←Back
Mystery and crime books have a devoted following. Count me in! And such books are always on hand for leisure-time reading at my house. Here are some notes on recently perused novels. See if you agree with my comments!
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊
|
Champagne Kisses, Cyanide Dreams, by Ralph Graves. David R. Godine, Boston, 2001. Paperback. ISBN 1-56792-176-0. --puzzle mystery set in Martha's Vineyard --cast of characters reminiscent of Agatha Christie's stories; murder at a dinner party --you may learn more about the Vineyard, the posh Massachusets island, than you could possibly wish to know --an occasional writer and a retired police detective combine forces to solve the crime --clever Grave Endings, by Rochelle Krich. Ballantine Books, New York, 2004. Hardcover. ISBN 0-345-46810-4. --writer and crime reporter Molly Blume, who is getting married soon, pursues an old case involving a close friend --set in Los Angeles, with plenty of details to interest the people who once lived in the area but have since moved away --features Jewish culture, social works and a foundation, complicated family relationships, and wedding preparations --Molly provides a happy ending by finally marrying Rabbi Zach All the Flowers are Dying, by Lawrence Block. William Morrow, HarperCollins, 2005. Hardcover. ISBN 0-06-01983-1. --serial killer thriller with ex-cop and now private (but unlicensed) investigator who is also a recovering alcoholic, Matthew Scudder, on the case --this villain likes to incriminate innocent people and rejoices when they end up in a death-row execution --a homeless but not unemployed man complicates the plot --features some gruesome details --convoluted plotting and likeable main characters The Irish Game, a True Story of Crime and Art, by Matthew Hart. Walker & Co., New York, 2004. Illus. Hardcover. ISBN 0-8027-1426-9. --non-fictional account of the theft and recovery of a famous Vermeer, that is, a theft and recovery that occur twice and from the same grand old mansion --also includes details of the 1990 theft at Boston's Gardner Museum and the 1994 theft of Munch's The Scream in Norway --smoothly written, with clear profiles of a large cast of characters --the few illustrations are helpful Watch Your Back, by Donald E. Westlake. Mysterious Press, New York, 2005. Hardcover. ISBN 0-89296-802-8. --a Dortmunder caper novel featuring the usual crowd --newcomer Jordan Blint adds his own bit of eccentricity, primarily by trying too hard --a threat to the usual meeting place, the bar with the back-room table and chairs, as well as a potentially major heist in downtown Manhattan form the main plot lines --nicely told --recommended Exit Wounds, by J.A. Jance. William Morrow, HarperCollins, New York, 2003. Hardcover. ISBN 0-380-97731-1. --convoluted mystery involving cults, incest, family relationships, policing, and animal control --starts off with a scene that results in the death of a lot of dogs, so some readers may quit right there --sheriff Joanna Brady solves the case and handles politicians, protesters, illegal aliens, and rescue dogs with kindness and resolve Cold Service, by Robert B. Parker. G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 2005. Hardcover. ISBN 0-399-15240-7. --hard-boiled Hawk and Spenser shoot-em-up, with repartee and glimpses of the Boston environs and denizens --an easy read, despite some hang-ups over the psychological and moral issues --Hawk loses a girlfriend but Spenser keeps Susan The Shortest Way to Hades, by Sarah Caudwell. Tess Press, Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, Inc., Reprint of the 1970 edition. Hardcover. ISBN 1-57912-570-0. --puzzle mystery to be solved by the young lawyers of 62 New Square, London, and law history scholar Hilary Tamar --inheritance issues and a possible suicide or murder --well-written, with a clever style, and a story that has aged well --some events are recounted by letter but still remain vivid and funny --recommended Uncle Petros & Goldbach's Conjecture, by Apostolos Doxiadis. Bloomsbury, New York, 2000. Hardcover. ISBN 1-58234-067-6. --for fans of the TV series "Numb3rs" --the story of a math genius and missed opportunities --absorbing and not too technical A Hard Ticket Home, by David Housewright. St. Martin's Minotaur, New York, 2004. Hardcover. ISBN 0-312-32149-x. --detective novel set in Minneapolis-St. Paul area --a thriller with plenty