. While investigating a story on missing children, Irene fills in for another reporter at a crime scene where human remains have been discovered. The scene turns out to be strangely linked to Irene’s own story. As she investigates further, she becomes entangled in something much bigger than she could have imagined. With original stories and an engaging cast, Jan Burke always delivers. Fans of the series will not be disappointed. This is also a perfect opportunity for newbies to jump in, though there are a few references to past releases. 10/06 Becky LeJeune

THE KIDNAPPING OF ROSETA UVALDO by Zane Grey:  Good westerns are like potato chips.  It’s hard to stop with just one.  Twenty years as a Texas Ranger were about enough for Vaughn Merrill.  He was ready to settle down with a good wife, and raise children and cattle on a spread of his own.  However, when the lovely dark-eyed Roseta Uvaldo is kidnapped by bad guys from South of the Border, Merrill knows he could never pursue his own dreams until he rescued her and made sure her captors paid the price. 04/06 Jack Quick 

KILL ALL THE LAWYERS by Paul Levine: Levine delivers yet again with this fast, funny legal thriller, third in the Solomon vs. Lord series.  Steve Solomon, Miami lawyer who lives by his own law and favors t-shirts with pithy sayings like, "Lawyers do it in their briefs" has his hands full.  A former client, Dr. William Kreeger, recently released from prison, has somehow learned that Steve threw the case and got him convicted.  Instead of appealing or suing, Dr. Kreeger, a well-known psychologist, decides to torture and kill Steve.  Steve's law partner & lover, Victoria Lord, is pressuring him to make a commitment, and worse than that, he thinks he wants to.  Steve's lovable-albeit-challenging nephew, Bobby, is at full pubescent turmoil, compounded by Bobby's drug-addict mother finding Jesus and trying to move back into his life. To round out this picture of family dysfunction is Steve's father, who has also found religion - he's become an Orthodox Jew and is driving Steve crazier than usual.  But despite all their faults, none of them really wants to see Steve get killed. With a little help from friends and family, Steve & Victoria live to fight another day.  And to fans of this series, that is very good news indeed.  I love this series; it's become one of those that when I read the latest book - a couple of weeks before the on-sale date, mind you - I'm immediately impatient for the next.  Hey, Levine, I know you're reading - can't you write any faster???  08/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

KILL ALL THE LAWYERS by Paul Levine: The oddest of odd couples continue their legal practice and love-hate relationship. She honors the rules, he bends them, she wants to settle down, he is too high flying. This time Steve has a little problem, an ex-client and convicted killer psychologist with a genius level IQ discovers that Steve deliberately lost his case. This is not someone you want as an enemy as Steve learns when a 300-pound fish is found dangling from Steve’s door. The threats escalate from there and strain the relationships to the max, before the matter is finally resolved. Please, please keep them coming, Mr. Levine. This has got to be more fun than practicing law. 11/06 Jack Quick

KILL FOR ME by Karen Rose:  In Dutton, Georgia, an elderly monster known only as Charles and his associates steal teenage girls to sell to perverts in a lucrative human trafficking scheme.  Hot on their trail are the Georgia Bureau of Investigations special agent Daniel Vartanian; his partner, special agent Luke Papadopoulos; and his long-suffering sister, Susannah Vartanian, a New York City ADA.  A botched raid spurs the murders of five girls and the removal of abused assets to another hiding place.  Two courageous teen survivors provide the GBI with help, but a mole in the GBI working for Charles complicates the takedown.  In spite of its topic and some gruesome scenes, there are also romantic overtones that quite frankly, keep taking me out of the action.  Not chic lit, but not as hardcore as the subject matter would indicate. 09/09 Jack Quick 

KILL ME by Stephen White: Clinical psychologist Dr. Alan Gregory plays only a cameo role in this tale about a wealthy, happily married businessman with an adventurous streak who becomes one of Gregory’s patients. The businessman has learned of an organization that, for a hefty fee, will end your life should you become a burden to family as the result of catastrophic accident or illness. He signs up, only to learn that while he has a potentially deadly medical condition, it could strike now or twenty years from now. The problem is that the organization has activated his contract. Can our hero evade the assassins he paid with his own money in time to put his house in order? Bizarre and thrilling, but bottom line - I think I prefer White’s other efforts better. 08/06 Jack Quick

KILLER CUTS by Elaine Viets: This is the latest entry in the fabulous Dead End Job series. Helen Hawthorne, who likes to live below the radar and work for cash only, gets a job as assistant to a hair cutter to the stars.  Miguel Angel deals with celebrities and tourists with same good grace and humor.  One of his clients hires him to do her hair and makeup for her wedding to Kingman “King” Oden, a cable gossip star.  King makes it through the wedding, but turns up dead in the pool a few minutes later.  Cops find drugs in Miguel Angel's bag and he becomes the prime suspect in the murder.  Helen is sure he didn't do it and sets out to prove it and find out who did, with the help of her fiancé.  Nothing falls into place easily here, but there are lots of laughs on the rocky road to marriage.  This is a great beach read, breezy and fun - another winner from Viets. 05/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

KILLER INSTINCT by Joseph Finder:  Finder pens another corporate thriller that is his best yet - and that's saying a lot for the "John Grisham" of the corporate world.  Jason Steadman is a happy guy; he's a successful salesman for Entronics, Panasonic's biggest rival, he works with some good guys, plays softball for the company team.  His wife isn't so happy; she'd like to see him work a little harder, get further ahead, buy her a bigger house.  When he accidentally drives into a ditch, he befriends the tow truck driver, Kurt Semko, ex-Special Forces and semi-pro ball player, recruiting him for the corporate team and getting him a job in security.  In a strange twist of fate, good things start happening for Steadman while bad things are happening to his rivals.  He becomes uneasy with all the yin and yang and the suspense gets thick as Steadman tries to figure out what is going on and how, or if, to stop it.  Believable characters doing unbelievable things combine to make a fast paced, tension filled story that works because of Finder's superb writing and storytelling skills.  This is a page turner of the highest order; don't plan on putting it down until you turn the last page.   05/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

Killer Smile by Lisa Scottoline: After Dead Ringer, Mary DiNunzio and the all-women law firm of Rosato & Associates are back in another installment of the popular series. While it's chock-full of Scottoline's trademark murder, mayhem, and merriment, this time she has a more important and personal story to tell-that of the little-known internment camps for Italian Americans during World War II. Scottoline discovered her own grandparents' alien registration cards, giving her the impetus and passion to bring this story to light. DiNunzio has taken on a pro bono case for the family of Amadeo Brandolini, an Italian immigrant fisherman who settled in Philadelphia but died under mysterious circumstances in one such camp in Montana; now, his family is seeking retribution. DiNunzio takes his case to heart, but her fervent research uncovers more subterfuge than she was supposed to find. Her crazy blind dates offer some comic relief, but the threats, violence, and bodies continue to pile up, and the truth remains elusive throughout this complex and riveting tale.

KILLER SWELL by Jeff Shelby:  Smart-talking, wisecracking, surfing San Diego PI Noah Braddock, has a problem with his newest prospective client.  Marilyn Crier is the mother of his high school sweetheart, Kate, and was actively involved in making sure the romance didn’t last.  But Kate, now married, is missing, and Marilyn plays on his old feelings for her daughter to get him to take the case.  After he finds Kate, too late, he sets out to find out exactly what has happened in the dozen years since they parted.. Drugs and drug lords, Federal and local police, Kate's parents, sister and husband, all work to complicate the puzzle. Good action and a surprise plot twist make it a safe bet that Braddock will return.  WICKED BREAK is his next one.  04/06 Jack Quick 

KILLER VIEW by Ridley Pearson: It’s a return to Blaine County, Idaho in Pearson’s latest Sheriff Walt Fleming mystery. Once again, the likable sheriff has a mess on his hands with two kidnap victims, a murder, and local ranchers and politicians who seem to be blocking his investigation. Fleming is stubborn, though, and two of the victims were childhood friends of his. He’s not going to let any politician stand in his way. This book has a few too many technical details about guns, hunting, and tracking for my taste, but it’s still a page-turner with a killer ending. 08/08 Lesa Holstine

KILLER WEEKEND by Ridley Pearson: As a rookie cop, Walt Fleming saved Elizabeth Shuler from a knife-wielding attacker. Now he’s the sheriff in Sun Valley, Idaho, and she’s about to announce her candidacy for President. He’s not looking forward to a weekend coping with assorted security forces. He also has to cope with the father he hates, a troubled teenage nephew, and a cougar on the loose. Throw in a woman who disappears, and a killer who seems headed straight for Sun Valley, and there’s a Killer Weekend. Pearson creates a very human hero in Sheriff Walt Fleming, and throws him into a tough situation. He tells the story in crisp, short chapters that move the story quickly along. James Patterson fans who haven’t yet discovered Ridley Pearson are in for a treat. 08/07 Lesa Holstine

KILLER YEAR, edited by Lee Child:  Killer Year features a group of 13 debut crime/mystery/suspense authors whose books were published in 2007. The graduating class includes such rising stars as Brett Battles, Robert Gregory Browne, Bill Cameron, Toni McGee Causey, Sean Chercover, JT Ellison, Patry Francis, Marc Lecard, Derek Nikitas, Gregg Olsen, Jason Pinter, Marcus Sakey, and David White.  These stories are intorcued by the likes of Lee Child, Jeffrey Deaver and Tess Gerritsen, In addition there are stories by Ken Bruen, Allison Brennan and Duane Swierczynski and essays by Laura Lippman and MJ Rose.  Lee Child proves to be as adept as an editor as he has already shown as an author.  Definitely a keeper. 04/08 Jack Quick  

KILLER YEAR: STORIES TO DIE FOR…From the Hottest New Crime Writers edited by Lee Child:  If you’re interested in discovering new crime writers, this is a perfect anthology to pick up. Thirteen of these authors had their first crime novel published in 2007. Together, they formed the group Killer Year 2007, designed to get buzz for their first novels. It certainly succeeded. It caught the attention of International Thriller Writers (ITW), a group that offered to mentor the new writers. This compilation is one result of that partnership. It’s an intriguing group of stories, introduced by Lee Child, and summarized by Laura Lippman. Each new author is introduced by their mentor in the book. If you like dark crime, this is a perfect collection. Discover Gregg Olsen, Toni McGee Causey, or J.T. Ellison. Let Brett Battles’ take you to the Philippines. You’ll read stories told by detectives, killers, and the victims themselves. It’s a great way to find new authors, if you’re a crime fiction reader. 01/08 Lesa Holstine

THE KILLER'S WIFE by Bill Floyd:  What if your somewhat controlling, know-it-all husband turned out to be a serial killer?  That is the intriguing premise of Floyd's debut novel that never quite lives up to expectations.  Nina Mosley has a baby before she is finally able to admit to herself that there is something wrong in her marriage and with her husband.  By that point, he's decided to trust her, and leaves her the evidence she needs to turn him in, get a divorce, move cross country and change her name.  Years pass and then she is confronted by the parent of one of her ex's victims, turning her new life upside down.  When her son is kidnapped by a copycat killer, the tension really escalates.  While interesting and towards the end, very suspenseful, the book tends to meander choppily between the back story and the present day situation, but all in all, a very impressive debut. 04/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE KILLER’S WIFE by Bill Floyd: Leigh Wren has been through one of the worst experiences any wife can imagine. Her husband, Randy, was a serial killer and it was Leigh who discovered the truth and turned him in. Some people couldn’t believe that Leigh had nothing to do with the murders. It is one of these people, the father of one of Randy’s victims, who has tracked Leigh down six years after the fact and has turned her world upside-down. Now, neighbors look at her with suspicion, her son is being bullied in school, and it seems that the two may have become a target for a new killer. This is an explosive debut that elicits the most visceral emotional responses - everything from sympathy to downright anger. Like many novels, this one picks up in the middle, Randy sits, running through appeal after appeal on death row and Leigh has attempted to make a new life for her and her son. The story alternates between the events of the present and the events of the past – from the point when Randy first meets and woos Leigh, through her discovery of his terrible secret, to her new life and identity in Cary, North Carolina. This is one of the most talked about debuts of the year, and Bill Floyd really delivers. 03/08 Becky Lejeune 

KLLING ART by Jonathan Santlofer: Kate McKinnon is back and has some major adjusting to do since her husband's demise.  She's moved out of their luxury digs into a slightly more modest Chelsea apartment.  She's working on a new book on the 1930's-40's New York School of artists, which included such artists as Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning.  Then in an odd coincidence, the de Kooning painting that Kate had donated to a museum in her husband's memory is slashed during a museum benefit.  More paintings are destroyed - and their owners are being murdered.  The trend continues with an intriguing twist: the murderer is leaving a calling card, paintings that include clues to the next victim.  Santlofer is a gifted artist and these paintings are featured throughout the book, putting an unusual spin on the thriller that really draws the reader in.  Top notch. 02/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE KILLING ART by Jonathon Santlofer:  Kate McKinnon, a former NYPD detective turned art historian has given up her rich clients and is now writing a book about the New York School of painters of the 1930s.  After someone slashes a painting by Willem de Kooning, which was loaned to a museum by Kate's late husband, she reluctantly returns to police work, helping the NYPD's art squad find out who's behind this and other slashings.  An interesting look into what, for me, was a totally different world. 05/06 Jack Quick

KILLING CASTRO by Lawrence Block:  Hardcase Crime Number Fifty One is a reprint of a 1961 classic by one of the masters.  Five guys on a mission.  The reward - $20,000 each.  The target – Fidel Castro.  Originally published just before the Cuban Missile Crisis under a pen-name used only this once, it reads as good today.  From the opening line – “The taxi, one headlight out and one fender crimped, cut through downtown Tampa and into Ybor City.” to the final scene at the airport, you know this book was not written on a word processor.  At best it was typed two fingered on a battered Remington with a cigarette in the ashtray on one side and half a glass of good scotch on the other.  No pretty boys here, no psychological insights, no sensitive touchy feely – just what the name implies – Kill him. 12/08 Jack Quick 

THE KILLING CIRCLE by Andrew Pyper:  Widower and single father Patrick Rush is looking for more out of his life than his journalism career has been giving him. On a whim, he joins a writing class. He finds that he has trouble developing his own story, but he quite enjoys one of his fellow classmates’ tales in particular. Time passes and Patrick hears that the author of this tale has died in a car accident. Patrick, who still has no story of his own, decides to tell hers instead. Then the dead girl shows up at one of his signings cryptically telling him to watch out, that he has awakened the Sandman. Soon, others from the class reveal that they have felt a presence, perhaps someone stalking them, a malicious being hiding in the shadows. Patrick, too, has felt this and believes that the person behind it has to have been one of the members of that writing group. Then the first body appears and Patrick knows that time is quickly running out for them all. At first, my impression was that Killing Circle bore a strong resemblance to Jincy Willett’s Writing Class. Quickly, though the book took a much darker tone than Willett’s more sarcastic tale. Pyper’s story is an ominous thriller with a really great ending. Certainly readers who enjoyed Willett’s novel will also like The Killing Circle, but in the end they are refreshingly different. 09/08 Becky Lejeune  

Killing Floor by Lee Child: Western readers might even enjoy Child’s debut thriller because it has that traditional western plot - stranger rides into town, woos woman, cleans up town, and rides out of town. In this case, Jack Reacher, Child’s hero is introduced when he arrives off the bus in a small Georgia town, only to be arrested for a murder that occurred before he arrived.  He discovers a personal interest in finding the killers, so he gathers a few allies to help in his search. It’s a riveting first novel which, upon its debut, gave clues as to the powerful writer Child would become. 08/06 Lesa Holstine

A KILLING FROST by Michael A. Black:  Ron Shade is a Chicago-area tough-guy P.I. and martial arts aficionado. Things aren’t going too well for him so he makes some life changing decisions. He buys a new Camaro Z-28 and a big yellow pages ad and starts looking for a different office.  Then he meets Maria Castro. She wants him to find her friend Juanita’s missing fiancé Carlos.  When Carlos is located, facedown is a shipping canal, the journey really begins to get interesting. By now Shade is involved with Maria, and there are lots of potential bad guys.  It’s the Chicago way.  Is Shade gonna be tough enough? Stay tuned. 07/09 Jack Quick 

THE KILLING GROUND by Jack Higgins:  Is there anyone better at writing about bad guys doing good things?  Sean Dillon, the colorful former IRA hit man turned British intelligence antiterrorism op is back, along with his able sidekick, Billy Salter, son of London pub keeper and career criminal, Harry Salter.  The actual villain is Muslim extremist Hussein Rashid, aka the Hammer of God, one of the most successful assassins alive, with 27 certified kills of American and British soldiers and Iraqi politicians.  This time Hussein is after Charles Ferguson, head of British intelligence. It's a longstanding grudge, complicated by the recent kidnapping of Hussein's promised bride, his 13-year-old cousin Sara, who was earlier kidnapped by Hussein himself.  Don’t worry, it reads easier than it explains.  Just don’t get too comfy because you never know what the next page will bring.  With almost forty of these published, Higgins knows how to pull all the strings and without ever a letdown.  Definitely recommended. 03/08 Jack Quick 

A KILLING NIGHT by Jonathon King: This time out Florida PI Max Freeman, is primarily in Fort Lauderdale and Philadelphia helping pal Bill Manchester look after the interests of a dozen immigrant cruise ship employees who were injured in a boiler explosion. Freeman is also looking into the murder of three pretty female bartenders. The suspect is Philadelphia ex-cop Colin O’Shea, with whom Max once worked. King just keeps getting better and better. 05/07 Jack Quick

The Killing of Strangers by Jerry Holt: Sam Haggard was in Vietnam on May 4, 1970, when the Kent State shootings occur. However, twenty-five years later, the ex-cop turned fired security guard knows the story of Lucifer and Crystal Jones, ex-hippies who were involved with Kent. Lucifer disappeared that day, but Crystal, a drunk, dependent on her wealthy father, claims she’s seen him in her backyard. When Crystal’s daughter asks Sam to look into it, he finds himself caught up in a dangerous game. As Sam runs around Ohio looking for answers, he realizes he feels alive for the first time in a long time. This is a novel, with no answers for “one of the unsolved mysteries of the century,” but it’s a haunting, intriguing story. 05/06 Lesa Holstine

KILLING RAIN by Barry Eisler: A blown assignment in Manila for his new employers – the Mossad - leaves two CIA agents dead and John Rain in the cross hairs as the Israelis fear his continued existence will lead back to them. Mossad operative Delilah who had become Rain’s lover and introduction to Mossad is now tasked with finding him and setting him up for elimination. But the dead agents are actually ex-CIA and there is more going on here than suspected by anyone. There are both official and unofficial agendas being pursued. Most of the action actually happens in Bangkok and Rain and his partner Dox seem to be under the gun all the time. Rain is a contradictory character, but Eisler makes him likable and the pace is always fast. Expect the unexpected and you may still be surprised at the end as I was. Recommended. 07/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

KILLING TIME by Linda Howard: In 1985, a fifteen-year-old Knox Davis watched the town fathers place a time capsule in the ground. His curiosity as to its contents was aroused, but forgotten when the high school football coach committed suicide that night. Twenty years later, both events come back to haunt Knox, now the chief county investigator. Why would someone dig up and remove the time capsule? Why doesn't the thief show up on the security cameras? Knox' interest is once again aroused by the appearance of Nikita Stover, an FBI agent who shouldn't be looking into a local murder and showing interest in the time capsule. Knox Davis is a strong, likeable character in this suspense novel with an unusual twist.  07/05 ~This review contributed by Lesa Holstine.

THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS by Katrina Kittle: Sarah Ladens is struggling to keep her family intact after the death of her husband. Her oldest son, Nate, has been getting in trouble at school and her youngest, Danny is barely getting by. Sarah learns that her best friend is charged with a horrendous crime against her son, a classmate of Danny's, as well as several other young children in this small, close-knit town. Sarah must determine who to believe--the scathing evidence the police has found, or her best friend. And caught in the middle is Jordan, Danny's classmate. Jordan has never known what it feels like to really be loved. Now, without parents, he's destined to become part of the foster care system. The Ladens step up and offer to foster him. After a long and difficult struggle, the Ladens, once again a family of four all begins to heal. The Kindness of Strangers is powerful and full of emotion. Katrina Kittle deals with a sensitive topic that is often buried. The emotion that each of the characters experience is genuine and believable. The reader feels that they are part of the story, a member of the community that is forced to deal with this horrendous crime. 05/08 Jennifer Lawrence

KING OF THE HOLLY HOP by Les Roberts: It's been six years since the last book in the Milan Jacovich series, and it's been way too long. Milan attends the fortieth reunion of his East Cleveland high school. He witnesses an argument between a famous playwright and a doctor, but doesn't see the doctor shot in the parking lot. When the playwright asks him to find another suspect, Milan discovers his entire class is suspect. This is a sad, nostalgic novel, as Milan investigates and loses friends, and realizes he can't recapture the past of his class, his life, or the city of Cleveland. This could serve as the successful conclusion to a series, or the turn in Jacovich's life and career. It will be interesting to see what happens. I'm hoping Roberts brings Milan back. He's Cleveland's answer to Robert B. Parker's Spenser.  07/08 Lesa Holstine

The King of Lies by John Hart: This powerful literary thriller starts off slowly but builds momentum like a runaway train. Jackson Workman Pickens, Work to his friends, is an unambitious criminal defense lawyer in a small North Carolina town who has some serious baggage. He's lost his mother, his father Ezra has been missing for more than a year, leaving Work to deal with his psychologically damaged sister, and his marriage is on the rocks. Ezra, a prosperous attorney of questionable ethics and Work’s boss, made a lot of enemies, so when his body is found pretty much everyone is a suspect – but only one man is charged with the murder. Small town ostracism and a social climbing wife only add to the difficulties of trying to find out the truth behind the murder, which eventually opens a Pandora’s Box for Work. The writing is beautiful and the story is gripping, but it is the character study of a damaged southern lawyer that puts this debut novel on the must-read list. 06/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch. Copyright © 2006 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.  Reprinted with permission. 

THE KING OF LIES by John Hart: This debut novel is evocative of some of the early John Grisham works. “Work” Pickens is a second-generation lawyer in Salisbury, North Carolina who has always lived in the shadow of his father, Ezra. Ezra’s body, with two .357 bullet holes is found over a year after he disappeared the same night Work’s mother died. Because Work stands to inherit over $15 million, he is an immediate suspect, although it is known that Ezra had a number of people who actively disliked him. Then Work learns that Alexandra, his sister’s partner, was convicted of killing her own abusive father which makes Work fearful for her safety an well. A powerful story and reasonably well written. I found it a bit long on “touchy-feely” and had some difficulty in warming up to Work because of his brooding nature and some of his personal predilections. I look forward to Hart’s next effort to see if there is improvement. 04/07 Jack Quick

KING OF SWORDS by Nick Stone:  Nick Stone made his debut last year with the award-winning Mr. Clarinet. In his first thriller, readers were introduced to PI Max Mingus. Now, Stone takes readers back to 1980 when Mingus was still a Miami cop. In King of Swords, Miami is suffering the results of years of racial intolerance and turmoil. It’s only a matter of time before a wrong step is taken and the whole city explodes. Max is part of an elite team of cops who don’t always go by the books, or follow the rules, to get their results. Max’s partner, however, is another matter. Joe has been left out of the loop and only Max’s dedication to his friend has kept him in his current position. When a prominent member of the Miami drug trade is gunned down on the witness stand, Max is told to make a certain connection in an attempt to bring down a wanted drug lord. He and Joe decide to play it the boss’s way, but continue to investigate on their own in hopes of actually solving the case. When it is discovered that the killing is linked to yet another series of murders that took place just months before, Max and Joe know that they have stumbled onto something big. Miami gangsters, drug lords, dirty cops, and Haitian voodoo are just some of the key aspects of this gritty and dark prequel. King is a great starting point for new readers, and fans of Mr. Clarinet are guaranteed to enjoy reading about how Max Mingus got his start. 12/08 Becky Lejeune 

KING OF SWORDS by Nick Stone:  Stone’s 2007 thriller Mr. Clarinet was one of my top ten reads for last year. This second thriller is actually a prequel which begins when Detective. Sergeant Max Mingus and his black partner, Detective Joe Liston, of the Miami PD discover a decomposed body in a primate park.  When a tarot card—the ominous King of Swords—is found in the victim's stomach and his entire family killed, it's clear something darker is at work.  The detectives are soon hot on the trail of a young Haitian pimp and his fortune-teller mother, who are thought to be linked to voodoo gang leader Solomon Boukman.  Mingus and Liston soon realize that with the rampant police corruption there is no one they can trust and they are both in way too deep to back out.  There are hauntingly violent and gruesome scenes as in Clarinet, but if you can stand the heat, Stone has turned out another great read. 06/09 Jack Quick

KING OF THE ROAD by Paul Hemphill – Paul Hemphill grew up in Birmingham, Alabama and became a featured daily columnist in the Atlanta Journal during the 1960’s. In this novel, he captures the spirit of the last American cowboy – the over the road trucker – who is trying to pass along his love of this life to his son. Jake and Sonny go on the road for Jake’s last trip from Alabama to Nevada – a journey that will enable Sonny to see his father, and himself, in a new light. Jake is over seventy, his wife has Alzheimer’s and doesn’t know him most of the time, his daughter and son-in-law have disowned him. All he has left is Dixie Red ball IV – his gasoline powered Dodge truck - and Sonny, an alcoholic want-to-be writer who has settled for teaching at community colleges rather than reaching for his goals. Extremely well written and accurately depicts the time and location. 08/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

A KISS GONE BAD by Jeff Abbott:  Welcome to Port Leo, Tex., original home of porn star Pete Hubble, the black sheep son of a senator, who returns only to be killed.  His producer and girlfriend, Velvet Mojo, along with rookie Judge Whit Mosley and police detective Claudia Salazar, a pompous southern sheriff, a wrestler turned evangelist, a shadowy psychotic killer named Blade, a corrupt female senator and a delightful sidekick who sticks to his ethics even if they don't always coincide with judicial law seek to get to the bottom of the matter.  You’ve probably guessed the conclusion by now, but you still should give it a read.  06/06 Jack Quick

KISS ME, JUDAS by Will Christopher Baer: Remember the one about the man who wakes up in a hotel bathtub full of ice to discover someone has removed a kidney?  That really happens to Phineas Poe, an ex-cop on his first night out from a six month stay in a psychiatric hospital.  Poe heads to the sex-shop where his friend Crumb works.  “Crumb isn’t really a doctor. He does cheap abortions and gunshot wounds and even dental work for the mad and desperate.”  Crumb confirms the absence of Poe’s kidney and even further complications : but you just have to read it for yourself…. 11/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

KISS ME, KILL ME by Lauren Henderson:  Every girl knows how hard it is to be a teenager. Scarlett Wakefield is one the very unlucky ones. When Scarlett is invited to attend a party thrown by one of the most popular girls at St. Tabby’s private school, she is elated. Her crush, Dan McAndrew will be there. Her two friends are understandably angry at being ditched, but Scarlett can always deal with that later. After all, this could finally be her chance with Dan. Everything is going fantastically well. She and Dan are talking, and then, magically, kissing, but something is wrong with Dan. Dan is dead and it seems like Scarlett must be cursed with the kiss of death. Shamed out of St. Tabby’s, Scarlett is whisked away by her grandmother to attend Wakefield Hall Collegiate. Wakefield Hall is a far cry from St. Tabby’s and being the headmistress’s granddaughter isn’t helping. At least no one knows about Scarlett’s killer past. There is even a boy at Wakefield, the gardener’s hot grandson. Scarlett can’t shake the horrifying memory of Dan’s death, however, or the guilty thought that it was all her fault and she vows to find out the truth at any cost. This is Henderson’s first young adult title and the start of what promises to be a great teen mystery series. It’s fun for adults as well. Henderson is no newbie to the mystery trade. She is the author of seven precious adult tart noir mysteries.  01/08 Becky Lejeune

Kisscut by Karin Slaughter: In this sequel to Blindsighted, Dr. Sara Linton and Police Chief Jeffrey Tolliver are back, dealing with very disturbing subject matter; a child porn ring and teenage genital mutilation, in a story even more depraved and gory than it's predecessor.  Slaughter borrows a page from Andrew Vachss, but unfortunately doesn't quite measure up.  The story just plods along in places, and certain plot points were dubious at best. 

KISSER by Stuart Woods: This is Woods’ 17th Stone Barrington novel and I am afraid that with it, Mr. Woods has joined James Patterson and the late Harold Robbins on my list of “burned out” authors.  Stone Barrington (who, other than Stone Phillips of NBC-TV, is so uniquely named), ex-NYPD Detective and current legal eagle falls hook, line and sinker for one Carrie Cox, an aspiring actress who's recently moved from Georgia to New York City, whom he picks ups at Elaine's, his favorite Manhattan restaurant. Add her to Barrington’s long and somewhat unusual list of conquests  art gallery assistant Rita Gammage, U.S. attorney Tiffany Baldwin, and mentally unstable Dolce Bianci, to whom he was once briefly married.   Ms. Cox allegedly is being pursued by a violent ex-husband who wishes her great harm, so Stone and his current and former NYPD and CIA friends jump into protect the poor lass. Stone even allows her to spend most nights with him.  In a few days major discrepancies appear in Ms. Cox’s story but in the meantime, Barrington manages to get involved in protecting young heiress Hildy Parsons from a con artist/drug dealer, and plots to take down Ponzi scammer Sig Larsen.   I know I am not getting old, but all the whining and wining and dining and bedding, etc. begins to wear thin. 02/10 Jack Quick   

KISSES AND LIES by Lauren Henderson:  Six months ago, Scarlett Wakefield thought all her dreams were coming true. After being invited to an exclusive party by some of the most popular teens in London, she ends up alone with the guy she’s been crushing on for ages. But everything falls apart when Dan, the boy in question, dies while kissing Scarlett. She’d thought it was her fault, but in Kiss Me, Kill Me she finally discovered that she was wrong. Dan had a severe peanut allergy and someone laced the chips at the party with peanut oil and then stole Dan’s epi-pen (emergency allergy injector). Though her own conscience is clear, Scarlett is now determined to track down the person responsible for Dan’s murder. Her investigation eventually leads her to Dan’s ancestral home in Scotland. Scarlett manages an invite to the estate, but is not prepared for the surprises that await her upon arrival. This mostly lighthearted, contemporary mystery series is great fun for teens. I have a teen sister who’s been dying to get her hands on this book. I must admit that I was so intrigued after Kiss Me, Kill Me that I just had to read this one before handing it over to her. I was not disappointed. Who knows what Scarlett and Taylor will be up to next, but I can tell you the twist at the end of Kisses and Lies looks very promising for this series’ continuation. 04/09 Becky Lejeune 

KISSING BABIES AT THE PIGGLY WIGGLY by Robert Dalby: Dalby, author of Waltzing at the Piggly Wiggly, takes readers back to Second Creek, Mississippi, for an election. Hale “Mr. Choppy” Dunbar is running for mayor, with the support of the Nitwits, a group of wealthy widows. Laurie Lepanto Hampton was president of the Nitwits, until her recent marriage, but she still has a voice with the group. She and her husband have an idea for radio spots done by the Nitwits, a scheme that just might help Dunbar defeat the incumbent, Floyce Hammontree, a man with his hand in his pocket. Second Creek and its residents are just as eccentric as ever. Dalby skillfully inserts issues such as library funding, Alzheimers, gay children and second marriages. At the same time, the book maintains its fun spirit. Readers looking for a book with enjoyable characters and a charming small town won’t be wrong to pick up either of the Piggly Wiggly books. In fact, meet the characters in Walting at the Piggly Wiggly, and Kissing Babies at the Piggly Wiggly will give readers a chance to know them, and appreciate them, even more. 09/07 Lesa Holstine

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto:  Quirky first novel, more accurately a novella.  I found the translation a bit awkward but it was a funny, touching story worth reading.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: I had the privilege of meeting Josseini this past summer which compelled me to finally pick up his book.  This book is an incredible coming-of-age story along with a fascinating history of modern Afghanistan.  Amir is the son of a very successful businessman in Kabul and he grows up in privilege.  His closest friend, Hassan, is the son of their servant.  Amir's mother died in childbirth and Hassan's mother left him as an infant, and they shared the same wet nurse.  They grow up together, playing games and flying kites, which is serious business in Afghanistan.  They would be as close as brothers, except they are separated by class and by a horrific incident during their teenage years.  Eventually Amir and his father flee Afghanistan and end up in California, (rather like the author's own experience) but as an adult, Amir ends up going back to the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan to right some wrongs. Anyone with an interest in other cultures, especially in light of what's going on over there, should plan on reading this.  Beautifully written and very autobiographical, it is a book that will be haunting me for years to come.  This one is definitely going to make my top ten for the year.

KITTY AND THE MIDNIGHT HOUR by Carrie Vaughn: Kitty Norville is a DJ for a Denver radio station. She’s also a werewolf, a secret that she’s been able to keep from her audience. One night, however, things change. She brings up the topic of “Bat Boy”, a local phenomena that frequently appears in the news. Hundreds of calls start pouring in, comments ranging from “My girlfriend, a werewolf, won’t bite me” to recommendations on exorcisms. And thus, “The Midnight Hour”, a supernatural advice show, is born. Kitty is overjoyed at the success of her new show. But her pack leader, Carl, is not. He’s afraid the show is casting too much attention on their pack. Nevertheless, Kitty continues to broadcast, and a rift forms between her and her pack. Her desire for independence is misunderstood as an attempt to gain power within the pack. When Kitty accidentally reveals herself as a werewolf on one airing of a show, her life is in danger. When Cormac, a werewolf hunter, threatens her life, Kitty, and her show, are brought to the attention of the local police. Hardin, a local detective, asks for Kitty’s advice on a batch of unsolved murders. Murders originally thought were the work of wolves. Kitty visits the crime scene and it’s instantly obvious—a rogue werewolf is killing people. The first in a series, KITTY AND THE MIDNIGHT HOUR is a very addictive read. I can’t wait to pick up the next book in the series. 03/09 Jennifer Lawrence

KLLRS by Phil Bowie:  John Hardin has just been given an offer he can’t refuse, literally. Living under an assumed name and working as a pilot specializing in aerial photography, Hardin has some skeletons in his closet that are better off remaining hidden. When Nolan Radar, a former ATF agent, approaches him and blackmails him into helping him on a job, Hardin has no choice. Radar’s younger brother is missing and he believes that the notorious motorcycle gang, Satan’s Ghosts, is behind it. Radar wants Hardin to infiltrate the group and find his brother in exchange for keeping quiet. What the two don’t know is that a man calling himself Brain has taken the younger Radar as part of a twisted experiment and it’s just a matter of time before he’s killed. A great thriller that just sucks you in! Kllrs is third in a series that has been praised by both Lee Child and Stephen Coonts.  10/08 Becky Lejeune

KNEE HIGH BY THE FOURTH OF JULY by Jess Lourey:  Chief Wenonga is one muscled dude.  Of course, he is also 23 feet tall and formed from fiberglass.  But when he goes missing just before the town of Battle Lake, Minnesota celebrates the statue’s 25^th anniversary, there is sadness throughout the land.  Enter amateur sleuth Mira James.  However, her investigation is quickly interrupted by both the disappearance of her second biggest crush after the Chief, one Johnny Leeson, and the discovery of a dead body.  So is Mira after a statue thief, a kidnapper, or a murderer?  And the clue?  A scalp left at the scene of the Chief’s disappearance.  Better cook up another hot dish, Mama, this one is going to take awhile.  One of the better cozy series, but then again I also love Prairie Home Companion. 11/07 Jack Quick   

KNEE HIGH BY THE FOURTH OF JULY by Jess Lourey: Lourey’s amateur detective, Mira James, returns in the sequel to May Day and June Bug. Mira has settled in to the small town of Battle Lake, Minnesota, working part-time as the librarian, and part-time writing a column for the local newspaper. Since she’s a little sexually frustrated, she’s fallen for the 23-foot high statue of Chief Wenonga, the town’s mascot. When he disappears shortly before Chief Wenonga Days, Mira is determined to find the culprits behind the theft of her beloved statue. Lourey’s cozy mysteries vividly portray small town life in the Midwest during festival season, while introducing enjoyable plots and characters. 03/08 Lesa Holstine

KNIT TWO by Kate Jacobs: It’s been five years since we met the members of the Friday Night Knitting Club. Dakota is now an eighteen year old NYU student, working part time at her mother’s yarn shop, Walker & Daughter. She aspires to become a pastry chef, but everyone seems to remind her of her duty to her mom’s shop. Darwin and her husband Dan, after trying for many years, are expecting twins. Lucie has really taken off as a video producer, while trying to be a single mom to her hyperactive 5 year old, Ginger. Anita, the mentor of the group, decides its time she do what she wants to do in life, and not rely on what her family thinks is best. Catherine has a successful wine/antique shop, and KC goes back to work at a firm that once dismissed her, but this time she’s their legal counsel.  Reading KNIT TWO was like coming home again. The first few chapters were very difficult; I missed Georgia (who passed away from cancer at the end of FNKC) tremendously. Apparently so did the members of the Friday Night Knitting Club. They all relied on Georgia so much, and they were just now coming to terms with how to survive without her. I cried tears of sympathy for dear Dakota. Everyone thought they knew what was best for her, but weren’t listening to what she wanted. The strength of the women in this group is quite amazing. They have all overcome so much. And while they started as a knitting club, they evolved into so much more. 02/09 Jennifer Lawrence

KNOCKEMSTIFF by Donald Ray Pollock: If Flannery O'Conner and William Faulkner created a bastard lovechild, the result would be Donald Ray Pollock. Instead of the deep south, Pollock sets his stories in Knockemstiff, Ohio. The town is harsh and unforgiving. This despair is reflected in the lives of it's characters. Incest, drug abuse, and domestic violence are pasttimes for the denizens of Knockemstiff. The factories are closing. Poverty is rampant. This is the forgotten underbelly of America where life is cheap. While the subject matter may be grim, it is delivered with a deft touch. Pollock's writing style is nothing short of high-art, the work of a craftsman. This book will delight fans of transgressive fiction and university professors alike.  05/08 Dan Cawley

THE KOREAN INTERCEPT by Stephen Mertz:  This one avoids Iraq and Afghanistan in favor of the other member of the Evil Axis – North Korea.  The space shuttle Liberty, in orbit and set to deploy a defense satellite while making repairs to other satellites, has its mission aborted on order from NASA.  Veteran captain Ron Scott is uneasy but obeys the order--then crash-lands in the frontier between North Korea and China.  Scott, copilot Kate Galt and handsome but hotheaded crewman Bob Paxton survive.  Scott must try to help the others avoid capture until Kate's estranged husband, Major Trev Galt, a special-ops type for the National Security Council, can get them out of harm’s way.  Not great literature but enough action to satisfy those who prefer an adrenaline rush to more subtle pleasures. 02/07 Jack Quick

La Cucina:  A Novel of Rapture by Lily Prior: I absolutely loved this book!  Set in Sicily, it encompasses food, love, the Mafia, sex, romance, and fun, all rolled up into one tantalizing read.  Warning:  guaranteed to cause severe afterglow in all who read it!

