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Mysteries are great for relaxing, with the added benefit of the occasional insight into people, life, art, relationships, subcultures, business, or the law. Some are a little too gritty or gruesome and some are too light or silly or boring. Here are a few notes on my recent readings in the genre. Enjoy!
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The Paper Moon, by Andrea Camilleri. Translated by Stephen Sartarelli. Penguin Books, London, 2008. Paperback. ISBN 978-0-14-311300-3.
--Inspector Montalbano deals with a puzzling murder case with a cheating wife and a jealous sister among the chief suspects
--this easily irritated and always hungry detective works in a small Sardinian village but deals with matters of serious political and/or criminal import
--amusing colleagues putter about and meanwhile the inspector figures out some seemingly meaningless lists of figures, plus the whereabouts of a missing strongbox, and the whys and wherefores of who will be blamed for the murder as opposed to who will actually be guilty of the crime
--financial finagling and illegal drugs come into the mix too
--cleaver and intriguing
--recommended
Christine Falls: a Novel, by Benjamin Black. Henry Holt, New York, 2006. Hardcover. ISBN 0-8050-815-6.
--pathologist Quirke worries over the case of a woman who may have died in childbirth and not of a pulmonary embolism as her medical chart notes
--pursuing the case of Christine Falls leads to the murkier aspects of supposedly good-works Catholic groups, including laundries and orphanages run by nuns, both in Ireland and in America, specifically in the Boston area
--long-buried family skeletons are revealed
--elegant prose for a somewhat sordid story set in the 1950s
--lower and upper classes are contrasted, but nobody comes out looking very good or upstanding
--interesting, but not the happiest of novels
Still as Death, by Sarah Stewart Taylor. St. Martin's Minotaur, New York, 2006. Hardcover. ISBN 0-312-33742-6.
--art historian Sweeney, auction house developer Ian, and detective Tim Quinn form an unlikely lovers' triangle at the center of a murder mystery involving Egyptian treasures housed in a university art museum
--a suicide years earlier also figures in the plot
--plenty of information about mounting a museum exhibition
--all sorts of odd interpersonal relationships, including one that remains unresolved for Sweeney and Tim
--not the happiest of mystery stories, but then the subject of Sweeney's exhibition is death mementos, shrines, and celebrations
Gone, Baby, Gone, by Dennis Lehane. HarperTorch, HarperCollins, New York, 1998. 2001 printing. Paperback. ISBN 0-380-73035-9.
--private investigators Kenzie and Gennaro become involved in child-kidnapping cases in this lengthy, dark novel featuring hard-boiled villains and even harder-boiled cops
--setting in the Boston suburbs where the atmosphere is gritty and relentless
--drug dealers and assorted street people populate the plot but ultimately the heroes Kenzie and Gennaro solve the cases and find the kids, if not money that has also gone missing in one of the cases
--not for readers who don't appreciate stories where small children come into harm's way
--some thriller-style scenes and a few loose ends
Vita Nuova, by Magdalen Nabb. Soho Press, New York, 2008. Hardcover. ISBN 978-1-56947-493-8.
--Marshal Guarnaccia investigates a muder in a wealthy family, with complications involving parentage, prostitution, and corruption
--set in Florence, with mention of prominent places as well as of small establishments and backwaters
--Guarnaccia's patient wife is out of town, so, at loose ends, Guarnaccia gets drawn into a journalist friend's suspicions about the nightclub and the alleged importation of illegal aliens for immoral purposes
--police procedural, with attention to the effects on victims and on the guilty
--recommended
Hollywood Crows, by Joseph Wambaugh. Little, Brown and Co., New York, 2008. Hardcover. ISBN 0-316-02528-3.
--Hollywood Division's Community Relations Oficers, or Crows, act on quality-of-life complaints and sometimes run across serious crimes and assorted hardened criminals
--in this outing, featuring several returning patrol officers from the previous novel, "Hollywood Station," there are lots of stories, funny and sad or distinctly oddball, plus witty dialogue, and a plot involving an acrimonious divorce and associated fallout, including murder plots
--familiarity with Los Angeles in general and Hollywood in particular may add to a reader's enjoyment but ignorance of the terrain and hot spots won't detract from the various plotlines and characters, such as Hollywood Nate, a police oficer with a Screen Actors Guild card; surfer cops nicknamed Flotsam and Jetsam; and plus-sized Gert Von Braun, who is always quick and resourceful
--recommended
The Finishing School, by Michelle Martinez. William Morrow, HarperCollins, New York, 2006. Hardcover. ISBN 978-0-06-072400-9.