of plot twists, but also with some pretty gruesome crime details --the hero, Rushmore McKenzie, is an ex-cop who may once again join the Thin Blue Line Bury the Lead, by David Rosenfelt. Warner Books, New York, 2004. Hardcover. ISBN 0-89296-782-x. --crime novel and courtroom drama combination with a laid-back defense lawyer, Andy Carpenter, as the hero --organized crime villains form part of the plot too --despite sloppy editing and a rather shaky start, this book grows on the reader thanks to interesting characters, lovable pets, sports metaphors and song lyrics as running jokes, and a warm regard for New Jersey towns and countryside --recommended Diamond Dust, by Peter Lovesey. Soho Press, New York, 2002. Paperback. ISBN 1-56947-322-6. --hero detective Peter Diamond's wife is murdered and initially Diamond is a prime suspect --police procedural set in Bath --Diamond works the case in parallel with the murder squad and eventually solves the mystery --recommended Death by Hollywood, by Steven Bochco. Random House, New York, 2003. Hardcover. ISBN 1-4000-6156-3. --screenwriter Bobby Newman, agent Eddie Jelko (the narrator), and detective Dennis Farentino are the key characters in this murder story and morality tale in which the guilty parties are not hidden from the reader --clever dialogue and cynical viewpoint are the highlights BlindSide, an FBI Thriller, by Catherine Coulter. G.P. Putnam's Sons. New York. 2003. Hardcover. ISBN 0-399-15056-0. --FBI agents investigate a kidnapping and a serial killer case --the kidnap victim, a 6-year-old-boy, soon turns up safe and sound, but the mystery of what motivated the kidnappers remains --despite plenty of violence and the high body count, the story is more a romance than a procedural or a thriller --readers who appreciate "happy endings" will like this book Madonna of the Apes, by Nicholas Kilmer. Poisoned Pen Press, Scottsdale, 2005. Hardcover. ISBN 1-59058-196-2. --art collector Clayton Reed stumbles upon a rare treasure and manages to survive the chaos that ensues thanks to security veteran Fred Taylor --fans of Kilmer's art mysteries will welcome this explanation of how Clayton and Fred join forces --a puzzle mystery with a few murders and lots of information about high-value fine art transactions Four Blind Mice, by James Patterson. Little, Brown and Co., New York, 2002. Hardcover. ISBN 0-316-69300-6. --thriller mystery involving homicide detectives and boyhood friends Alex Cross and John Sampson --high body count and some gruesome details --involves dirty deeds from the Vietnam War era --also covers army culture --FBI types show an interest in the multiple murders --also features Asian gangs, death-row inmates, family events, and love interests Total Chaos, by Jean-Claude Izzo. Translated from the French by Howard Curtis. Europa Editions, New York, 2005. From the 1995 novel, the first in the Marseilles Trilogy. Paperback. ISBN 1-933372-04-4. --hard-boiled police detective novel set in Marseilles --hero Fabio Montale is sad, cynical and brilliant --the setting, the city and its many subcultures, both legal and criminal, forms the heart of this strongly written work --the meaning of boyhood friendships and ideals, love for one's birthplace, the wonder of food and food preparation are also key features --recommended Untimely Graves, by Marjorie Eccles. Thomas Dunne Books, St. Martin's Minotaur, New York, 2001. Hardcover. ISBN 0-312-30753-5. --police procedural involving apparently unrelated murders, one of an unknown woman found in a flood-swollen river and one of a boys' school bursar --superintendent Gil Mayo and sidekick Abigail Moon are on the cases, while on the sidelines are retired policeman George Atkins and daughter Cleo --subplots include wife beating, antiques dealing, school politics Ash Child, a Montana Mystery Featuring Gabriel Du Pre, by Peter Bowen. St. Martin's Minotaur, New York, 2002. Hardcover. ISBN 0-312-28850-6. --wildfires threaten and the body count rises --eccentric sleuth and musician Gabriel and soulmate Madelaine solve the case, thanks in part to medicine-man Benetsee --somewhat unfair plot, as unanticipated people (in this sparsely populated area) crop up as the bod guys --colorful characters Alive and Kicking, by John Milne. Four Walls Eight windows/No Exit Press, New York, 1999. Paperback. ISBN 1-56858-145-9. --hard-boiled gumshoe mystery set in London --covers, past and present, possible