L.A. DEAD by Stuart Woods:  Stone Barrington is about to marry the beautiful (but seriously crazy) daughter of a high-ranking Mafioso, whose other daughter happens to be married to Stone's best friend, an NYPD cop, when Stone is called to L.A., where his former lover has just discovered her husband's dead body.  The lover is Arrington, the dead husband is a famous movie star, and everyone except Stone, who's still in love with her, thinks she killed him.  Stone manages to save the damsel in distress, get rid of his nutty near-wife without offending her father, and wrap up all the details except the most important one – whether he will make the. woman of his dreams Arrington Barrington?  Stay tuned. 07/06 Jack Quick

L. A. OUTLAWS by T. Jefferson Parker:  Parker is one of my favorite crime fiction writers but he hasn't achieved the name recognition he deserves.  Hopefully, this book will do just that.  Suzanne Jones is a mild mannered teacher by day, but at night turns into Allison Murietta, fast food restaurant robber and car thief, who shares in the proceeds with local charities, including the local law enforcement fund raising arm.  Murietta believes herself to be the many times removed grandchild of a famous California bandit, Joaquin Murietta.  She gets a little out of her league when she stumbles onto a diamond deal gone bad; ten dead bodies and the diamonds just sitting there, waiting for her.  But Lupercio, a machete-wielding madman, is looking for the diamonds and he doesn't care who he has to kill to get them.  Meanwhile, Suzanne meets straight-as-an-arrow deputy Charlie Hood, who's been temporarily assigned to the murders.  Pretty soon things are heating up between them just as he is figuring out who she really is.  Take a wild ride with this one, you won't be sorry - it's sure to make my best of the year list. 02/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

L.A. OUTLAWS by T. Jefferson Parker:  Another outstanding offering from Parker who always comes up with the neatest characters.  By day, Suzanne Jones is an eighth grade history teacher with three sons in Los Angeles.  By night, she dons a mask, pockets her derringer and steals – cash from fast food places, cars, and in the instant case, almost half a million in diamonds.  You see, Suzanne aka Allison Murrieta, claims to be a descendant of Joaquin Murrieta, a 19th-century California folklore figure who was either a ruthless robber and killer or an Old West vigilante and Robin Hood.  Suzanne/Allison’s problem is that the diamonds are the basis of a gang disagreement and a master criminal known as the Bull has sent Lupercio, a ruthless assassin, to recover them.  Lots of violence and hot car action with just a touch of s-e-x makes this a fun read.  One of my best of the year. 11/08 Jack Quick

LABOR DAY by Joyce Maynard:  Joyce Maynard has become a superb story teller. While some may feel that “stories” do not rise to the level of serious literature, I am of the belief that story-telling is an ancient and honorable craft, without which we would not have “novels.”

In Labor Day, Ms. Maynard tells the story of Henry, a young man of thirteen. Henry is a ware and wise beyond his years, due to the combination of intelligence and a divorce which left him living with his mother, a very sad and peculiar woman. They live alone, in every respect, on the outskirts of a small New Hampshire town.

Their lives are changed forever by the insertion of the kindest escaped murderer that I can think of in literature. And it could not come at a better time for all of them. Henry’s mother Adele, has been teetering on the edge of madness and is not only brought back to normalcy, but beyond to happiness. Henry is given a guide to all of those perplexing social and growing issues that face a 13 year old male. But as you can imagine, this is a precarious arrangement and therein lies the tale.

I think that this is going to be a very popular book over time. It will benefit from world of mouth from anyone who happens to pick it up and become entranced by it. This is a perfect summer read.  09/09 Geoffrey R. Hamlin

The Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis: This is a story about the Orthodox Jewish community of Memphis, TN and how they deal with someone new and a little bit different moving in.  The narrator is the community itself and it makes for a compelling voice indeed.  Don't miss it. 

THE LADY ELIZABETH by Alison Weir: Historian Weir’s latest is a fictional depiction of Queen Elizabeth I in the years prior to the beginning of her monarchy. As with last year’s Innocent Traitor, the story of Lady Jane Grey, Weir has used historical record and creative license to create an addictive and dramatic story that begins with Mary’s revelation to her younger sister that her mother, Anne Boleyn, has been put to death for the crime of treason against the king in 1536 through to Mary’s death in 1558. A twist in Weir’s tale is the notion that Elizabeth conceived and miscarried a child fathered by Thomas Seymour. People have been fascinated with tales of the British monarchy for ages, and the timely release of Weir’s novel provides a perfect opportunity for fans of titles such as The Other Boleyn Girl to gain more insight into this fascinating piece of history – taken with a grain of salt, of course. Readers looking for a more accurate depiction can tackle Weir’s extensive non-fiction collection on the Tudors, but the fictional interpretation leaves more room for the consideration of less popular, but still remotely possible, “conspiracy theories” that make for provocative reading.  05/08 Becky Lejeune  

LADY KILLER by Lisa Scottoline: It’s great to be back with the all-girl law firm of Rosato & Associates, especially when Mary DiNunzio is at center stage.  Mary is young and sharp as a tack, yet somehow exudes an innocence and Old World charm despite dealing with impending wars between the Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin fan clubs, high school “Mean Girls” all grown up, or the mob.  She’s bringing home the bacon with all the neighborhood cases she takes, so it’s no surprise that former parochial school classmate and head mean girl Trish “Trash” Gambone looks to Mary for help when she fears for her life from her abusive gangster boyfriend. But Trish isn’t walking down any legal avenues to help herself, and she ends up disappearing along with her boyfriend.  Mary is beside herself with worry and guilt, and the rest of the mean girl claque go into overdrive harassing her, the cops and anyone else they think will help them find their friend.  Lady Killer is a thoroughly enjoyable read with warm, wonderful characters, gentle humor, and some unexpected twists and turns.  02/08 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch Copyright © 2008 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.  Reprinted with permission. 

THE LANGUAGE OF SECRETS by Dianne Dixon: After living in London for years, Justin Fisher is finally returning to California. This will be Justin’s first opportunity to reconnect with his family, but if he was expecting a warm homecoming he was strongly mistaken. He finds that his childhood home has been sold and his father has been sent to a convalescent home. Justin’s arrival is just two weeks too late, however, as his father has passed away. His father’s possessions lead him to his sister’s home where he’s ordered off the property. At his parents’ gravesite, Justin makes a discovery that comes as a big surprise: a headstone with his own name on it. As Justin begins to look into his past, he discovers that there are gaps in his happy childhood memories. In fact, actual recollections of his childhood are few and far between. Learning what caused this break in his memory becomes Justin’s obsession. What could be so terrible about one’s own past that they block it out completely? Overall, Dixon’s debut is an absorbing read that unfolds at a pace that is sure to keep you reading straight through in one sitting. Some holes in the plot are revealed if one looks too deeply into the book, but all in all The Language of Secrets is a page-turner and a good read. 04/10 Becky Lejeune 

LAST BREATH by George D. Shuman: Shuman’s debut, 18 Seconds, was a major hit with mystery fans and Last Breath promises to continue this trend. Sherry Moore is a blind woman with a very unique talent - she has the ability to “see” a person’s final eighteen seconds of thoughts. Sherry has become something of a celebrity after she uses her ability to help in several high profile murder cases around the country. Lately though, her ability has been clouded by a deep depression resulting from the murder of her friend John Payne. Sherry reluctantly agrees to help when the bodies of three missing women are discovered in a storage container at an abandoned meat processing plant. It has been two years since the women disappeared. Just after their abductions, two teenage boys were caught on tape kidnapping a young woman in a parking lot and forcing her into a van. Police chased the suspects until the van careened over the edge of an overpass and exploded. Now, authorities finally have a chance to close the case. As it turns out, the teenagers were not the killers after all. No, these three women fell prey to a much more dangerous and twisted killer, one that has been active and covering his tracks all this time. Although officials are hesitant to use Sherry, the killer takes a special interest in her ability and begins to pursue her personally, ensuring her involvement in a case that could be her last. This is a great new series for mystery and suspense fans. Last Breath is a chilling and perfect follow-up to 18 Seconds. 08/07 Becky Lejeune 

Last Car to Elysian Fields by James Lee Burke: Homicide Detective Dave Robicheaux of the Iberia Sheriff's Department, an alcoholic in recovery, is in serious emotional trouble in this book. His wife Bootsie has died. His daughter Alafair (see review of Judgment Calls) is away at college. And he has sold his bait and fishing business to his old partner, Batist. He is alone and he is thinking about drinking. Obsessively.
    The story line begins with Dave ("Stretch" to his friends) assuming personal responsibility for protecting an activist Catholic priest, Father Jimmy Dolan, from an ex-IRA hitman. The hitman, Max Coll, is a complicated and interesting soul. Burke's books are philosophical enough in tone that using the word "soul" seems entirely appropriate.
    Other story threads have to do with the prison camp death of a blues singer named Junior Crudup, a contemporary of Leadbelly's, many years ago and the continuing coverup of that old death as well as the coverup of new ones. Hitman, oldline corruption and historical evil persisting to the present are stirred up by Robicheaux and his former partner, the hell-raising, good-hearted slob, Clete Purcel.
Evil with a capital E and racism are recurring themes in Burke's work and Last Car is no exception. He also reminds us that the beignets in the Cafe du Monde are not far from the St. Louis cemetery and that bodies not properly interred will float to the surface.
    All of Burke's Robicheaux's stories are worth reading and this is particularly good. It is a mark, I think, of Burke's story telling ability that I wanted to shake Dave and tell him to call his sponsor. ~This review contributed by Geoffrey R. Hamlin.

THE LAST CHILD by John Hart: When twelve-year-old Alyssa Merrimon disappeared, her family fell apart. Her twin brother Johnny became obsessed with trying to find her, her father took off, not to be heard from again, and her mother sank into a world of drugs and booze, helped along by a wealthy boyfriend who liked beating her and Johnny. Detective Clive Hunt is also obsessed, both with finding Alyssa, and with her mother, and his obsession costs him his marriage and puts his job is jeopardy. But this is Johnny’s story and his quest to find the sister he lost, leaving no stone unturned. He takes his mother’s car when she’s passed out and spies on all the small townsfolk of Raven County, NC, occasionally taking his best friend Jack along, and he keeps meticulous records. The world is a dark place when seen through his eyes, and Johnny is an unforgettable character in a finely drawn, yet enthralling adventure. With his best novel yet, the Edgar award winning Hart (Down River) firmly cements his place along side the greats of the genre and beyond. One of the best books I've read this year. And don't miss my interview with Hart on the BookBitchBlog.  05/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch. Copyright © 2009 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.  Reprinted with permission.

THE LAST DARK PLACE (#8) by Stuart Kaminsky:  Newly married Bill Hanrahan is trying to save his pregnant wife from a stalker while Abe Lieberman has his own problems.  Thirty three years ago he arrested a gunman who has now re-entered Abe’s life as a professional assassin.  The gunman is killed by an elderly janitor at the airport where Abe is preparing to fly him back to Chicago.  Abe is trying to find out why when an Asian-Latin gang war break outs.  Just another outing for our two long suffering Chicago cops in this eighth from Edgar-winner Kaminsky.  Vengeance is mine sayeth a lot of people in this one. 05/08 Jack Quick  

THE LAST EMBER by Daniel Levin: You might call this one the Jewish Da Vinci Code, but that would be an unfair comparison.  THE LAST EMBER is much better than that.   Lawyer and former classics scholar Jonathan and UNESCO antiquities expert Emili are after a mysterious man known only as Salah al-din, who has been leading an illegal excavation under the Temple Mount and has now appeared in Rome.  Jonathan and Emili’s adventures start in the hidden tunnels under the Coliseum and continue across the Roman Forum into the Jewish ghetto and eventually to Jerusalem.  Following clues in ancient maps and manuscripts, and then going underground to follow the trail, the pace never wavers as the excitement builds.  You don’t have to be a scholar of Roman and Judaic history and archaeology to be able to follow along easily in this well written religious thriller, which is also a first rate piece of European crime fiction. Definitely recommended. 08/09 Jack Quick 

THE LAST EMBRACE by Denise Hamilton: Los Angeles in 1949 is the setting for Hamilton's first standalone, a story that brings the city to life in all of its contrasts. Lily Kessler is back in the U.S. after working as a spy for the OSS in the war. Her first stop was at the home of her deceased fiance, where his mother asks her to go to L.A. searching for his sister, a missing actress named Kitty. Almost as soon as she arrives, Lily learns that Kitty's body was found under the Hollywood sign. Since she doesn't trust the cops, she starts to ask questions, questions that could lead to a share in Kitty's fate. As more young women disappear, and their bodies turn up, Lily is just more determined to find the person responsible for killing young women, and their dreams. Some of the characters are a little weak, but Lily and the city are vivid characters in this mystery that celebrates class L.A. noir. 07/08 Lesa Holstine

THE LAST FLIGHT OF THE ARROW by Daniel Wyatt: February 20, 1959, amid much uproar, the Canadian prime minister stood before the House of Commons to announce that his government had decided to cancel the CF-105 Avro Arrow supersonic fighter-interceptor program.  But what is really going on?  Are the Americans involved? What of a Polish born pilot, now in the RCAF and grieving his lost family?  And what about the reports that Russia is planning a pre-emptive air strike.  With roots in the Battle of Britain, this Canadian based thriller offers some interesting plot twists as it blasts its way to a conclusion averting World War III. 07/09 Jack Quick

THE LAST QUEEN by C.W. Gortner:  Anyone who appreciates outstanding historical fiction should try Gortner's outstanding story of a little-known queen, Juana of Castile, better known in Spain as Juana la Loca. It's said that she went mad from love. But, history can be deceiving, particularly when it's history written by men about a strong woman. Was there method to her madness? Gortner tells the story of the sister of Catherine of Aragon, and the mother of Charles V, a woman who claimed the throne of Spain, but was kept from it by powerful men. It's a story that is as filled with intrigue and suspense as the best adventure novel. It's a meaty examination of the politics in the 16th century through the eyes of a woman. I'd recommend this book for book discussion groups interested in an exciting story of a woman almost forgotten by history. 09/08 Lesa Holstine

THE LAST QUEEN by C.W. Gortner:  Juana de Castile was born in Spain in November of 1479. The daughter of Isabella and Ferdinand was also sister to Henry VIII’s Catherine of Aragon. For all of that, it seems few really know this amazing woman’s story. In 1496, in an agreement that would provide protection to Spain from possible French enemies, Juana was married to Phillip I (Habsburg) and in the same agreement, Juana’s brother Juan, destined to become ruler and uniter of Castile and Aragon, was married to Philip’s sister, Margaret. Philip died just a few months later and his would-be heir arrived stillborn. Juana and Philip subsequently became next in line for the Spanish throne. Juana would be the last queen of Spanish blood to sit on the throne. Unfortunately, Juana became the center of a ruthless power struggle that eventually lead to her title as Juana la Loca, Juana the Mad. Gortner’s passion for his subject is quite evident and it seems that after six years of research, he has uncovered enough evidence to support his belief that Juana was not in fact crazy at all. The Last Queen is a fascinating novel. Gortner builds Juana as a strong and noble woman who suffered for her unwavering beliefs and loyalties. For so long, the Tudors and the British monarchy have been the darlings of the genre. I found it most refreshing to read not only about historical Spain and the wonderful atmosphere that Gortner creates, but also about someone that history seems to have forgotten.  09/08 Becky Lejeune  

The Last Jihad by Joel C. Rosenberg:  In this fast paced and timely thriller set a few years into the future, Osama Bin Laden is dead, Saddam Hussein plans to launch something nasty - biological, chemical or nuclear - against Israel and/or the U.S. and someone is trying to assassinate the President.  Jon Bennett, Wall Street mogul who worked for the President before he became President, is Army-volunteered into helping arrange an Israeli-Arab oil agreement that could bring about world peace.  But first there's that little nuclear thing to take care of...nothing like the threat of nuclear war to keep the pages turning.  I would have liked to know these characters better, and some of it was hard to believe, or that could just be my naiveté or wishful thinking.  Fans of Clancy, Follett and Ludlum will enjoy this book; once started it is almost impossible to put down.  