--prosecutor Melanie Vargas becomes deeply involved in a complicated case highlighted by overdose deaths of young girls, serious drug dealing, murder, and embezzlement
--assisting the investigation is FBI agent Dan O'Reilly, who is a love interest for heroine Melanie, separated from her husband and the mother of a young daughter
--into the mix is a brief meeting with Melanie's estranged father while pursuing the case in Puerto Rico
--nice plotting, but a lot turns on knowing one person's nickname
--New York City setting, including a taste of underground nightlife
Wash This Blood Clean From My Hand, by Fred Vargas. Translated from the French by Sian Reynolds. Penguin Books, New York, 2007. Originally published as Sous les Vents de Neptune in 2004. Paperback. ISBN 978-0-14-311216-7.
--commissaire Adamsberg pursues an apparently 16-years-dead serial killer in a case which hinges not only on proving his brother's innocence but also his own as the fiendish villain eludes pursuers at every turn
--Adamsberg and his colleagues go on an exchange to Canada to study investigative techniques, but, unexpectedly, the killer strikes again over there
--disguises, intrigue, and computer hacking are integral to the plot
--Adamsberg's closest colleagues doubt his theory but stoutly defend his innocence in a murder investigation
--clever plotting and characters
--recommended
A Garden of Vipers, by Jack Kerley. An Onyx Book. New American Library, New York, 2006. Paperback. ISBN 978-0-451-41233-1.
--police procedural and thriller set in Mobile, Alabama
--detective Carson Ryder investigates brutal deaths and linked unsolved crimes from 4 years earlier
--a wealthy local family, with skeletons and live bodies to hide in closets and mansions, may be behind all sorts of problems, including corrupt cops
--Carson's ladyfriend, a TV reporter, becomes the lover of the scion of the wealty family and, so, puts herself in harm's way
--a convoluted plot, but one that is neatly resolved, and ends with a new love interest for Carson
A Walk in the Dark, by Gianrico Carofiglio. Translated from the Italian by Howard Curtis. Bitter Lemon Press, London, 2006. Published in 2003 as Ad occhi chiusi. Paperback. ISBN 1-904738-17-6.
--lawyer Guido Guerrieri takes on a probably unwinnable case involving abuse and stalking by a well-connected son of a powerful judge
--setting is Bari
--Guerrieri is a meditative type, but quick-witted as well as sensitive
--a nun with expertise in the martial arts is a critical character
--well written and with excellent plotting
--recommended
Dear Departed, by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. Time Warner Books, Little, Brown Book Group, London, 2004. Paperback. ISBN 0-7515-3428-5.
--detective Bill Slider investigates the murder of a jobber in a case that starts out looking like a serial killer situation but then turns out to be a unique event, complete with doubts about the exact method of murder
--the victim's complicated family comes under scrutiny
--the victim seems admirable but almost everyone else features distinctive flaws
--nice plotting and character observations
--part of a series, but stands alone OK
--musicians and drug companies come into the plotlines
--recommended
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive, by Alexander McCall Smith. Pantheon Books, New York, 2007. Hardcover. ISBN 978-0-375-42273-7.
--in this outing, lady detective Precious Ramotswe deals with cases involving mysterious deaths at a hospital, stock thievery at a printing plant, and a cheating husband
--helping her out are her able assistant Mma Makutsi, who briefly thinks about resigning because of her engagement, and her husband J.L.B. Maketoni, a great mechanic who dreams for a moment of trying something different
--the setting is a peaceful and idyllic Botswana
--interesting characters, especially the regulars in the series, who reveal just a little bit more of themselves with each new novel
--the mysteries here are not exactly hidden but the story-telling is amiable and has a folktale aura
--recommended
Back to Bologna, by Michael Dibdin. Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, a Division of Random House, New York, 2005. Paperback. ISBN: 0-307-27588-4.