accidental deaths, fake deaths, murders, attempted murders, robberies --also features marriage, divorce, and parent-child relationships --not a straight-forward investigation but more of a puzzle --seems flat more than just low-key or sad, but hero Jimmy Jenner is somewhat interesting --some nice turns of phrase Drama City,by George Pelecanos. Little, Brown & Co., New York, 2005. Hardcover. ISBN 0-316-60821-1. --parolee and parole officer engage their respective demons and struggle to survive in D.C. --intense look at working-class lives, ex-convicts, recovering addicts --anti-hero Lorenzo Brown works on animal control for the Humane Society and owns a dog named Jasmine --spare writing --recommended The Goodye Kiss, by Massimo Carlotto. Europa Editions, New York, 2006. Translated from the Italian by Lawrence Venuti. Paperback. ISBN 1-933372-05-2. --bad guy Giorgio Pellegrini appears to turn his back on his terrorist past and to start a new life as a restaurant owner --but once a bad guy, always a bad guy --not a cheerful view of contemporary life in Italy Black Fly Season, by Giles Blunt. G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 2005. Hardcover. ISBN 0-399-15255-5. --police procedural set in Algonquin Bay, Ontario, Canada --somewhat melodramatic denouement --includes forays into drug culture and Cuban mystical cults --starts off with an amnesia victim who turns out to have a bullet lodged in her brain Dead Famous, by Carol O'Connell. G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 2003. Hardcover. ISBN 0-399-15084-6. --convoluted serial killer investigation involving frighteningly effective detective Kathy Mallory, paranoid and recently wounded ex-detective P. Riker, paranoid and crippled psychologist Johanna Apollo, radio shock jock and acquitted murderer Ian Zachary, and other assorted FBI agents, policemen, and bystanders --absorbing and somewhat nutty --set in New York City --recommended The Frumious Bandersnatch, a Novel of the 87th Precinct, by Ed McBain. Simon & Schuster, New York, 2004. Hardcover. ISBN 0-7432-5034-6. --police procedural featuring the kidnapping of an emerging female rock star --the FBI team handles the kidnapping part and detective Steve Carella and cohorts of the 87th precinct pursue the nuts-and-bolts details which eventually pin down the bad guys --titles is from the Lewis Carroll poem --rather violent Aiding and Abetting, by Muriel Spark. Doubleday, New York, 2001. Hardcover. ISBN 0-385-50153-6. --fictionalized account inspired by the disappearance of the seventh Earl of Lucan who murdered his children's nanny and attempted to murder his wife --the story is set some 25 years after the crimes --some people are still searching for Lord Lucan and Lord Lucan is searching for the wherewithal to keep hiding as old friends, the aiders and abetters, have mostly gone to their just rewards --also involves a story about a presumed psychiatrist who was once involved in a fraud Lemons Never Lie, by Richard Stark. Hard Case Crime, Dorchester Publishing, New York, 2006. Reprint of the 1971 novel. Paperback. ISBN 0-8439-5594-5. --minor crook Alan Grofield joins a heist team in order to fund his real love--live summer theater --things go wrong almost immediately --several thugs end up dead and maybe Alan ends up with enough cash for a summer stock season and maybe he doesn't --hard-boiled and very smooth --recommended Bones to Pick, by Suzanne North. McClelland & Stewart, Toronto, 2002. Hardcover. ISBN 0-7710-6800-x. --photographer Phoebe Fairfax becomes mixed up in a murder mystery involving paleo-anthropologists and really ancient bones --a puzzle-type mystery set in Calgary --somewhat mechanical and plodding but Okay characters The Blue Hammer, by Ross Macdonald. Allison & Busby, W. H. Alden, London, 1976. Reprinted 1990. Paperback ISBN 0-85031-690-1. --private eye Lew Archer takes on the task of finding a stolen painting but instead finds a web of intrigue and murder spanning three decades and two states --figuring out who is related or involved with whom is the chief headache --a good yarn with an unhelpful title The First law, by John Lescroart. Dutton, New York, 2003. Hardcover. ISBN 0-525-94705-1. --defense attorney Dismas Hardy and police lieutenant and former homicide detective Abe Glitsky become enmeshed in murders which seem connected and deliberate but the two heroes, and assorted side characters, never seem to get