THE LAST SECRET by Lynn Sholes and Joe Moore: Journalist Cotton Stone is on top of the world after the Grail Conspiracy but then she falls for a hoax in one of her stories. What goes up must come down and she begins a slow downward spiral career-wise. A year later she finds a crystal tablet at an ancient Inca site that predicts the Great Flood and another “final “ cleansing yet to come. The second cleansing is to be led by the daughter of an angel. Legend has it that there are a series of tablets and the last one in the series will hold the key to surviving Armageddon. Needless to say, Cotton is soon on the trail of the ultimate tablet encountering various and sundry misadventures on the way. Well written, but reads almost like a movie script in process. Maybe Ms. Sholes and Mr. Moore will hit it lucky and this will be the next “Da Vinci Code” flick. Recommended. 08/06 Jack Quick

THE LAST SURGEON by Michael Palmer: Gillian Coates’s sister’s death has been ruled a suicide, but Gillian is certain that her sister did not kill herself. With virtually no clues to follow, Gillian is at a total loss until someone is able to draw a connection to a box of comics her sister had in her closet. Each comic is in the Nick Fury series, and each one has the word Doctor handwritten on the cover. Dr. Nick Garrity, a former soldier suffering from PTSD and an advocate on behalf of his fellow soldiers suffering from the same condition, was jokingly nicknamed Dr. Fury by his fellow soldiers. How he connects to Gillian’s sister will come as a surprise to both of them, but once they begin working together, they’ll uncover a conspiracy that has been years in the making. As entertaining and page-turning as I’d expect from Palmer. The usual medical aspects do take something of a backseat in this one, however, making it more of a traditional thriller a change from the medical thrillers he is known for.  02/10 Becky Lejeune 

THE LAST VAMPIRE by Patricia Rosemoor and Marc Paoletti:  When the military discovers a mummified body hidden away in a Texas cave, they unwittingly release a power unlike any other. At first, they are able to keep the body in a sleep-like state, unaware even that awakening it is a possibility. They harvest DNA from the remains and use what they’ve found to create an elite race of super soldiers. Their facility in New Orleans is breached, however, when a voodoo priestess with somewhat honorable intentions, compromises one of their own. Through him, she is able to awaken Andre Espinoza de Madrid, a vampire dating from the Spanish Inquisition. Captain Scott Boulder, leader of the unit is the only one left who can fight the creature. The military also brings in Leah Maguire, an anthropologist whose specialty is white magic. She too once survived an attack by this creature. Together, they must return him to the hell that he came from, before it’s too late. An interesting concept that was something of a disappointment. It worked well enough that I would like to see what happens in subsequent titles, if they continue, but as an individual novel, it fell short for me. 07/08 Becky Lejeune  

THE LAST VOICE YOU HEAR by Richard B. Schwartz: An apparently maniacal killer is on the loose in London, someone strong and very practiced at impalement. So far, so nasty, but when a victim is dispatched in similar fashion in Disneyland, of all places, Jack Grant is called in. He discovers the killer's identity, but there's a problem. There's a method to the killer's madness. Moreover, Grant has an ethical problem of his own, he's plagued by his conscience, since he understands and even sympathizes with the murderer's cause. The division between right and wrong is blurred in this twisting tale of vengeance and deadly justice. 06/06 Jack Quick

The Lake of Dead Languages by Carol Goodman:  Jane Hudson was a scholarship student at Heart Lake School for Girls when her two roommates and a boyfriend all die tragic deaths, attributed to suicide.  Twenty years late Jane returns to teach Latin, newly separated, toddler in tow, when history seems to start repeating itself.  Very tight, well written suspense.

THE LAST CATO by Matilde Asensi:  Dr. Ottavia Salina, a brilliant and highly esteemed paleographer, is working away at her classified workspace deep within Vatican City when her routine is interrupted.  She is given the task of deciphering the strange tattoos -- seven Greek letters and seven crosses -- found on an Ethiopian man's corpse.  Found next to what was left of the body were three pieces of wood -- suspected by Vatican scholars to be fragments of the Vera Cruz, actual splinters from the Cross on which Christ was crucified.  Actually written in Spain prior to the explosion of religious-themed thrillers such as THE DA VINCI CODE, THE LAST TEMPLAR, THE TEMPLAR LEGACY and THE SECRET SUPPER, it follows the now familiar line uncovering deceptions, corruption and outright lies that have shaped the “truth” as we know it.  What hath Dan Brown wrought? 05/06 Jack Quick

THE LAST COYOTE By Michael Connelly: Detective Bosch is a very aggravated fellow. After stuffing Lt. Pounds head through a glass door, he's put on involuntary paid suspension, and forced to go to Chinatown for therapy.
Meanwhile his earthquake damaged house has been red-tagged by the city for demolition, his squeeze left him because she thought she found out who he was....he did not contest the matter, and he comes into therapy with Dr. Hinios with an extremely bad attitude.  But along the way, the therapy sort of starts to take, in a weird way,
and Harry decides because he's got some time on his hands, he's going to re-open the case of his mother's murder.  All people make choices in life along the way, to explore their inner self.  There are all certain roads we should not go down, or revisit.  Harry, being Harry, ignores all that, and bends as many rules as possible, as usual. (His explanation of why he got PO'd at Lt. Pounds, to Dr.Hinios, is priceless.) And being Harry, he thinks he's doing the Lord's work here.  He makes progress, which leads him along an old trail that is packed with ghosts. Hell, half the people he's investigating are nearly dead.  What Harry does not realize, nor understand, is that he's opening a book into his personal hell. And along the way, he inadvertently gets innocent people killed.  Of course he rationalizes it by thinking they were scumbags anyway, but that only holds up for so long.  A powerful and searing read.  02/06 DOC

THE LAST DAYS OF DOGTOWN by Anita Diamant: Diamant is sure to please fans of The Red Tent with this historical novel as she once again manages to make a distant place and time come alive.  Dogtown is a poverty stricken village on Cape Ann, Massachusetts and this is the story of the people who were too poor, too sick or too old to move away.  Each chapter is a character study interwoven into a story that brings Dogtown of the early 1800's to life.  Judy Rhines is an unmarried woman whose secret lover Cornelius is a freed slave, and she is at the heart of the story.  Other townsfolk include the madam, Mrs. Stanley, a female stonemason, Black Ruth, who dresses like a man, Oliver Younger who lives with his very strange aunt, and Easter Carter, whose diminutive size belies a big heart.  Their stories will linger long after the last page is turned in this fascinating story of 19th century New England. 09/05

THE LAST QUARRY by Max Allan Collins: Quarry, Collin’s hit man that he put to rest many years ago, is retired and living in the Minnesota woods. He accidentally gets involved in rescuing the kidnapped daughter of a Chicago media baron, who then wants to hire him to kill a young librarian in Colorado. When he winds up falling for his target, one Janet Wright, Quarry begins second-guessing his assignment and experiences an uncharacteristic change of heart that almost gets him killed. The latest from Hard Case Crime bringing back the best of the pulps – in new adventures. 08/06 Jack Quick

The Last Detective by Robert Crais:   I'm rolling out the welcome mat for Elvis Cole and Joe Pike; I've missed these guys but it was worth the wait for a book this good.  Elvis is still with his girlfriend Lucy, and is babysitting for her son, Ben, while she is away on business.  Lucy calls to say she's on her way home so Elvis tries to let Ben know, but he is nowhere to be found.  First thought is that he's wandered off down the hill behind the house to play, but after several minutes of searching and yelling that yields no response, Elvis realizes something is seriously wrong.  Lucy gets home and there is still no Ben - and then the phone rings with an ominous message.  A man claims he has taken Ben in retaliation for something Elvis did when he was in Vietnam.  Elvis lets Joe know, and calls a cop he knows.  Who should show up to take the report - Carol Starkey, the bomb squad cop of Demolition Angel (which was terrific) who is now working juvenile.  Tension builds throughout the story - an especially good touch was using the time lapsed since Ben's disappearance as chapter headings -  until the final twists force everything into place.  Personal note: the back cover alone would be worth the $24.95 - but the inside is just as satisfying.

LAST LULLABY by Denise Hamilton: While on assignment with customs officials at the Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles Times reporter Eve Diamond is caught in a shootout.  Among the casualties are three dead passengers and a mysterious Asian infant who disappears in the confusion.  Finding the missing girl becomes a n obsession with Eve, even though this places her at risk physically and professionally as she gets caught up among immigration officials (who have taken the little girl into hiding, supposedly for her own protection), armed goons (who'll do almost anything to get her back), and an immigration attorney (who hopes to win political asylum for the toddler).  Spice it up with a former lover, a bad-ass ten year old video wizard and a few other routine (for Los Angeles) characters and you have a twisty tale that, while sometimes over the top, delivers a satisfactory ending.  Of all the crime fighting journalists, broadcasters, et. al., that are out there, Eve Diamond remains more credible than most. 11/07 Jack Quick  

LAST RITUALS by Yrsa Sigurdardóttir:  In this first in a fairly new Icelandic series, a German grad student at a Reykjavik university is found murdered in a strange and ritualistic manner. Thóra Gudmundsdóttir, a lawyer, is retained by the family of the dead man. They do not believe that the suspect currently in custody for the murder is actually responsible and they want Thóra to investigate. She is teamed up with Matthew Reich, one of the family’s own employees, who has flown over from Germany to help. Together, they must dig deep into the murdered boy’s own questionable activities in order to find out who might be responsible for his death. Along the way, they find that the boy had an almost obsessive interest in witchcraft and Iceland’s own history of the practice, including witch trials of the sixteenth century. Could this obsession have led to the boy’s death? It certainly seems, so, but the mystery is much more complicated than that. Thóra is a welcome heroine; she really is not the typical “sleuth. ” In truth, it is her own smarts and wit, along with her ability to cope with stress (both personal and involving the case) that make her one cool (literal and figurative) main character. Last Rituals is a smart mystery and the translation works well, although there are a couple of connections that readers will probably miss until the very end thanks to language differences. 04/09 Becky Lejeune  

THE LAST SIX MILLION SECONDS by John Burdett: Nicely done police procedural set in Hong Kong in the final days before its reversion to the People's Republic of China. Hong Kong Chinese-Irish Chief Inspector Chan Siuka, AKA “Charlie” Chan, is trying to solve a gruesome triple murder. His investigative efforts are hampered by corrupt British diplomats and businessmen, as well as by the usual bevy of gangsters and Chinese warlords. Burdett’s real life experience as a practicing attorney in Hong Kong lends credence to the portrayal. 07/08 Jack Quick

THE LAST SPYMASTER by Gayle Lynds: International spy thrillers are a rare breed ever since the end of the Cold War (if it really ended...) and ones with characters are rich as these, a storyline as plausible yet frightening as this, are even more rare.  Charles Jay Tice was the station chief in Berlin for the CIA towards the end of the Cold War.  In a shocking turn of events he is convicted of treason and gets life imprisonment in a maximum security prison - yet he manages to escape.  Elaine Cunningham is one of the best "hunters" that the CIA has and she is put on the case - and quietly.  No one wants word to get out that the world's most dangerous spy is on the loose.  But what she learns makes her question her assignment and her future - she uncovers a much larger conspiracy than anyone ever suspected.  Lynds sets a new standard with her taut plotting, believable characters and terse, exciting writing - this is a page turner of the highest magnitude.  06/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE LAST SPYMASTER by Gayle Lynds:  This is the way a thriller should be.  Jay Tice is a legendary spymaster during the Cold War until he is sentenced to life in prison for treason against the United States.  For three years he is a model prisoner, before he makes a daring escape using a roll of clothes in a blanket, a fake head, and a wooden arm covered in upholstery from the craft shop.  Enter Elaine Cunningham, one of the CIA’s best “hunters” who is herself in jeopardy at the Agency.  Elaine is given the task of finding Tice and so, it’s down into the rabbit hole of darkest corners of the spy game where nothing is as it seems and no one is who you think they are.  Enemies are deadly, but then so again are friends. Is Tice innocent or guilty?  Will Elaine succeed or will this be her swan song?  Good enough to interfere with Super Bowl watching. 02/07 Jack Quick

THE LAST STRIPTEASE by Michael Wiley: I love finding new authors so I was delighted to find this one - Wiley is the most recent winner of the PWA/SMP Best First Private Eye Novel Contest.  Previous winners include Steve Hamilton and one of my favorites, Michael Koryta.  Wiley's debut puts him in good company, and he lives up to it.  Joe Kozmarski is a private investigator in Chicago who was formerly a cop.  He went private after getting drunk and smashing up a patrol car, never a good career move.  He still has friends on the force, which comes in handy after he witnesses a murder in a store while on surveillance.  He goes after the murderer, who escapes, and calls the cops.  The two officers who respond are young and don't know Joe, who soon finds himself handcuffed and face down on the floor until the detective in charge, his best friend, appears on the scene.  But that's a case for the cops, not a PI, so when retired Judge Rifkin calls and offers him ten times his usual fee to help investigate a murder, Joe can't say no.  An old friend, Bob Piedras, is the chief suspect in the murder of his girlfriend, Le Thi Hanh, but of course swears he didn't do it.  Joe has his hands full between Hanh's brothers following his every step and with babysitting his eleven year old nephew.  Joe is an interesting character, the novel is fast paced and twisty, making The Last Striptease one terrific read. 10/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE LAST STRIPTEASE by Michael Wiley:  Joe Kozmarski is another new Chicago PI who hopefully will be around for some time.  If it weren’t for bad luck, Joe wouldn’t have any.  Being an ex-cop and the son of a cop gives him just enough advantage to stay in trouble.  The central issue here is finding proof that Bob Piedras, an employee of retired Judge Peter Rifkin, did not kill his Vietnamese American girlfriend Le Thi Hanh, after a lover's tiff.  But there are other murders to be dealt with along with a rebellious 11-year-old nephew.  As Joe says, I have a Glock 23, a1989 green Buick Skylark, half rust, with no tread tires, and an office computer. If my life depended on it, I would fire me and hire someone else.  I think Wiley is on a par with Sean Chercover whose BIG CITY, BAD BLOOD was also an excellent read. 12/07 Jack Quick 

THE LAUGHTER OF DEAD KINGS by Elizabeth Peters: I hope other readers aren’t as disappointed in this book as I was. I can’t believe I waited fourteen years to read the concluding Vicky Bliss mystery, and discover whether or not her lover, “Sir John Smythe”, was related to the Peabody-Emerson family of her Amelia Peabody books. Yes, there’s a theft of an Egyptian treasure, and it brings recurring characters back together in this book. And, naturally, everyone suspects that John has gone back to his previous life as the mastermind of the theft. But, the romantic suspense misses both the romance and suspense in this volume. And, it’s not a caper. Instead, it was a long, long drawn out chase all over Europe and Egypt in which very little happened, and not much was discovered. I’ve been a fan of Elizabeth Peters’ books under this name, and Barbara Michaels. This one let me down. 09/08 Lesa Holstine

LAY DOWN MY SWORD & SHIELD by James Lee Burke:  Different setting – Texas, instead of Louisiana.  Different character – Hack Holland, instead of Dave Robicheaux. But the exquisite writing is there, the description of place and time that makes you feel the summer heat and see the “the cotton fields in bloom, the rows evenly spaced and stretched out straight as a rifle shot, and the tomatoes had come out big and red in the early morning showers.”  Like Dave, Hack is a good man plagued by demons of his own making.  He is a candidate for a Congressional seat and his views conflict with the Texas power brokers who feel they have the right to determine who runs Texas.  Kick back, relax, and enjoy first rate writing as well as a good story. 07/09 Jack Quick

LEAN MEAN THIRTEEN by Janet Evanovich:  Stephanie Plum is back and she's in top form.  This time her weasel of an ex-husband, Dickie Orr, is under investigation by Ranger. Dickie disappears, leaving behind a bloody trail and leaving Stephanie as a person of interest in his disappearance.  Further investigation finds that Dickie had some unsavory partners and now $40 million is missing from their business account.  One of the partners turns up dead and the others are convinced Stephanie has the money.  Stephanie is still torn between the hot, hot, hot Ranger and her equally hot honey, Joe, but it's the crazy situations, the cast of zany characters that play off Stephanie like Grandma Mazur and Lula, that make this book a laugh-out-loud funny yet comforting read. 06/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch  

LEAN, MEAN THIRTEEN by Janet Evanovich:  By now reviewing a Stephanie Plum is kind of like Radar’s public address announcements in MASH.  They really shouldn’t be that funny but they are.  Steph is recruited by Ranger to plant bugs on Dickie Orr, her two-timing ex-husband.  But after she threatens to kill him in front of witnesses, he disappears, which makes her the prime suspect.  From there on its Ranger and Morelli, Lula and Joyce, and don’t forget Grandma who has a new boyfriend.  Steph’s Mom kills the boyfriend’s toupee with an empty wine bottle when it falls off on the dinner table during the Friday night dinner.  Lula and Steph partake of the senior Citizen’s buffet at Costco and so on and so forth.  Just find a place where no one will pay any attention to your laughing and have at it.  Oh, beware of the exploding squirrels as well. 07/07 Jack Quick 

LEAN MEAN THIRTEEN by Janet Evanovich: Did you remember that Stephanie Plum was once married to Dickie Orr? The marriage was so short, I had forgotten about it until Ranger asks Stephanie to plant a bug on her ex-husband. She goes ballistic in his office, so naturally, the Burg suspects Stephanie of doing about with Dickie when he goes missing.  Fortunately for her, he’s not the only one to disappear from the office. Instead of exploding cars, this time we have exploding animals at a taxidermist’s home, exploding buildings and an incident with a staple gun. The Stephanie Plum series is getting a little stale, but at least her sister and the children are not in this one. Lean Mean Thirteen is a little better than the last couple books in the series, but certainly not as good as the early ones. 07/07 Lesa Holstine

LEARNING TO KILL by Ed McBain:  Before Ed McBain became famous for the 87^th Precinct series he paid his dues writing “paid by the word” stories for the 1950’s pulps like Manhunt and Argosy under the names of Richard Marsten, Hunt Collins, and Evan Hunter.  Prior to his 2005 death, McBain oversaw the assemblage of this anthology of his early work.  This collection presents 25 of those crime stories, published between 1952 and 1957.  All are hard-boiled, short on subtlety and classic McBain.  In addition to the stories themselves, McBain’s prefaces give insight into the origin of many of these pieces and how they ultimately affected his later work.  Existing McBain fans will love this and for this not familiar with his work, Learning To Kill provides a great introduction to the man who held the Mystery Writers of America’s Grand Master Award as well as being the first American to receive the Diamond Dagger, the British Crime Writers Association’s highest award.  The New York Daily News called McBain “one of the most prolific and admired writers of crime fiction in the world…McBain could not write a bad line.”  What more can you say? 07/06 Jack Quick