--Inspector Aurelio Zen, recovering from surgery, checks on a high-profile murder case in Bologna, where a former colleague provides insight on the crime
--assorted characters, including a TV chef, a university professor, an illegal immigrant, a wealthy and dissolute young man, a poor student, and a delusional private eye all become hopelessly entangled in the case and somehow pass the lethal gun from hand to hand
--also Zen has troubles with his love life
--clever plotting
--recommended
A Venture Into Murder, by Henry Kisor. Tom Doherty Associates, New York, 2005. Hardcover. ISBN 0-765-31228-x.
--mystery and police procedural set in Upstate Michigan
--hero is a cop who is also a Lakota Indian and an experienced pilot
--involves mobsters, illegal plants, and unexplained deaths, including one from a century earlier
--has love angle and political angles
--nicely plotted
In for the Kill, by John Lutz. Pinnacle Books, Kensington Publishing, New York, 2007. Paperback. ISBN 0-7860-1843-7
--detective Frank Quinn and his specialist team are recalled from retirement to go after a serial killer who dismembers his victims
--thriller and police procedural, this mystery becomes increasingly compleicated before the deadly ending
--clever plotting
--fast read
--recommended
Stranger in Paradise, by Robert B. Parker. G.P. Putnam's sons, New York, 2008. Hardcover. ISBN 978-0-399-15460-7.
--police chief Jesse Stone deals with a street gang, a runaway teenager, a NIMBY situation with possible racial undertones, an out-of-town hitman with a heart of gold and bedroom eyes, incoming Florida thugs, and, naturally, assorted murders
--laconic and more under-written than understated
-fans of Jesse Stone novels and the related TV movies will like this outing
The Hunter: A Detective Takako Otomichi Mystery, by Asa Nonami. Translated by Juliet Winters Carpenter. Kodansha International, Tokyo, New York, London, 2006. Hardcover. Originally published in Japan in 1996. ISBN 978-4-7700-3025-2.
--police procedural featuring a young female detective in a mostly male, big-city police force
--complicated case involves murder, arson, and dog attacks
--a wolf-dog is a prominent protagonist
--great character individualization
--neat plot
--recommended
Gagged & Bound, by Nataha Cooper. St. Martin's Minotaur, New york, 2005. Hardcover. ISBN 0-312-34921-1.
--barrister Trish Maguire becomes involved in a libel case as well as a case linking police corruption and organized crime
--she juggles seemingly ordinary homelife, but with threats to her young half-brother, and several friendships
--nice characters and plotting
--there is a murder to solve, an undercover operation to dissolve, and an old bombing incident with guilty parties still at large
--Trish comes out on top
--maybe a little too long, but likely of considerable interest to legal fiction buffs
Have Mercy on Us All, by Fred Vargas. Translated from the French by David Bellos. Simon and Schuster Paperbacks, New York, 2005. Originally published in French in 2001 as Pars vite et reviens tard. ISBN 978-0-7432-8401-1.
--homicide inspector Adamsberg seeks out a serial killer who claims to be using the plague to kill his victims
--setting is Paris
--among many colorful characters are an old-fashioned town crier, a counselor and room-letter who also makes lace on the side, and a seemingly slow individual who runs a bicycle shop
--somewhat convoluted, but interesting and unusual plot
--characters from one of the author's earlier novels also put in cameo appearances
--long, but worth the time
--recommended
Death of a Maid, by M.C. Beaton. Grand Central Publishing, New York, 2007. Paperback. ISBN 978-0-446-61547-1.
--Scottish constable Hamish Macbeth investigates the sudden death of a char lady whom no one seems to like very much
--Hamish's former flame Elspeth Grant, a newspaperwoman, also arrives on the scene, with boyfriend in tow
--several people try to kill Hamish even after the murderer is unmasked
--but Hamish keeps his lowly job, shared with sheep, chickens, a beloved old dog and a very wild cat
--assumes some previous knowledge of the series
--recommended
The Highly Effective Detective: a Teddy Ruzak Novel, by Richard Yancey. Thomas Dunne Books, St. Martin's Minotaur, New York, 2006. Hardcover. ISBN 0-312-34752-9.