LEFT TO DIE by Lisa Jackson:  In the remote and unforgiving Bitterroot Mountains of Montana, a brutal killer lies in wait. His first victim was discovered in September, naked and bound to a tree; it is now November and two more bodies have been discovered. Detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli have uncovered some unique facts pertaining to the killer’s MO. It appears that he stalks his victims, waits until they are in the perfect spot, and then shoots the tire out on their car forcing them into an accident. He then takes them home and heals them before abandoning them in the woods to die. One month later, the police are no closer to identifying the killer. Then another car is discovered in the woods and the detectives know that it is only a matter of days before another body is found. This chilling (literally.) thriller marks the beginning of a brand new series for Jackson. It’s a great place for new readers to pick her up, and I recommend that you do. Left to Die is an intense romantic thriller with a tight plot and a killer ending.  07/08 Becky Lejeune

THE LEGAL LIMIT by Martin Clark:  Martin Clark is tabbed as the “drinking man’s John Grisham.” May he be so successful.  Legal Limit is the old Cain and Abel, am I my brother’s keeper tale, very nicely told.  Mason Hunt is a young attorney in southern Virginia when his brother Gates, a former high school football hero turned bad, kills a rival for his girlfriend, with Mason as a witness.  The two hide the crime and swear each other to secrecy.  Mason goes on to marry a beautiful artist and work as the district attorney in his home town of Stuart, in Patrick County. Gates life continues to deteriorate leading him finally to a 44-year prison sentence for drug trafficking. At this point Gates is bitterly resentful of his brother’s success and threatens to tell all unless Mason helps get him out of prison. It’s a well written story of family ties turned into nooses, and definitely recommended. 05/09 Jack Quick

LEGALLY DEAD by Edna Buchanan:  Move over Thomas Perry.  Buchanan has started her third series that features Michael Venturi, a deputy U.S. marshal involved in running the Federal Witness Protection Program.  After one of the criminals he has helped relocate kills two girls and stages an armored car robbery, Venturi decides he has had it with the Witness Security Program.  With an untouched $19 million wrongful death settlement from the accidental death of his wife and their unborn child, Venturi really doesn’t have to work anyway.  But then he comes to realize that he can use his skills helping people disappear and assume a new identity.  He gets back into that business, but this time it isn’t mobsters, its decent people who deserve another chance.  Nicely done.  Looking forward to succeeding outings. 12/08 Jack Quick

LEGION by B. J. Kibble:  You need a scorecard for this Spy Vs. Spy tale.  Ex-British agent Alex Jordan (good guy and now restaurant owner) is trying to find out who killed his friend and mentor, Billy Fawlks.  The trail leads to Paul Grady (bad guy), former MI-6 boss and Soviet double agent.  Grady is plotting to kill the North Korean President (bad guy) during a state visit to Britain (bad timing).  He would succeed but, but Fawlks has left behind a coded journal as life insurance after infiltrating Grady’s organization.  Fawlks leaves it with Emile Cassel (good guy), but Cassel is murdered.  That leaves Jordan’s former lover Sonya Wells (now a high ranking police officer). They have less than 72 hours to pull all the threads together and prevent the assassination.  Can you hear the Mission Impossible theme running in the background?  Great read.  11/07 Jack Quick   

LEGWORK by Katy Munger:  A simplistic description would be that Casey Jones is Stephanie Plum without the humor, or a rough edged Southern edition of Kinsey Milhone.  She's smart, talented and durable, and reminds me most of Barbara Seranella’s Munch.  She served time in Florida on a drug bust engineered by her ex-husband, so she can’t get her North Carolina private investigator's license.  She has to be content with doing legwork for legitimate Raleigh private investigator. Bobby D -- a blimp-sized eating machine with a bad toupee.  Her latest assignment – body guarding Senatorial hopeful Mary Lee Masters – turns deadly when a shotgunned corpse is found in the candidate’s jeep at her home.  Its obviously dirty politics, but just who is responsible.  Recommended. 04/08 Jack Quick  

LEMONS NEVER LIE by Richard Stark: When asked why he robbed banks, Willie Sutton is alleged to have replied, because they have the money. Part-time theatre operator Alan Grofield must have been thirsty, because he joins a plot to knock over a brewery in number 22 of the Hard Case Crime series. When Grofield flies in to Vegas he drops a coin in one of the arrival gate slot machines. When it turns up three lemons, he knows he has used up all his Vegas luck. Unfortunately when he and friend Dan decide to walk away, the instigator of the plot, a man named Myer, is not thrilled and plans a payback. This results in Dan tracking down Myer for his own vengeance, which results in a vicious revenge circle that pulls Grofield away from his theatre with only one purpose - to find and kill Myer. 11/06 Jack Quick

LESSONS FROM A DEAD GIRL by Jo Knowles:  A strange book.  A long time ago and far far away I didn’t understand teenage girls and I still don’t.  I also don’t remember Young Adult books as they are apparently being written today.  Basically this is a story about the effect on one girl of some adolescent sexual experimentation initiated by her friend.  Leah Greene is dead.  Laine has wished her to be so for a long time and must now live with the consequences.  In the process she must try to find meaning in her past experiences and decide whether she can forgive Leah for “messing with her.”  Not badly written, but just not my cup of tea. 03/08 Jack Quick 

LET ME IN by John A. Lindqvist: Twelve-year-old Oskar knows all too well what it is like to be an outsider. He is bullied on a regular basis for being different. He dreams of revenge, of one day being able to stick up for himself against those who taunt and torment him. It is 1981 and new neighbors have moved into the building next to Oskar’s. Eli and her father share a wall with Oskar and his mother. He and this mysterious girl strike up a friendship and tap messages to one another throughout the night. Oskar doesn’t know that his new friend is not quite what she seems. He doesn’t know that she is responsible for the sudden rash of killings in the areas surrounding Blackeberg. Oskar does know that since meeting Eli, he finally has the confidence to stick up for himself and now that he has a friend, he won’t let anything separate the two of them. Gone is the romanticized vision of vampires that is so popular today. Lindqvist’s vamps are complicated creatures whose desires, depravities, and even fears are magnified by their situations. In Eli’s case, she still struggles to come to terms with what she is and the fact that she needs people to ensure her survival, in more ways than one. In my opinion, the translation of this work is excellent. All too often, readers come away with a sense that some pivotal piece of information is missing in a translated work. That is not the case here. Lindqvist deserves and wider audience and I think Let Me In will earn it for him. 10/07 Becky Lejeune 

LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN by Colum McCann: Colum McCann is a wonderful story-teller. Just as Herman Melville chose a large subject, the sea, and a large object, the whale, to give breadth and enormity to his novel, so too has McCann chosen a large subject, New York City, and a large object, the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, for his canvas.

In this case, New York City, and the lives of its residents, are spinning below the French tight-rope walker who not only traversed between the two towers, but cavorted in celebration on the wire, for his benefit and the benefit of all those below. The manner of the telling of this story is to focus on two people, immigrant brothers from Ireland, making their way in New York City, and then spinning to those whom their lives effect and then spinning to other lives and then coming back to show how it is all connected. And then connecting them all in one fashion or another to the moment when the man is on the wire.

And what vivid, New York City lives they are – one brother living among and ministering to an amused group of hookers; a judge and his wife, who lost a son in the Vietnam war; graffiti artists; hackers and hippy artists – all with their own special griefs and feelings and joys. This is a marvelous and extremely affecting read. 06/10 Geoffrey R. Hamlin

LETHAL RAGE by Brian Pilkey: Decent police procedural written by a veteran of Toronto’s Crisis Intervention Team in 51 Division.  Jack Warren is a young street cop who has transferred to the rough-and-tumble 51 Division after working in a virtually crime-free area.  He begins his new assignment just as one of the city’s crack-cocaine dealers launches a campaign to take over the city’s drug trade.  In the ensuing war, Warren learns first hand just how brutal the streets can be, as he learns the imperceptible yet enormous difference between the law and justice.  Recommended, if you like gritty cop life stuff (as I do). 05/10 Jack Quick 

LETHAL SECRETS by Pete Earley:  Deputy U.S. Marshal Wyatt Conway is charged with guarding Sergey Pudin, a Russian Mafiosi.  Russian intelligence agent Colonel Khrenkov is blackmailed into murdering Pudin before he can testify against major crime bosses.  In distant Chechnya, Movladi "The Viper" Islamov, a former student of Conway's, has become an international terrorist in the Chechen cause.  Islamov has discovered that in the 1950s, the Soviets built a thermonuclear "sleeper bomb" that was secreted in the basement of the Russian embassy in Washington, D.C.  Conway, a throwback to the manly values of earlier years, uses his appeal to Kimberly Lodge, a shapely CIA counter terrorism expert to make monkeys of the best of the U.S. and Russian officials.  Obviously, a work of fiction.  Can you say Conway, Wyatt Conway? 04/06 Jack Quick

Liars and Saints by Maile Meloy:  Meloy has written a family saga that spans several generations, starting with the Santerre family matriarch, Yvette.  She claims her daughter's out-of-wedlock son as her own, hiding the truth from everyone, even her husband.  The sins grow proportionately with each generation, but this is no monument to angst.  These characters are well defined, real people who live imperfect lives, with all the joy, chaos, laughter and infighting one would expect.  They just have the added bonus of Catholicism, from visions, to priests dropping by, to the always-present guilt, forging a strong family bond.  Meloy does a good job of speaking for each generation, making each decade come alive with its own idiosyncrasies, but never feeling cliché as each character takes charge of their story.  Publishers Weekly called this a "haunting novel" and it is - these characters will be with me for a long time. 12/03

LIARS AND THIEVES by Stephen Coonts: Tommy Carmellini is a thief with a somewhat questionable past who has been recruited to work for the CIA. Mikhail Goncharov is a Russian defector who was supposed to be under government protection. As the former chief archivist for the SVR (formerly the KGB) Goncharov had access to, and began collecting copies of, top-secret Russian files. These files are of major interest to the powers that be. Unfortunately, someone has leaked information regarding his whereabouts. Tommy is sent to assist in the protection of Goncharov, but he’s not the first to arrive at the government safe house. Tommy stumbles onto an assassination attempt and barely manages to make it into the house in time to save a translator that has been working to decipher Goncharov’s files. When Tommy finally manages to call his superiors and tell them what has happened, he is informed that he is the top suspect in the murders. Tommy enlists the help of his friends Willie the Wire and retired Navy Admiral Jake Grafton to help him clear his name. Fortunately, Goncharov is discovered to have survived the attack. Unfortunately, he can’t remember who he is or just what information was in the files. What the group discovers leads them to suspect that the orders to kill Goncharov may not have come from his own betrayed countrymen, but from inside the U.S. Although readers have been introduced to Tommy Carmellini in previous titles featuring Jake Grafton - this is the first novel to feature Carmellini as the main character (followed by The Traitor). Liars and Thieves should be at the top of the list for anyone looking for a fun action/suspense novel.  07/07 Becky Lejeune

THE LIAR’S DIARY by Patry Francis:  Jeanne Cross and Ali Mather’s friendship may seem awkward to some outsiders, but they say that opposites do attract. Quiet Jeanne is the perfect wife, the perfect mother, and the perfect society lady. She works the front office at the local high school, the same school her teenage son attends, and spends her evenings caring for her family. Outward appearances are very important to Jeanne’s doctor husband. Behind closed doors, however, they are far from the perfect family. Ali Mather, the new music teacher at the same high school, could care less what others think of her. She lives separated from her loving and doting husband and is involved in numerous affairs. She also believes wholeheartedly in always telling the truth. Each of these ladies brings to the friendship something the other needs. Understandably, Ali’s murder leaves Jeanne considerably shaken. Worse, though, is the moment when her son becomes the number one suspect. This excellent psychological suspense is also a chilling character study. The revelation of the number of secrets being held by each individual leads to a truly surprising and shocking end. Patry Francis’s complex and sympathetic characters along with her intricate plot show that she is an immense new talent on the scene. 02/08 Becky Lejeune

LIBERATION DAY by Andy McNab:  Although the story drags a bit in places there is enough action overall to satisfy any adrenalin junkie.  Former British SAS agent Nick Stone is now working for a special antiterrorist U.S. strike team.  His assignment: choke off al-Qaida’s money line by tracking down and eliminating the participants in the so-called hawalla, a secret network of underground bankers who finance the operations of al-Qaida and provide compensation for the families of those killed in action.  Stone and two Egyptian compatriots go to Cannes with orders to kidnap three of these bankers and take them to a U.S. warship off the French coast for interrogation.  Stone is a reluctant participant in all this as he really would like to retire and spend time with his new love, Carrie, but she has turned her back on him because of his continuing involvement in these kinds of missions.  You will learn probably more than you ever wanted to know about the minutiae of commando tactics and equipment, but when the action starts all the preparations are put to use in amazing ways to accomplish Stone’s objectives. 07/06 Jack Quick

LIE DOWN WITH THE DEVIL by Linda Barnes:  It was supposed to be an easy case: a simple tail, a favor for a friend of a friend that would ease Carlotta back into work. Jessica Franklin, a distraught fiancé suspects that her soon-to-be hubby may be having an affair. She hires Carlotta to follow the man on a Friday night and see where he stays for the evening. That’s all. Carlotta’s an old pro at tailing and surveillance, and this is an easy enough task that will keep her occupied for an evening, focusing on other people’s problems rather than her own. Unfortunately, she blows a tire and loses her tail. The following week, the girl who hired Carlotta turns up dead and surprise, surprise, her name is not really Jessica Franklin. There is no wedding, there is no cheating fiancé, and the cops who question Carlotta about her client, think she’s taking them for a ride. With everything that’s been happening since she returned from Columbia, and with the feds hounding her about her relationship with longtime lover Sam Gianelli, the last thing Carlotta needs is to be stuck in the middle of some weird murder case. Carolotta feels that she owes something to the dead girl, though, and she needs to follow this thing through to the end. Another great addition to this long-running PI series, Barnes has yet to let me down. If you’re a fan of Sue Grafton or Janet Evanovich, you should be reading Linda Barnes.  08/08 Becky Lejeune 

LIE DOWN WITH THE DEVIL by Linda Barnes: Can you believe an even dozen Carlotta Carlyle outings?  Not bad for the part-time PI/ part-time taxi hack, and full time conflicted lady.  She is still engaged to Sam Gianelli, her mob-connected boy friend who has had to flee the country after the discovery of a dead girl.  Her old fiend and former boss at the Boston PD, Joseph Mooney, wants to help her but there is just so much he can do, after Carlotta’s newest client is killed in a hit and run and it is discovered that she had come to Carlotta with an alias.  Can Carlotta keep her mind on the current situation or will her concern for Sam cause her to screw up?  A hint. I’m sure we will see volume thirteen next year.  Recommended. 09/08 Jack Quick  

LIFE BLOOD by Penny Rudolph:  L.A. garage owner and recovering alcoholic Rachel Chavez is back.  Although still living in her parking garage apartment she now has a boyfriend along with her steady job of managing her downtown-parking garage.  When she discovers a pair of young Mexican boys locked in an abandoned van in the garage, she rushes them to the emergency room of a nearby medical center where one is declared dead, the other scarcely alive.  Twenty-four hours later, she returns to discover that the hospital has no record of admitting either child.  Something is obviously wrong and it’s up to Rachel and her “posse” headed up by cleaning crew leader Goldie and homeless fortuneteller Irene to find out what is going on.  Not as strong as the initial series entry, THICKER THAN BLOOD, but still quite readable.  Hopefully there will be more. 11/07 Jack Quick  

Life of Pi by Yan Martel:  This has been very popular, and gotten great reviews not to mention winning the Mann Booker award, but to be blunt, I didn't enjoy it much. The story was interesting and the main character, Pi, a sixteen year old boy, was wonderful.  But despite the fact that I read and enjoy the goriest murders and such in the thrillers that I love, this book was just too disgusting for me.  I did enjoy the first half - Pi's family owns a zoo in India, and reading about the lifestyle of a child being raised in a zoo was fascinating, as was learning about all the animals, that was very interesting and informative.   And Pi's search for religious enlightenment was touching and at times, laugh out loud funny.  But the second half of the book is basically a survivor story, and it left me cold. I found myself skimming through pages of detailed information on one animal eating another while still alive, and various methods of staying alive while eating fish eyes and so forth. I just don't enjoy that sort of thing. Yes, the writing is beautiful and descriptive and the story is compelling.  But it's just gross.

LIFE ON THE REFRIGERATOR DOOR by Alice Kuipers: Kuipers’ debut novel appears to be a light story written through notes left on the refrigerator by a mother and daughter. It’s actually a moving story that has the reader nodding in recognition in some parts and laughing at others. It eventually breaks your heart. Claire is a fifteen-year-old, totally self-absorbed in her life, her friends, her new boyfriend, clothes and babysitting. Her Mom is a single mother and a busy obstetrician. Some days, they only meet with the notes they leave. Mom asks Claire to pick up food and clean the rabbit’s cage. Claire complains she hasn’t received her allowance, and leaves rushed notes saying off to a friend’s, see you sometime. Neither realize how much they need each other, until Mom finds a lump in her breast. The months that follow bring changes in their lives. Mom becomes more self-absorbed, while Claire reacts with anger, a feeling of betrayal, and anxiety. The story may be nothing new, but Kuipers’ presentation is unique. It’s a beautiful, tragic story of a mother-daughter relationship. 09/07 Lesa Holstine

LIFE'S A BEACH by Claire Cook: This latest offering from the author of Must Love Dogs, which I loved, doesn't quite live up to those expectations.  Ginger Walsh is 41 and lost; she's living in a room over her parent's garage in a quaint New England town, she's half-heartedly working at creating jewelry made from sea glass, and she's in a half-hearted relationship with Noah, a struggling glass blower.  She occasionally babysits for her super-successful sister's kids, so when her nephew gets a part in a Jaws-like movie being filmed in town, Ginger finds herself on the set and enjoying the company of a gaffer.  If you're looking for a book to take to the beach for the day, you can't go wrong with this sweet, funny albeit somewhat forgettable story. 07/07 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

Life Sentence by David Ellis:  David Ellis sets a new standard with this superb legal thriller, surpassing his Edgar Award winning debut novel Line of Vision. This multi-layered, tightly woven story breathes new life into the old cliché about revenge being a dish best served cold. Jon Soliday and Grant Tully share a dirty secret leftover from their teenage years; after a night of drinking and drugs, Soliday climbed through the bedroom window of a beautiful young woman, but blacked out and doesn't remember anything after that - not even how she ended up dead. Family connections get the matter dropped, and twenty years later he is chief legal counsel to Senator Tully, who is in a fierce campaign for Governor. Soliday finds a legal loophole that can get Tully's opponent disqualified, but a set-up, blackmail, and murder put a definite crimp in their plans. Elegant prose skillfully impels Soliday through a haze of deadly deceit, where no one is who they appear to be and nothing is as it seems, until the smoke finally clears to reveal the stunning ending. Highly recommended.  Copyright © 2003 Cahners Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.  Reprinted with permission.

LIFE SENTENCES by Laura Lippman: In Lippman’s latest stand-alone, an author is faced with telling a tale no one wants exposed. While touring for her latest book, Cassandra Fallows catches just a few minutes of a report calling attention to a crime that is years old. Calliope Jenkins, an old classmate who has been almost completely forgotten on Cassandra’s part, was accused of murdering her infant son and even served seven years in spite of the fact that there was no body and no confession. Cassandra’s interest in the case lies in how this one woman, someone who once attended Cassandra’s birthday parties, could have turned out to be a murderer. As Cassandra digs deeper into Calliope and their shared past, however, she finds that she is met with increasing resistance and begins to wonder what secrets her old friends are keeping from her. The main focus of Life Sentences seems to be more Cassandra’s personal journey as a result of the unraveling of Calliope’s mystery. Lippman always creates such wonderful characters, exposing them just a little at a time and really digging into what makes them who they are, and in that sense Life Sentences is just what you would expect from such a great author. Unfortunately, as gripping as the story is, I found the conclusion to be a bit anticlimactic. 03/09 Becky Lejeune   

LIFEGUARD by James Patterson: Beach bum Ned Kelly, a part-time lifeguard, pool guy and errand runner in Palm Beach “stars” in this light weight effort from the James Patterson book factory that is best read under the mid-day sun with plenty of syrupy adult beverages topped with exotic fruit and tiny umbrellas. There’s sex and violence, murder and mayhem, wrongful accusations, a hostage taking and all is well that ends well. Fortunately the improbable plot doesn’t get in the way of the fairly predictable writing, so if you doze off and the tide washes away your copy, just figure out how you would want to end it, and fetch another one of those tall cool thingies. 01/06 Jack Quick

LIFELESS by Mark Billingham: This isn’t really a police procedural in the classic sense, nor is it completely a mystery since the killer is revealed fairly early on. Although hard to categorize it is an excellent book that I really enjoyed. DI Tom Thorne’s father, a victim of Alzheimer’s dies in a fire. This affect Thorne deeply to the point his fellow officers feel he needs a break. Instead Thorne goes undercover as a "rough sleeper" (homeless person) to catch a killer. Thorne learns that the homeless have their own society just as those more fortunate, with three distinct groups – the alkies, the junkies and the crazies. As the case moves toward conclusion, Thorne finds out even more about himself and finally achieves a measure of peace. Very well written. 11/06 Jack Quick

LIFELINES by CJ Lyons:  July 1^st, the deadliest day of the year. It’s transition day at Pittsburgh’s Angel of Mercy Hospital, the day when the new interns begin work. Dr. Lydia Fiore is also starting her first day as Attending Physician in the ER at Angel of Mercy. Before her first shift has ended, though, Lydia has the misfortune of losing the wrong patient. She is immediately suspended pending an investigation, despite the fact that it appears she and her team did everything they could to save the man. The autopsy shows strong evidence of poisoning, but Lydia is still not off the hook. She must uncover the truth behind the man’s death before she loses not only her career, but maybe even her life. This is a fabulous debut and must read for any thriller fan. Lyons draws on her own experiences as an ER physician to create a medical thriller that is way more intense than anything you’ve ever seen on ER. 03/08 Becky Lejeune 

LIGHT FROM HEAVEN by Jan Karon: Karon wraps up her Mitford series with this last book. Mitford fans don’t have to worry, though. It looks like she’ll be starting a new series featuring Father Tim Kavanaugh as he travels during his retirement. In this latest novel, Father Tim and his wife, Cynthia, are housesitting at a friend’s farm when Father Tim is called to take on a mission. His Bishop asks the retired Episcopal priest if he’ll restore a mountain church that has died in recent years. Father Tim is pleased to find a small welcoming committee of two to assist in bringing the church back to life. Although this story has more religious quotes and prayers than some of the previous ones, it still has the warmth and charm of the Mitford series. Karon sums up the lives of the people we’ve grown to care about in Father Tim’s community before sending him out into the world. 11/05 ~This review contributed by Lesa Holstine.

A LIGHT HEARTED LOOK AT MURDER by Mark Watson:  I am not familiar with Mark Watson but Stephen Fry says in the book blurb that “ Woody Allen and William Boyd have a bastard love child and his name is Mark Watson.”  Assuming that the physiological barriers to such an evolutionary development have been overcome, then there is perhaps some basis for this conclusion.  Words like quirky, wacko, weird - none seem to quite adequately describe this tale involving a London talent agency that provides “look-alikes” for various functions with bizarre and ultimately, fatal results.  Its as if Monty Python has been set to words with passages like this: “One day I returned from my pigeon-hole with two leaflets.  The first gave notice of a professional college show to be held at the College.  The second advertised the chance to earn “DECENT MONEY” by donating sperm. …The sum of 30 (pounds) was offered for a short spell of masturbation.  This seemed like a large amount for doing something relatively easy…” and so on and so forth.  Definitely different.  08/07 Jack Quick 

LIGHTS OUT by Jason Starr:  Sub-title could be “Losers All.”  Jack Thomas and Ryan Rosetti were Brooklyn high school baseball phenoms.  Thomas went on to the big leagues and Ryan’s curve ball throwing led him to surgery and a $10 per hour job as a painter in Canarsie.  Now Jack (“J.T.”) is coming home to plan his wedding but Jake’s fiancé is in love with Ryan.  By the way J. T. thinks that announcing his wedding date will balance the bad PR of a statutory rape charge.  It’s that kind of book, a wacky ride down a dead end street with vivid characters, some funny moments and sadness for lives spent, but hardly lived.  If you like George Pelecanos or Richard Price, this one is up your alley. 01/09 Jack Quick   

Like Water for Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments, With Recipes, Romances, and Home Remedies by Laura Esquivel:  Translated by Carol & Thomas Christensen.  Deliciously funny look at life in a passionate Mexican family, with great romance, food, and traces of magic surrealism.  

LIMITATIONS by Scott Turow: Kindle County Appellate Judge George Mason, formerly seen in Personal Injuries, is having a bad week. His wife has just been diagnosed with cancer, he’s receiving mysterious threatening emails, and he’s troubled by the case before him. A young woman was drugged and unconscious when she was brutally raped by four college students, who also videotaped every humiliating detail. Upon awakening, she’s not completely sure what happened and pushes it out of her mind until several years later when the videotape re-surfaces. The young men are subsequently convicted, but the case has come before the appellate court because it appears that the statute of limitations was ignored. In an ironic twist, the case has stirred up some unpleasant memories from the Judge’s own past, leaving him to wrestle with those demons in addition to his sick wife and increasingly alarming emails. The novel is written in the present tense, which adds a sense of immediacy to the events, but there is a real lack of suspense and virtually no surprises in this unusually low key legal thriller from the creator of the genre. This is an expanded version of a serial originally published in the Sunday New York Times Magazine, and like it's predecessor in the magazine, At Risk by Patricia Cornwell, it's not the author's best work.  Michael Connelly has his serial running now and after hearing him talk about the difficulties in writing to that serialized format and the changes he's planning for the novella version of it, well, I'm hoping that it will work better than these others have.  11/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE LINCOLN LAWYER by Michael Connelly: A terrific legal thriller from one of my favorite writers, and while this is not Harry Bosch, rumor has it that it is the first of a new series; life is good!  Mickey Haller is a defense attorney who basically works out of the back seat of his Lincoln, with a driver who is a former client working to pay off his fees.  Mickey is just scraping by but then he lands the client of his dreams, a wealthy real estate baron accused of attempted rape who swears his innocence.  With the intended victim ready to testify against him, things don't look good but then they start looking worse.  And that is just the beginning - this story has more turns than a screw yet Connelly just hammers this one home.  Take note: this is how a legal thriller should be written. 10/05

Line of Vision by David Ellis:  Terrific legal thriller with enough twists and turns to keep the ending a complete surprise.  This well written first novel by a Chicago lawyer who knows his stuff kept me on the edge of my seat until I turned the last page.  

THE LION by Nelson DeMille:  The latest in the John Corey series was a bit of a disappointment. I love this character, especially his wise ass attitude, but even that couldn't save this book for me.  When we last saw former New York police detective turned Anti-Terrorist Task Force agent Corey and his wife, FBI Agent Mayfield, they had a run in with the Lion, a Libyan terrorist named Asad Khalil (in The Lion's Game.) As the title of this newest book suggests, he's back - this time, with a plan for vengeance. Khalil is just as deadly as he was the first time around, and Corey spends most of the book as "lion hunter," trying to flush out the Lion before more bodies pile up. Unfortunately, it takes longer than he'd like and there are lots of gruesome murders before the cliff-hanger ending.  John Corey may or may not be back...stay tuned. 07/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

LISEY'S STORY by Stephen King: Scott Landon was a best-selling author; his wife, Lisey, was his anchor. In the two years since Scott's death, Lisey has had a lot to deal with and the task of clearing out her husband's study has loomed over her. She is hounded almost daily by what Scott referred to as Incunks, or, "those pagan worshippers of original texts and unpublished manuscripts." These academics and collectors are aghast at the thought of all the hidden treasures waiting to be discovered in the converted barn Scott used as his workspace. Some of them are even willing to go to startling lengths to get at these posthumous gems. Scott's study turns out to be a treasure trove alright, one that is full of memories Lisey had almost managed to forget. Now, uncovering the truth behind these banished memories may be the only way that Lisey can survive the approaching ordeals that will be set before her.

    Most of King's work can be easily divided into two categories, supernatural horror and somewhat realistic horror, the former being of the ghost and zombie variety and the latter being this could actually happen horror. Lisey's Story falls somewhere in the middle. This is a story of love and family - brothers, sisters, husbands and wives and also fathers and sons. It is a story of madness lurking in the dark corners of the mind and evil prowling at the edge of the woods. It is both touching and horrific and altogether brilliant. 11/06 Becky LeJeune

Little America by Henry Bromell: With everything going on in the world today, this is a very timely novel to read. It is not a mystery exactly, but rather a spy novel within a spy novel - think LeCarre. Our main character is Terry Hooper, a history teacher in California who travels home to Boston to interview his father, Mack Hooper, a retired CIA agent, in hopes of writing a book about the (fictitious) Mideast country of Kurash. But what Terry has become obsessed with is whether or not his father was involved with the King of Kurash's assassination, and what kind of man his father really is. Mack was transferred to Kurash in 1958 to befriend the King and secure a strong U.S. ally. The book moves back and forth between present day Boston & Washington D.C. and 1958 Kurash as Terry tries to draw a timeline of the events that led to the King's assassination and the dissolution of Kurash. The first half of the book is heavy with description of life in the Middle East, especially in what is known as "Little America;" the enclave of Americans living there. It's very readable, deeply engrossing and somewhat autobiographical - Henry Bromell's father was an agent with the CIA who moved his family to the Middle East when Henry was 10 years old. Henry grew up to be a writer (a couple of books of short stories and a novel written twenty years ago) but is more well known as the writer and producer of TV shows such as Homicide: Life on the Street, Chicago Hope and Northern Exposure. He has a new series called Carnivale starring Adrienne Barbeau (remember her?) and Nick Stahl (the now-all-grown-up kid who starred with Mel Gibson in the Man Without a Face) that will be on HBO in early 2003. Little America is now being turned into an HBO series from Sopranos producer Brad Grey.

Little Bitty Lies by Mary Kay Andrews:  Mary Bliss McGowan is the perfect wife except for one thing; her husband's up and left her in the middle of the night and disappeared off the face of the earth.  And taken everything with him - he's refinanced the house and taken the cash, emptied their bank accounts, sold their stocks, and even taken Mary Bliss's engagement ring.  The credit cards are maxed out, the cell phone's been shut off, and private school tuition is due.  What's a mother to do?  Mary Bliss is so angry she wants to kill him, and decides she will - on paper, anyway.  With best friend Katherine's help, they stage his death and Mary Bliss tried to collect on the one life insurance policy he hadn't cashed out.  But a private detective is nosing around, and Mary Bliss can't tell if he's interested in her or her missing husband; her recently jilted neighbor across the street has the hots for her; Erin, her teenage daughter is angry and taken to staying out all night; and her ornery mother-in-law is sliding deeper into dementia every day.  A fast, fun book to take to the beach.

LITTLE FACE by Sophie Hannah: Alice Fancourt took one reluctant afternoon to herself after the birth of her daughter. When she returned home, she became convinced that her baby had been swapped with another. No one believed her, least of all her husband. But when Alice and the baby both disappeared a week later, everyone started to take notice. Detective Simon Waterhouse was called in to investigate the possible kidnapping of baby Florence, and even he wasn’t sure if Alice was telling the truth or simply suffering from some version of post-partum depression. He later becomes convinced that Alice’s own husband is behind her disappearance, but when the department begins whispering about secret meetings between the detective and the missing woman, he finds that his own actions are being questioned. This is Sophie Hannah’s first psychological suspense and also the first book featuring Simon Waterhouse and his boss, Charlie Zailer. Reminiscent of some of the best in the genre: Ruth Rendell and Minette Walters. I especially enjoyed the style in which the story is told. Parts of the story take place after the alleged baby swap, from Alice’s point of view. The present story, Alice and Little Face—as the baby has been nicknamed—now missing, is mostly told from Waterhouse’s perspective as the investigation progresses. 12/09 Becky Lejeune

THE LITTLE GIANT OF ABERDEEN COUNTY by Tiffany Baker: Truly Plaice is truly one of a kind. The exact opposite of her delicate and girlish sister, Truly—whose mother died giving birth to her—finds herself almost completely alone in the world after her father dies. Years later, Truly is called upon to help raise her young nephew. Truly’s new post in her brother-in-law’s house turns out to be a blessing she could never have predicted after she discovers the truth behind the rumors that have surrounded his family for generations. The Little Giant of Aberdeen County is an entrancing read with a touch of magic. Truly reveals faults that are more human than most: her hatred of her brother-in-law and the hurt she feels after years of gentle torment, for example, set her apart from the altruistic “giant” you might initially expect. Instead, Truly becomes a character that readers can sympathize with and will ultimately root for. 07/10 Becky Lejeune  

Little Girl Blue by David Cray:  A naked, frozen child is found dead in Central Park.  The cop in charge of the investigation is a highly competitive, hard working, divorced mom, and this case makes her a woman with a mission.  The investigation winds its way through international adoption, child pornography and prostitution to it's dark, gripping conclusion.

LITTLE SHOP OF MURDERS by Susan Goodwill:   In what has to be the funniest bank robbery on record, Walter, a stooped balding man dressed in a red plaid bathrobe, floppy slippers, and armed with a lethal banana (?) robs the bank.  Kate London and her Aunt Kitty are soon in hot (?) pursuit in Kitty’s 1974 white Eldorado convertible.  Imagine their surprise when they see William Jefferson Clinton driving Walter’s getaway car.  (Actually it’s only a guy wearing a Bill Clinton mask).  Lets see, then there is the Treasury Department; the Devil’s Cheerleaders, a biker gang; pandemonium at the Sausage Festival; a giant man-eating plant from Splotski’s Theatre Rentals; a dead body; unsympathetic law enforcement officials; ugly shoes; (Donna Moore?) and in the middle a somewhat engaging mystery.  There is little doubt this one is a work of fiction, and fun.  04/08 Jack Quick  

THE LITTLE SLEEP by Paul Tremblay:  PI Mark Genevich has a bit of a problem. He suffers from severe narcolepsy, with episodes that range from nodding off at odd and unexpected moments to appearing to paralyzing cataplexy (being totally conscious of his surroundings while unable to physically respond) and a sort of waking sleep where he appears to those around him as though he is completely awake, responding and speaking while being completely unaware of it. It is the latter that gets him into his latest bit of trouble. A local semi-celebrity hires him to help track down her missing fingers, but when he wakes, he finds that there is an envelope on his desk with two photos of the girl. It appears that he’s been hired to find out something about these images, but he can’t remember what. It also appears that he can’t actually recall who’s hired him since the girl in question claims that they have never met. Tremblay’s debut is fast-paced and totally original. I loved it. I recommend you find a comfy spot to sit, because you’re going to want to finish this one off in one sitting. 03/09 Becky Lejeune  

THE LITTLE SLEEP by Paul Tremblay: If LA P.I. Toby Peters in Stuart Kaminsky’s series can be assisted by a dwarf, a less than hygienic dentist, and an ex-wrestler, then it makes perfect sense that South Boston P.I. Mark Genevich can be narcoleptic.  He suffers hypnologic hallucinations, waking dreams that make it kind of tough to solve cases. I mean, did it happen or was it a dream.  Jennifer Times, a daughter of the powerful local D.A. and a contestant on American Star, is no dream.  When Mark comes to from his latest hallucination he finds on his desk a manila envelope containing risqué photos of Jennifer.  Are the pictures real, and if so, is Mark hunting a blackmailer, or worse?  Not badly written, and it is a nice gimmick for a “one off.” I don’t see it holding up for a series, but then not all P.I.s end up in series, either. Worth a try. 05/09 Jack Quick

LIVE WIRE by Jay MacLarty: For the right price, Simon Leonidovich will deliver anything, anywhere. This time, however, the cost may be too high. The CIA says North Korea intends to sell its nuclear weapons on the black market. To prevent this the President arranges for the recruitment of Leonidovich to deliver vital CIA documents to North Korean dissidents intent on overthrowing the government of Kim Jong-il. Simon finds himself trapped behind enemy lines with a briefcase full of incriminating evidence, when he discovers the true nature of the threat, an elaborate conspiracy by someone within the administration to take down the American President. Simon has escaped from tricky situations before but never from deep within a country so isolated from the rest of the world. 07/06 Jack Quick

LIVING DEAD GIRL by Elizabeth Scott: "Alice" was abducted by Ray when she was ten years old. Five years later, she's a skeleton of the young, vibrant girl she used to be. She's sustained unspeakable physical and mental abuse at the hands of Ray. She begs each day just to die. Then, Ray asks her find him a new girl. And so, Alice begins the search for her replacement, her salvation. LIVING DEAD GIRL is a dark and terrifying look into the life of an abused teen. While this book is geared to teens, there are bits that aren't overly graphic but would still be too shocking and detailed for a young teen. Although this is a very short book, it is powerful and memorable. A book so disturbing you'll want to put it down, but so compelling that you are forced to continue. This book, and the "Alices" out there will be on my mind for some time. It has been quite some time since a book has impacted me so powerfully. 09/08 Jennifer Lawrence  