--would-be private investigator Teddy Ruzak takes on a case which appears to be about a hit-and-run targeting geese, but then gets very complicated
--Teddy is a lovable character with a tendency to free-associate and ramble on and on; fortunately his comments are pretty interesting, some even insightful, and occasionally pertinent to the matter of the moment
--needless to say, against all odds, Teddy solves the case and manages, just barely, to stay in business
--recommended
The Princess of Burundi, by Kjell Eriksson. Translated from the Swedish by Ebba Segerberg. Thomas Dunne Books, St. Martin's Press, New York, 2006. Hardcover. ISBN 0-312-32767-6.
--police procedural set in Uppsala, Sweden, where an unemployed welder is found bruttally murdered
--he is also a local expert in tropical fish, including a species known as Princesses of Burundi
--his wife Berit and son Justus struggle to cope with their loss
--assorted lowlifes are investigated; these are other murders and a case of arson
--inspector Lindell is on maternity leave, yet still manages to find her way into the thick of the investigation
--lots of snow imagery
--not the happiest view of modern day life in Sweden, but full of interesting characters
--recommended
Death Dance, by Linda Fairstein. Pocket Books, New York, 2006. Paperback. ISBN 978-0-7434-8228-8
--assistant district attorney Alex Cooper and her sidekicks, policemen Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace, deal with the disappearance of a ballet dancer at the Met, a case of drug-assisted assault, and other assorted felonies
--the bad guy behind much of the trouble at the Met, including related accidents, is not immediately apparent
--a rambling, rushing-about-New York sort of story, with red herrings
--features interesting historical details about New York
--includes a brief trip to the Vineyard
--fast read
Regrets Only, by Nancy Geary.Warner Books, New York, 2004. Hardcover. ISBN 0-446-53217-7.
--police procedural involving rookie Lucy O'Malley and partner Jack Harper in Philadelphia where the puzzling murder of a prominent psychiatrist brings up a range of issues from suicide, to adoption, to the cultural mores of the wealthy
--Lucy falls in love with Archer Haverill, a bar owner with a rich father and estranged mother
--it's the estranged mother who is the murdered woman, so plenty of complications ensue
--red herrings abound but, overall, the author plays fair with the facts; so, figuring out who the killis is, is possible, just
--nice emotional feel for family relationships
--leaves you still awaiting a jury verdict at the murder trial
What's So Funny? by Donald E. Westlake. Grand Central Publishing, New York, 2007. Paperback. ISBN 978-0-446-40115-9.
--another colorful caper involving burglar-extraordinaire John Dortmunder and his usual gang
--the idea here is to grab a very heavy ornate chess set, currently stashed in an impregnable bank vault, and turn it over to a wealthy octogenarian who claims the set as his by rights
--also heavily invested in this seemingly impossible project are lawyers, drifters, and an ex-policeman who knows way too much about Dortmunder's activities
--humorous and a keeps-you-guessing plot
--recommended
Seeking Whom He May Devour: Chief Inspector Adamsberg Investigates, by Fred Vargas. English language translation by David Bellos. Simon and Schuster, New York, 2006. Paperback. ISBN 0-7432-8402-X.
--this unusual mystery story is a veritable potpourri, complete with werewolf, real wolves, sheep, shepherds, foundlings, serial murders, animal murders, love triangle, road trip, police procedural aspects, a subplot featuring a murderous stalker, Afrian folk tales, and red herrings galore
--and yet the real culprit comes as a complete surprise and, then, as not so much a surpise at the ending
--excellent plotting and story-telling
--unusual setting in rural France
--recommended
Safe Harbor, by Eugene Izzi. Avon Books, New York, 1995. Hardcover. ISBN 0-380-97343-x.
--former thief and federal witness Tommy Torelli becomes Mark Torrence, a college-educated social worker with a family
--but 15 years after leaving federal protection, Mark-Tommy is back on the hot seat again, his cover blown not only by an angry confrontation caught by TV cameras but also by the chance attention of a freelance photographer
--most of all, a legendary hitman has Mark-Tommy in his sights
--features socially relevant insights based on life in Chicago and New York City
--thriller-style ending
Fat Chance, by Charlie Sheldon. Felony & Mayhem, New York, 2006. Paperback reprint edition of novel first published in 1991. ISBN 1-933397-45-4.