THE LIZARD’S BITE by David Hewson: The latest in the Nic Costa series finds Nic, his partner Gianni Peroni and their chief, Leo Falcone exiled in Venice. Nic and Peroni are on their last day of duty before a long two week holiday. Emily Deacon and Teresa Lupo, the two men’s girlfriends, are to join them from Rome. Before their much anticipated vacation can begin however, the three Roman detectives are tapped to investigate a double homicide on the island of Murano. The case is presented as a simple murder suicide. Uriel Archangelo was working the family foundry when a fire broke out killing himself and his wife. Police chief Randazzo underestimates the men though. Before long, it becomes clear that the men were chosen not for their talents but because they are outsiders. One of my favorite aspects of this series is that though readers, and myself, commonly refer to the books as the Nic Costa series, Hewson focuses more on the entire ensemble rather than one character alone.
Fans of the series will be pleased to see that the entire cast has returned in this latest installment. An interesting thing to note is that characters from Lucifer’s Shadow play a pretty big role here. New readers are not to worry though, Hewson’s titles can be enjoyed on their own, or read in sequence - it is not necessary to have read either the previous Costa books or Shadow but it does make Lizard’s Bite that much more interesting. 10/06 Becky LeJeune

THE LOCK ARTIST by Steve Hamilton: Michael, The Miracle Boy, has a story to tell. And though he hasn’t spoken for years, he’s decided that it is time to recount that tale as best he can. As a child, Michael survived a terrible crime, but it left him mute and emotionally scarred. Raised by his uncle, Michael discovers that he has a talent for locks. At first it’s nothing more than a hobby, then it becomes a bragging point with his fellow high school students. But a stunt lands him in trouble with the law while eventually earning him a position as a much sought after “box man”; he can open any lock. The story is told in two alternating timelines: Michael’s early progression in his talent, and Michael’s time working professionally. The closer the two lines become, the more complete Michael’s story becomes, rewarding readers with a growing understanding of the character and his motivations. And the unfolding of the tale is spectacular: a completely gripping and clever one sitting read. 01/10 Becky Lejeune   

LOCKED IN by Mike Esposito:  Duh.  With a medical procedure scheduled next week, I have to pick up a book about a conspiracy between greedy doctors and a shyster lawyer who are scheming together to defraud insurance companies in medical malpractice cases.  Locked In is a well written, fast-paced breakout book set in Tampa, Florida.  Dr. John Armstrong has a trophy wife intent on spending him into bankruptcy.  Cal Burton, his college roommate, apparently slept through all the ethics classes.  When Cal approaches John with a scheme, John reluctantly agrees because he needs the money and he thinks he is actually helping the families of wronged patients.  Then the money making express gets out of control and now the question is who will be the first to fall off and go underneath the wheels.  It’s delightfully twisty. 11/07 Jack Quick   

LOCKED IN by Marcia Muller: A truly frightening book. In the 27th PI Sharon McCone mystery, McCone is shot during a burglary at her office.  When she wakes up in the hospital she is fully awake but totally unable to move.  Her only means of communication is by blinking here eyes.  The story unfolds in chapters narrated by husband Hy and the co-workers who have populated the previous 26 books.  Each chapter peels back another layer in a complicated case which includes a city government sex scandal, a cover-up and multiple murders. If you are a Muller fan, you will appreciate the skill of her characterizations, but otherwise this is one you might want to skip. 12/09 Jack Quick

LOITERING WITH INTENT by Stuart Woods: It starts off as a typical Stone Barrington case. In the middle of a New York February snow storm he is engaged to find 26–year-old-son Evan Keating for his father William, in order to get the younger Keating to agree to the sale of the family business.  Evan was last heard from via a postcard from Key West so that is where the hunt will begin.  Since it is February, and he is going to Key West, Stone enlists perennial sidekick Dino Bacchetti to come along for the ride, as well as play golf and tennis, eat conch and acquire a winter time tan.  When he finally tracks Evan down, Stone is surprised when Evan refuses to sign the contract, which is worth more than $20 million. Stone continues his increasingly dangerous pursuit of Evan, now questioning Warren’s intentions. Sure enough, Evan believes his father is up to no good, and Stone agrees to help Evan, unaware that the decision will cost him dearly. Another good one. 07/09 Jack Quick 

LONDON BOULEVARD by Ken Bruen:  Ken Bruen could make even a grocery list interesting.  Mitchell is finally free after serving time for assault.  Although not crazy about the idea, he accepts a job as a loan shark enforcer until he lands a legitimate job as a handyman for a rich actress who's eager to reward him with cash, cars, and sex.  Then he meets Aisling--smart, beautiful, and, best of all, as crazy about Mitchell as he is about her.  But Mitchell can never truly escape his violent past or the dangerous world of loan sharks, druggies, and other bottom feeders.  Told as only Bruen can with an absolute minimum of words and maximum of feeling. 05/06 Jack Quick

LONDON BRIDGES by James Patterson: In this, his 10th adventure, Alex Cross, must deal with two of his most deadly foes: the faceless ex-KGB agent “The Wolf” from last year's Big Bad Wolf, and the insane serial killer The Weasel, last seen in Patterson's Pop Goes the Weasel. Needless to say the action is fast and furious as Cross, who now works full-time for the FBI, attempts to bring both to justice – and not be killed himself. Perhaps not as credible as some of the other Cross outings, but still a good read. As always with the later Patterson offerings is the question of who is really the author. 12/05 Jack Quick

LONDON BOULEVARD by Ken Bruen: Mitchell served three years in prison for an attack he doesn’t even remember.  Mitchell doesn’t want to ever go back, but it is hard to escape the pull of old friends like Billy Norton and Tommy Loan, ruthless lowlifes who soon have Mitchell back into trouble.  Attempting to salvage something of his life Mitchell finds work at the Holland Park mansion of faded movie actress, Lillian Palmer, where he has to deal with her mysterious butler, Jordan. It isn’t long before Mitchell’s violent past catches up with him and people start getting hurt. When his disturbed sister Briony is threatened, Mitchell is forced to act.  It is Bruen so you know there is not going be any happily ever after. 12/09 Jack Quick 

THE LONELY POLYGAMIST by Brady Udall:  Golden Richards has four wives and 28 children, yet somehow still finds himself lonely. He singsongs all his children's names, in birth order, as a sort of calming mantra, not to mention as a way to remember them all. Golden is a contractor whose business has fallen on hard times, forcing him to take a job building a brothel. The money is good, but he feels compelled to lie to his family and tells them he is building a senior center. He lives in fear of being found out, and much of the black humor in this story comes from his gentle soul. This is a family story at heart, just not the sort of family most of us are familiar with. Udall comes from a long line of polygamists, ending a couple of generations back, so he knows what he's writing about. Udall is clear in separating this polygamist church from the Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormons), which generally get lumped egregiously together. This is a fascinating, funny read, sure to please fans of dysfunctional family tales and the terrific Big Love series on HBO (which was inspired by an article Udall wrote for Esquire Magazine back in 1997, entitled "Big Love".) Udall's voice is unique, as are his characters; nonetheless, he draws favorable comparison to John Irving and Richard Russo. If you are looking for a big, sprawling, good time summer read, here's your book. I loved it. 06/10 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

THE LONG FALL by Walter Mosley:  Leonid (his father was a communist named Tolstoy) McGill is a black New York City private detective from the old school now trying to move from “ crooked to slightly bent.”  At 53, he knows that he can’t go back and undo some of his past exploits which cost at least one innocent man his life.  But going forward the former boxer hopes to be able to steer his children to a better life. McGill soon finds the upward path is quite slippery and you can fall off before you know it – like finding the current whereabouts of some young men who begin contracting fatal conditions after McGill turns their names over to an Albany PI.  His 16 year old son Twill is getting in over his head with a suicidal girl.  McGill shares a lot of Easy Rawlins knack for earning powerful friends by performing favors and has some of the toughness of Fearless, but he's got his own dark secrets and hard-won philosophy. New York's racial stew is different than Los Angeles's, and Mosley stirs the pot and concocts a perfect setting for an entirely new series. 05/09 Jack Quick 

LONG LOST by Harlan Coben: Myron is back. Myron Bolitar has been enjoying something of a quiet life lately. He’s got a girlfriend that he’s pretty serious about and has even purchased his parents’ old home, but all that changes with one phone call. It’s been almost a decade since Myron has heard from Terese, but when she calls him asking for his help, he really can’t resist. Her request comes right on the heels of a semi-breakup with his current love, so off to Paris he goes. When he arrives Myron finds that it is his unique people-finding skills that Terese is most in need of. It seems her ex called her up, quite distraught, and begged for a meeting. When she herself arrived, the man was nowhere to be found. That mystery is solved soon enough, however, when both Terese and Myron are picked up by the police for questioning. Terese’s ex has been found, dead in the morgue. It’s the evidence that was found with his body, though, that really sets everything in motion. Soon Myron and Terese are both on the run and their very lives might depend on uncovering the dead man’s secret. Anyone who hasn’t read the Myron Bolitar series really needs to start now. Like Promise Me, Long Lost can be read pretty much on it’s own, and it is a bit of a deviation from Myron’s usual plots, but really, it’s so much more fun if you know his backstory. Another winner from Coben. 04/09 Becky Lejeune  

Long Lost by David Morrell:  One day Petey, age 9, tags along with his older brother Brad to the ball field.  Brad tells him to get lost and he takes off on his bike, never to be seen again.  Brad lives with that for decades until a man calls out his name in the street.  His life will never be the same again.  This emotional, powerful thriller leads to its inevitable conclusion with some very scary moments along the way.

A LONG REACH by Michael Stone: You wouldn’t call Streeter, the Denver bounty hunter who made his debut in The Low End of Nowhere, lucky in love. With four ex-wives as well as a host of former lovers there is always a damsel or two in distress who can call on him for help, like ex-wife Carol, a criminal attorney who wants protection from a client she defended in a murder trial. Maybe the plot isn’t too complex, but the dames are plentiful and how can you not like a villain who shoots himself in the foot. 02/06 Jack Quick

LOOK AGAIN by Lisa Scottoline:  In a departure from her legal thrillers, Scottoline introduces Ellen Gleeson, a journalist and single mother of an adopted child.  Gleeson fell in love with the baby when he was abandoned in the cardiac unit at a hospital she was doing a story on.  The biological mother signed the papers and Ellen took home her little boy.  Fast forward a couple of years - Ellen's going through the mail when she sees a missing child flyer with an age progressed photo of a little boy who bears a striking resemblance to her adopted son.  Despite advice to ignore it from her father and her lawyer, she can't get it out of her head, so she contacts the adoption lawyer only to find out that the woman committed suicide a few weeks after the adoption.  Her inner-journalist kicks in and she starts digging into the adoption, disregarding her work at the newspaper despite the looming threat of layoffs, not to mention the very real possibility that she could lose her child if there is something there.  Scottoline has written a terrific thriller that is a little darker than her usual fare, but is also very thought provoking.  Reading groups should consider this for their next meeting.  04/09 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

LORDS OF CORRUPTION by Kyle Mills:  For Josh Hagarty, there is good news and bad news.  The good news is he has managed to escape a hardscrabble life in Kentucky and has earned a mechanical engineering degree and an MBA.  The bad news is that he has mega student loans, a younger sister and an alcoholic mother back in Kentucky to support, and worst of all, a prison record stemming from a high school involvement in an armed robbery, which make him virtually unemployable.  So the offer from NewAfrica to manage a farming project in an underdeveloped African country is almost too good to be true.  And in fact, it is.  What the recruiter left out was that John’s predecessor was hacked to death by a machete, there is Russian involvement in the charity, and the President of his host country is interested only in how much money he can skim off the top.  With the help of Annika Gritdal, a beautiful Scandinavian aid worker, and alcoholic journalist J.B. Flannary, Josh must fight to uncover the truth behind NewAfrica – and keep the three of them alive.  A first rate thriller. 05/09 Jack Quick

THE LOST by Michelle Hancock: This first novel takes the Davinci Code to its furthest edges.  What if Jesus Christ actually was an instrument of the Devil?  That is about as controversial as it gets, but Guy “Coffee” Daniels, a brilliant student of ancient languages at Columbia University thinks he has proof.  It all starts when Pia Cecelio, the beautiful daughter of a famous philanthropist, asks him to translate one of the Dead Sea scrolls not yet released to the public.  What Coffee discovers is a new testament written by Jesus and secrets sure to crush the faith of Christians worldwide.  When Coffee and the document disappear, Pia tries to track him down.  What is truth and what is evil?  Save your answer until you finish this one, and even then don’t speak it out loud.  You never know who might be listening. 05/07 Jack Quick 

Lost and Found by Carolyn Parkhurst: Parkhurst, author of The Dogs of Babel, has written a novel for fans of "The Amazing Race" reality show. Lost and Found is a scavenger hunt reality show in which teams travel around the world to find objects and survive until the end of the game. Parkhurst’s novel examines the team members, focusing on Laura and Cassie, a mother and daughter with a secret that Cassie revealed to the TV screeners, but no one else knows. Other couples include Jeff and Carl, recently divorced brothers, Juliet and Dallas, former child stars, and Justin and Abby, a Christian married couple who led gay lives before marriage. The stress of the show, and the reality of the secrets each couple has, adds to the tension in the book as the teams race to a tumultuous ending. It’s a fascinating book, but the concentration on too many characters meant that there wasn’t quite enough development of any of the characters. There was an unsatisfied feeling at the end, as if there was still more to be discovered about the characters. 07/06 Lesa Holstine

THE LOST DIARY OF DON JUAN by Douglas Carlton Abrams: The legend of Don Juan has been entertaining readers (and watchers) for centuries. Painted at times as a heartless rogue and at others as a sort of Robin Hood of the bedroom, the infamous figure always woos his way into women’s beds and leaves them wanting more. Douglas Carlton Abrams’s version of the tale tracks Don Juan’s exploits over the course of one month; one month in which he has been given a reprieve by the King himself and ordered to find a bride or suffer the consequences. Abrams also provides a look into the legendary libertine’s past and the story that made him the man he would become. It remains to be seen if Don Juan can curb his wild ways and find true satisfaction with just one woman, or if he will defy the crown by doing more than soiling the reputation of the princes. An imaginative romantic adventure and a wonderful new look at one of literatures longest living playboys. Though Abrams presents a provocative question in regards to human nature and relationships, the book is by no means heavy or serious. In fact, it’s a quite fun historical novel. 09/08 Becky Lejeune   

LOST DOG by Bill Cameron: If a serial killer can be a protagonist (Darkly Dreaming Dexter) then why not a kleptomaniac? Peter McKrall is an out of work kleptomaniac who has the misfortune of finding the body of Carlotta Younger, a murder victim, while searching for his niece’s stuffed dog left at the playground overnight. The resultant publicity puts him in a double-barreled crossfire. Darla, Carlotta’s troubled daughter, insists that Peter help her find her mother’s killer, and Jake, Carlotta’s murderer, decides to frame Peter for the crime. When a second murder occurs and evidence is planted in Peter’s trash, the cops dredge up Peter’s painful history of petty theft. The only ray of sunshine in this harrowing nightmare is Ruby Jane, the coffee lady. Peter has no idea that the deranged killer is after him until he takes a shot at Ruby Jane. Nice read.  05/07 Jack Quick

LOST GIRLS by George D. Shuman:  The third book in the Shuman’s Sherry Moore series begins with Sherry taking a trip to Denali where a senator’s daughter has been lost in a snowstorm. Sherry is blind, but she has the ability to touch a corpse and see 18 seconds of their final memories. A body on Denali does lead search and rescue to the senator’s daughter, but it also leaves Sherry to deal with some quite disturbing images. It’s discovered that the man may have had ties to a human trafficking ring in Haiti. Then, an investigator in Jamaica witnesses a body falling from a passing plane. The body is that of a young girl with a rather unique tattoo - a tattoo that is actually the brand of a particular trafficking ring, the same that Sherry witnessed through the dead man’s eyes. Given the subject matter it’s no surprise that there is quite a bit of disturbing content in this one. I was a little disappointed that Sherry was not present in a good portion of the book. Shuman does a great job developing his characters, no matter how peripheral they may seem, but this one was a bit short and that meant that quite a bit of the book passes without Sherry’s presence. 09/08 Becky Lejeune  

LOST LAKE by Phillip Margolin: Start with the 1985 murder of a United States Congressman. Add the mentally unstable (?) daughter of a Vietnam era General who is now running for President. Mix in a former CIA Director as incumbent President, along with a dogged FBI official who feels his career has been managed ever since Congressman Glass’s murder. Put it all in today’s newspaper and you have – a thriller. As Mae West said, “buckle up boys, its going to be a wild ride.” Who is Carl Rice? Can you believe the stories of a confessed mass murderer and an admitted paranoid, or do you trust the government? This could be fact, or is it? Did I mention the JFK assassination connection and who else was on that grassy knoll? Recommended, with seat belts. 05/05 ~This review contributed by Jack Quick.

Lost Light by Michael Connelly:  This may be Connelly's finest yet.  As fans of the Bosch series know, Harry turned in his LAPD badge in City of Bones (which made my favorites list for 2002,) so this one finds Harry with a private investigator permit languishing in the drawer.  The other big change is the point of view; this is Connelly's first attempt at writing in the first person, and he pulls it off beautifully.  As a friend (Geoff) pointed out, it's a lot tougher for Harry to be an asshole when he's telling the story.  And an interesting story it is; another retired cop calls Harry and convinces him to look into a cold case - a murder of a young actress that somehow was tied into a $2,000,000 heist four years earlier that was never solved.  This cop retired after his partner was killed and he took a bullet to the neck, rendering him a quadriplegic.  The F.B.I.'s little-known-but-oh-so-powerful homeland security department gets involved and things really start happening.  Connelly has written a real dilemma of a book - it's so good you don't want to put it down, but you don't want it to end, either.  And there is a fabulous jazz compilation CD called Dark Sacred Night that is being given away with the purchase of this book at some bookstores, so ask around before you buy.  Connelly recommends listening while you read.