--a one-night stand sets off a chain of events which changes the lives of a dozen people before the week is out
--industrial espionage is at the heart of this story, with most characters in the dark about at least some criticial aspect of the drama
--blackmail, stock options, marital issues, and the ability to hang tough in the face of threats all come into play
--recommended
The Water's Lovely: a Novel, by Ruth Rendell. Crown, New York, 2006. Hardcover. ISBN 978-0-307-38136-1.
--a quiet tale about two sisters, their mother and aunt, their lovers, and assorted acquaintances
--the key event occurred before the story opens: the girls' step-father drowns while bathing and the circumstances are suspicious
--coincidences abound and so do misunderstandings; no character is without flaws; relationships ebb and flow
--some characters find happiness and some die, tragically
--starts slowly but then builds so that you actually care what happens to everyone
--recommended
The Three Evangelists, by Fred Vargas. Translated by Sian Reynolds. Vintage Books, London, 2006. Originally published in French in 1995. Paperback. ISBN 978-0-099-46955-1.
--three impecunious historians and the godfather of one of them decide to rent a house next to a retired opera singer
--when the singer disappears, the historians, who are named Matthias, Marc, and Lucien (hence, the three evangelists) feel compelled to investigate
--and it helps that the godfather is actually a retrired policeman who still has contacts to tap
--well plotted, with red herrings and tangents and quite interesting characters
--recommended
Echo Burning, by Lee Child. Jove Books, New York, 2002. Paperback. ISBN 0-515-13331-0
--Jack Reacher hitches a ride but lives to regret it
--a tall Texas tale turned thriller with elements of racism and a child in danger
--ex-army loner Reacher eventually figures out what's going on but not before a number of people die
--there's a yellow VW, a couple of ladies' handguns, a red-painted ranch, and a kid who at 6 1/2 is a much better horse handler than Reacher could ever hope to be
--not for everyone but pretty good, with unexpected plot twists
Mary, Mary, by James Patterson. Warner Books, New York, 2006. Paperback. ISBN 0-446-61903-5.
--serial killer thriller with FBI top gun Alex Cross flying across the country to LA to solve the crime
--convoluted plot with twist ending
--Cross's family troubles and girlfriend problems are a subplot which will be familiar to fans of this series
--a fast read
--inter-departmental in-fighting
--includes a trip to Vermont where cell phones apparently don't work
Trial by Fire, by D.W. Buffa. G.P. Putnam's sons, New York, 2005. Hardcover. ISBN 0-399-15281-4.
--lawyer Joseph Antonelli agrees to appear on TV on a talk show about murder trials
--he meets there the astonishing Julian Sinclair who is later asked to join Antonelli's firm
--but then Sinclair is accused of murder in a high-profile case where a conviction appears likely
--Sinclair is innocent and yet Antonelli is unable to get him acquitted
--a riveting story with unpredictable outcome
--well-written and engrossing
--recommended
Still Life, by Louise Penny. St. Martin's Paperbacks, New York, 2005. ISBN 0-312-94855-7.
--Inspector Gamache of the Quebec Surete is called to a suspicious death in a small village near the U.S. border
--a secretive woman has apparently been shot by a deer hunter but no arrow is found
--an assistant detective behaves badly and doesn't seem to understand what she is doing wrong
--the village is home to a number of artists, including much to everyone's surprise, the dead woman
--clever plotting and nice setting in the Eastern Twonships near Montreal
--combination police procedural and small town cosy mystery
--recommended
The Overlook, by Michael Connelly. Little Brown & Co., New York, 2007. Hardcover. ISBN 0-316-01895-3.
--LAPD Detective Harry Bosch investigates a murder that appears to have national security aspects
--FBI investigators and the Homeland Security section of the LAPD interfere in Bosch's murder inquiry
--but Bosch manages to solve the case while driving all over the city
--thriller style ending with the bad guys meeting their just desserts
--fast read
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More coming soon ...
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To see notes on previously read novels please check these links:
† Set 4
† Set 3
† Set 2
† Set 1
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