THE LOST SISTER by Megan Kelley Hall: Last year, author Megan Kelley Hall introduced readers to the Sisters of Misery in her teen debut of the same name. Now, it’s months later and Maddie Crane has left Hawthorne in an attempt to heal from the events of that fateful night on Misery Island, the events that led to her cousin’s disappearance, her aunt’s spiral into madness, and a revelation that changed everything for her family. Someone doesn’t want the Sisters of Misery to forget that night, though. Someone doesn’t want people to forget Cordelia LeClaire. And when Maddie and Cordelia both return to Hawthorne, that person’s deadly plan begins to unfold. As the Sisters begin to fall, Maddie becomes desperate to uncover the killer’s identity and protect her loved ones. This sequel brings the mystery that began with Sisters of Misery to an end, but will Maddie and her family survive? A great teen mystery with a slight paranormal twist. 07/09 Becky Lejeune 

LOST SOULS by Lisa Jackson: Kristi Bentz has decided that it’s time to finally head back to college and complete her degree, and her father is not happy. It seems Kristi has a tendency to get into trouble and is still recovering from an attempt on her life that left her comatose (Bentz, family, and friends have appeared in previous Jackson novels). Of course her father would want to keep her at home where she is safe, especially when he learns that five coeds have recently and inexplicably disappeared from Kristi’s school of choice. The local police are treating the cases as runaways - each of the girls had a history of running off with no warning. They also had family problems and no close friends. Kristi thinks something else is going on, though. When she learns that the last tenant in her new apartment just happened to be one of the missing girls, she decides that she should be the one to look into things. She discovers that there are rumors around campus of a vampire cult, spawned no doubt by one of the college’s most popular courses regarding vampires in literature. Kristi is certain that it’s no coincidence each of the five girls was taking the course in question at the time of their disappearances. Unfortunately for Kristi, her snooping around has once again caught the attention of the wrong person, or persons. This was my first Jackson title, but definitely not my last. The tight plot combined with her easy style makes this a very intense but quick read. Readers who like Lisa Gardner, Tess Gerritsen, and Iris Johansen are sure to like Jackson. Like Gardner, Jackson has common characters throughout many of her novels, but most, including Lost Souls, can be read as stand-alones.  05/08 Becky Lejeune 

THE LOST SYMBOL by Dan Brown:  Periodically, I buy Mega-Millions lottery tickets.  I admit it.  I don’t know how much I have spent but I do know that largest jackpot I ever won is $150 so I suspect I am behind.  I bring this up because I am sure the fashionable thing will be to put down this book as blithering nonsense written to pander to the masses with no socially redeeming values.  Maybe it is, but if you suspend belief, overlook the myriad coincidences and go with the flow as Harvard Professor Robert Langdon finds himself in a predicament that requires his vast knowledge of symbology and superior problem-solving skills to save the day, then you just might be entertained.  I was, kind of in the same fashion as the original Star Wars film.  It is pure escapism, but as with other Dan Brown books, the pace is relentless, the revelations many, and there is an endless parade of intriguing factoids.  I admit I enjoyed it, but I also enjoy chili cheese dogs and pork rinds which my wife says will be the death of me yet.  I encourage you to try it. Give it 50 pages, and then if it’s not your cuppa, throw it against the wall, otherwise plan on some late nights and lots of black coffee. I think it’s universally available at $9.99 which is less than a nicely prepared lunch, or if you are lucky in books and not in lottery like me, get it from your local library. I think they had 500 or so copies, so the wait time was minimal. 11/09 Jack Quick  

THE LOST VAN GOGH by A.J. Zerries:  It is a truism that the larger the organization, the more narrow the specialization of its members.   So it shouldn’t be surprising that an organization as big as the NYPD would have an “art cop”, a member of the Major Crimes Squad who specializes in crimes related to art.  Usually detective Clay Ryder is following up on thefts, like the two priceless paintings stolen from a Central Park penthouse.  But this case is just the opposite. A previously unknown Van Gogh shows up at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, having been shipped from Argentina via UPS.  It is up to Ryder to track back to the Nazi pillaging of Jewish-owned art treasures, with an especially barbaric SS officer believed to have escaped to Argentina, the Israeli Mossad agents on the SS officer’s trail, and ultimately to protect the rightful  heir to the Van Gogh portrait, one Rachel Meredith, a film-history professor at NYU. Interesting and complicated, particularly for those who are art buffs.  06/09 Jack Quick 

THE LOST WITNESS by Robert Ellis:  Los Angeles detective Lena Gamble is back in this twisty talk that has more turns than LA’s famed Mullholland Drive.  Start with a mis-identified victim in a high profile case handed to Lena by a vindictive Chief still smarting from her previous outing (CITY OF FIRE).  Throw in suspects who in turn become victims, friends who aren’t friends, and perps who seem to know more than she does about the inner workings of the investigation.  All I can say is that if you can guess how this one ends, then please provide me the lottery numbers for next week’s Powerball drawing.  Be warned, very little is as it seems.  Ellis is quickly becoming a must read along with the Parkers, Robert B. and T. Jefferson. 03/09 Jack Quick  

Louisiana Bigshot by Julie Smith: A mystery revolving around racism, which apparently is still alive and kicking in Louisiana. This is the sequel to Louisiana Hotshot, but my first experience with this author.  Her main protagonist is Talba Wallis, an African American young woman with a newly issued private investigator license.  Talba's masseuse is found dead of an apparent suicide by heroin overdose, but her cheating boyfriend is convinced she was murdered and hires Talba to solve the mystery.  I had a hard time getting into the story, and I found her writing style too simplistic, but there were some nice twists and a strong ending.

LOVE AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS by Holly Shumas: It's Thanksgiving. Eve is eight months pregnant with her second child. Her friends and family are over to celebrate the holiday, and she hears her husband, Jon, talking on the phone in hushed tones. She discovers that he has been in a "relationship" with another woman for over a year. The relationship isn't physical, but emotional. Eve feels betrayed, and asks Jon to leave. She begins questioning her entire life, the decision she made in getting married and having children so soon. Understandably, thoughts of Jon's "affair" plague her constantly. Is an emotional affair worse than a sexual one? Shumas' writing is emotional and honest. The reader feels the betrayal and anger that Eve experiences. The situation that Jon and Eve are experiencing is a very real one. LOVE AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS makes each reader, no matter their circumstances, reevaluate their lives, their relationships, and the decisions they make. An amazing piece of writing. 02/09 Jennifer Lawrence 

A Love of My Own by E. Lynn Harris:  This story revolves around Zola Norwood, the editor-in-chief of Bling Bling magazine, geared towards young, hip African Americans.  Zola is looking for love, but finding lust.  Several returning characters from Harris's previous books are here, including Basil Henderson, Raymond Tyler, and Yancy B., among others. Harris also incorporates the horror of September 11 in a very poignant and respectful manner, as well as some other recent history like Halle Berry & Denzel Washington winning Academy Awards. I always look forward to his books, and always enjoy them.

Love Her Madly by Mary-Ann Tirone Smith:   This terrific thriller with legal overtones is a war of women:  Poppy Rice, the tough, sharp FBI agent versus the oh-so-ethereal Rona Leigh Glueck, confessed & convicted killer who's waiting for her death sentence to be carried out so she can go home to Jesus.  Poppy's not buying it and she has no qualms in taking on the Texas Governor and the FBI to make her case.

LOVE KILLS by Edna Buchanan: After eight Britt Montero novels and two Cold Case Squad novels, Edgar-finalist Buchanan brings Britt and the Cold Case Squad together in this outing. When Miami police discover the remains of Spencer York, a kidnapper who worked for divorced fathers, members of the Cold Case Squad question veteran Miami News crime reporter Britt Montero, the last person to see him alive. In the meantime Britt has found a disposable camera in the ocean with pictures of a honeymooning couple lost at sea. The groom in the photo, Marsh Holt, later turns up alive, but his bride has drowned. Britt's investigative journalism leads her to an amazing discovery — Marsh has a habit of marrying women who meet their demise while honeymooning, and he plans to marry once again. The two cases remain intertwined to the very end in this delightfully twisty outing.  12/08 Jack Quick

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold:  This is the story of Susie Salmon, a 14 year old girl who is raped and murdered.  Susie tells us this story from her perch up in heaven, and it's an incredible journey along the lives of everyone she touched.  Not every loose end is tied up, and it may smack too much of reality for some, but this is a breathtaking debut novel. Amazingly, it hit number one on the NY Times bestseller list, and has become something of a permanent fixture in the top ten these past six months.  I say amazingly not because it doesn't deserve it, but rather because it does - and that doesn't happen very often for a first novel.  It is a gorgeous book, beautifully written, and I am thrilled for her - and for me, because I enjoyed every word of it.    Confession:  When I first received this book, I read that Anna Quindlan, who I greatly respect, said "If you read one book this summer, it should be The Lovely Bones. ... It's destined to be a classic along the lines of To Kill a Mockingbird."  I'm sorry to say my first thought was great, Quindlan's become a blurb whore, and I gave the book away unread.  After all the great press it received, my curiosity got the best of me and I borrowed a copy from the library to read.  I subsequently went out and purchased it.  I was wrong, she was right, and my faith has been restored.  My most humble apologies to Ms. Quindlan.

THE LOW END OF NOWHERE by Michael Stone: Denver PI Michael Stone has a winner in Streeter, a Denver bounty hunter. First he foils a gorgeous advertising woman's scheme to cheat her insurance company. Then he is tracing the money hidden by a drug dealer before his death in a car crash, add in a sleazy lawyer, a street-smart para-legal, a couple of sociopaths and a possible bent cop. Well, by now you have probably figured it out, but it took me a whole lot longer. Recommended. 02/06 Jack Quick

Lucia, Lucia by Adriana Trigiani: Kit lives in an apartment building in modern day NY with her neighbor, the slightly eccentric 70-year-old Aunt Lu, who is always draped in mink.  One afternoon they have tea together, and Aunt Lu proceeds to regale the curious Kit with her life story.  Lu is the Lucia of the title; a beautiful 25 year old Italian-American feminist in 1950, an age where feminism was unheard of and good Italian girls did as they were told.  Lucia is pursued by Dante, who expects her to give up her job as a seamstress in the couture department of the swanky B. Altman's department store as soon as they are married.  But Lucia wants more out of life than being a baker's wife, she has her own ambitions.  Then she falls for John Talbot, a suave uptown businessman who sweeps her off her feet and adorns her in that infamous mink, but things don't work out exactly as Lucia planned. This novel is peopled with wonderful characters and offers a fascinating glimpse into the gentile world of Italian-American Catholic 1950's values and culture that has long faded away.

LUCIFER’S SHADOW by David Hewson: This Venetian stand-alone contains not one, but two mysteries – one modern and one that dates back to 1733. The story begins with a visit to San Michele where a thief has been hired to witness the exhumation of a young woman’s body and then steals the rare violin that accompanied her to the grave. In 1733, printer’s apprentice Lorenzo Scacchi has been asked to escort a young Jewish woman from the ghetto to Vivaldi’s church to perform. In a time when Jews were segregated and forced to adhere to strict rules, the beautiful and talented Rebecca Levi would never have been allowed to set foot in, much less perform in, a Christian church. Soon, the two find themselves involved in a plot of deception that could lead to imprisonment or even death. Today, Oxford graduate Daniel Forster has been hired by one of the few remaining members of the Scacchi clan to catalogue the neglected Scacchi warehouse. Daniel has been charged with finding anything that could fetch a sum large enough to pay the many Scacchi debts. When Daniel discovers an anonymous composition, he and Scacchi are told that without verification of the composer or copyright, the manuscript would be worthless. A rich investor convinces Daniel to take credit for the composition. The subsequent funds are used to then buy a rare violin that will supposedly be sold to a collector to pay the family debts. A fascinating mystery with a great plot twist at the end. A surprise to readers – this story continues in Hewson’s latest title, The Lizard’s Bite. 10/06 Becky LeJeune

LUCKY AT CARDS by Lawrence Block: Bill Maynard is a card shark – not the best – or he wouldn’t be having broken teeth fixed in a small Midwestern town. But the stopover does give him the opportunity to maybe re-build his stash in a friendly small town game of poker. Maynard is successful in scamming the locals, but falls hard for Joyce, the sexy young wife of the game’s host, who isn’t fooled by his card tricks. Indeed, she's got higher stakes in mind: after seducing him, she ropes Bill into that old scheme, helping her get rid of her hubby. Lawrence Block is an ideal fit for Hard Case Crimes in this Number 28 of the series, another hit from the get go. 02/07 Jack Quick

LUCKY’S LADY by Tami Hoag: Psychologist Serena Sheridan comes back to the small Louisiana town where she’d been raised to find her grandfather missing and her twin sister planning to sell the family estate to finance her husband’s political career. She hires Lucky Doucet, a handsome Cajun with a past littered with secrets, to guide her into the swamp to find her grandfather. Soon their relationship is as steamy as the surrounding bayous, an attempt is made on Serena’s life, and well……First published in 1992, this book is categorized as a romantic suspense novel, with more emphasis on the romance than the suspense. Ms. Hoag is an author who has grown and improved with time. I didn’t like this as much as her later works, but still not bad. 08/06 Jack Quick

LULLABY by Claire Seeber: Jess Finnegan was having a nice day out with her husband and baby, when she realized that she was alone. One moment her family was by her side, the next they were simply gone. She searches high and low but can find no sign. Resigned, she returns home hoping that they will be waiting for her. Not so. The authorities are quick to brush aside her concerns: her husband is a responsible adult, after all, and it’s only been a matter of hours. But then Jess’s worst nightmares come true when her husband is found beaten and apparently left for dead. The baby is nowhere to be found. With every moment that passes, the trail goes colder. Jess, unable to sit idly by, begins her own search, leading her to suspect almost everyone of possible involvement in her son’s kidnapping. Lullaby is a tightly plotted and intense story in the tradition of UK suspense made famous by the likes of Nicci French, Minette Walters, and Ruth Rendell. Though Lullaby debuted in the UK in 2007, this is Seeber’s first U.S. release. Definitely an author to watch. 01/10 Becky Lejeune

LULLABY FOR THE NAMELESS by Sandra Ruttan:  Ruttan uses a not unfamiliar theme to create an in-depth study of the law enforcement psyche. Her three Canadian Constables - Nolan, Hart and Tain are dealing with a nightmare.  Their first case working together involved tracking down a serial murderer known as the Missing Killer. That case was solved and the perp put to death. Now, Hart and Tain find themselves handling the case of the murder of the only victim who survived from that original case several months earlier. In the meantime, Nolan is assigned to a manhunt to search for a man who may have murdered his family and learns that the man they're searching for is also connected to that same former case.  So, did they get it wrong in the first investigation and send an innocent man to death or are they being targeted by someone from that first investigation, who knows the details, and is trying to cast doubt on the original investigation?  LULLABY FOR THE NAMELESS goes back and forth between the old case and the new one chronicling the stress being placed on Nolan, Hart and Tain.  Will they survive or will one (or more) of them become a victim of this new investigation?  Ruttan has an almost uncanny ability to place you in the thought processes of all three as they cope with the fears of failure - both possibly past and in the future. Even though there isn’t a high action level as in some books, at the end of this one you are drained emotionally knowing that the toll on the book’s characters is infinitely greater. Thank you, Ms. Ruttan, for another good one. 05/10 Jack Quick 

THE LUST LIZARD OF MELANCHOLY COVE by Christopher Moore: As Pine Cove’s only psychiatrist, Dr. Valerie Riordan has become complacent and lazy when it comes to her patients, subscribing to the belief that for every patient there is a pill. This belief has allowed her to collect a small kickback from the local pharmacy and do as little work as possible. When it appears that one of her patients, Bess Leander, has killed herself, Val vows to turn her practice, and the people of Pine Cove around by switching their meds to placebos. Unfortunately for Val, a horny killer sea creature has also made its way to Pine Cove. Where the creature goes, he spreads a “signal” lulling his prey into a happy and lusty state of submission. The newly “clean” residents are even more susceptible to the creature’s influence. Town constable and resident pothead Theophilus Crowe has noticed the changes in Pine Cove and becomes suspicious as the randy townspeople begin pairing off and the list of missing folk continues to grow. Christopher Moore has done it again - Lust Lizard is a guaranteed quick and hilarious read. 03/07 Becky Lejeune

LUST, LOATHING AND A LITTLE LIP GLOSS by Kyra Davis: In the fourth title of this hilarious series, mystery author Sophie Katz has finally saved up enough money to buy her first home. Unfortunately in the San Francisco housing market, Sophie can only afford a modest fixer-upper. When her slimy ex-husband, who just happens to be a realtor, approaches Sophie with the deal of a lifetime—a fabulous renovated Victorian in a very desirable neighborhood, selling for way under market value—Sophie knows there must be a catch. And there sure is. Sophie and her ex arrive just in time to find the owner dead of a heart attack. Still, the owner’s son seems pretty anxious to unload the property, but only if Sophie can prove that she can make contact with the other side. The deal also comes with the stipulation the Sophie join a group obsessed with the undead. Then one of the members is murdered and it looks as though Sophie’s dream home may slip through her fingers. But Sophie’s not going to go down without a fight; she’s going to solve this one and get that house even if it means exposing herself to a crazed psychopath. Such a fun series. Davis’s cast of quirky and loveable characters never fail to crack me up. 05/09 Becky Lejeune 

Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning Paper by Harriet Scott Chessman:  Another of the newish "painting" genre books à la the fabulous GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING, but with a considerable lack of story.  The artist in residence is Mary Cassatt, who painted several portraits of her sister and had a relationship with Degas.  Her model sister Lydia suffers from Bright's disease, but Mary keeps on painting her anyway, using color as a symbolism of her illness. There are beautiful color plates of the few paintings novelized here in this small and lovely book.  Maybe if I hadn't recently re-read Chevalier's book, I would have appreciated this one more.

Lying Awake by Mark Salzman:  The softer side of Catholicism is reflected here in this sparse, beautifully written book about faith.  Sister John of the Cross is a Carmelite nun who has spent her life seeking God.  She starts having visions of God and writing voluminous amounts of inspired poetry, but unfortunately, these visions are accompanied by horrific headaches that are growing progressively worse.  She is diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy, the same disease that apparently afflicted Dostoevski, Van Gogh, and St. Terese Avila, founder of the Carmelite order.  Sister John's dilemma is simple: does she want the cure?

LYING IN BED by M. J. Rose: Billed as an erotic novel, this is a slight departure for Rose whose last three books have been erotic thrillers (see The Venus Fix).  There are no murders here, yet the story is still quite compelling. Marlowe is an artist that makes a living by writing erotic love letters and stories for other people and is dealing with some difficulties in her personal life.  That is, until she meets Gideon, who hires Marlowe but finds they have a very deep connection that certainly transcends a paycheck.  I'm still not clear on the nuances that differentiate an erotic novel from a romance, so suffice it to say that this was a good story with interesting characters (with great names!) and as always with Rose, beautifully written sex.  Enjoyable. 07/06 Stacy Alesi, AKA The BookBitch

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