anyone with influence to believe them --so, there is a mysterious shoot-out as denouement --engrossing Power on Her Own, by Judith Cutler. St. Malrtin's Minotuar, New York, 1998, 2003. Hardcover. ISBN 0-312-311192-3. --Detective Kate Powers joins the Birmingham force after transferring from London --she renovates her aunt's home while following a pedophile-and-murder case and dealing with colleagues reluctant to work with a woman --police procedural --nice heroine --recommended Murder in Alphabet City, by Lee Harris. Ballantine Books, New York, 2005. Paperback. ISBN 0-449-00735-9. --Detective Jane Bauer and team work on cold cases which may or may not be suicides or accidental deaths --police procedural which builds slowly and methodically --some unexpected twists Cold Case Squad, by Edna Buchanan. Simon & Schuster, New York, 2004. Hardcover. ISBN 0-7432-5053-2. --the squad investigates a 12-year-old apparent accidental death --other events that occurred 12 years ago may be linked --a separate investigation of a serial killer operating over an extended time period and in different cities also finds a resolution --police procedural and office politics --features a detective with troubles on the home front --somewhat formulaic but not bad Trace Evidence, by Elizabeth Becka. Hyperion, New York, 2005. Hardcover. ISBN 1-4013-0174-6. --police procedural set in Cleveland --the heroine, Evelyn James, is a forensic specialist --serial killer saga with cement shoes as the method and young women as the victims --good characterizations Above suspicion, by Lynda La Plante. Simon & Schuster, New York, 2001. Paperback. ISBN 978-0-7432-7685-6. --rookie homicide detective Anna Travis makes her mark in this police procedural --serial killer saga with the suspect found out fairly early on but with much ado about finding adequate evidence to arrest and convict --London setting --recommended McNally's Chance," by Lawrence Sanders, Vincent Lardo. G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 2001. Hardcover. ISBN 0-399-14732-2. --"The publisher and the estate of Lawrence Sanders have chosen Vincent Lardo to create this novel based on Lawrence Sanders' beloved character Archy McNally and his fictional world." --murder mystery set in Palm Beach --intrigue involving a 30-year-old one-night stand and wild-time spring break which yielded a daughter --breezy style The Big Bad Wolf, by James Patterson. Little, Brown & Co., New York, 2003. Hardcover. ISBN 0-326-60290-6. --former homicide cop and now FBI agent Alex Cross deals with abduction cases --essentially a police procedural --convincing characters, plus a description of FBI corporate culture, and some scenes of family life Playing with Fire, by Peter Robinson. Avon Books, HarperCollins, New York, 2004. Paperback. ISBN 0-06-103110-0. --Inspector Alan Banks investigates arson deaths and narrowly escapes a death by fire himself --police procedural set in the UK --convincing ambience and characters --recommended 13 Steps Down, by Ruth Rendell. Crown Publishers, New York, 2004. Hardcover. ISBN 1-4000-9842-4. --exercise machine engineer Mix Cellini is a bit too involved in the story of a 50-years-ago serial killer --he is also in love, or in obsession, with a supermodel who lives nearby --his landlady, an elderly spinster, is also in love with the past --engrossing tale A Long December, by Donald Harstad. RuggedLand, New York, 2003. Hardcover. ISBN 1590710134. --police procedural set in Iowa --a murder investigation turns into a terrorism investigation which brings in law enforcement support from various local, state, federal agencies --the description of the final standoff/shoot-out is interwoven with the beginnings and subsequent happenings in the case --includes observations of many personalities, chiefly officers of the law and courts --recommended None of Your Business, by Valerie Block. Ballantine Books, New York, 2003. Paperback. ISBN 0-345-46399-4. --police procedural involving a multimillion-dollar embezzlement --everybody looks guilty --some characters are not what they seem and some go through significant changes over the course of a few months (and this novel) --good dialogue --nobody dies --recommended Through a Glass, Darkly: a Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery, by Donna Leon. Atlantic Monthly Press, New York, 2006. Hardcover. ISBN 0-87113-937-5. --a familiarity with the city of Venice may help readers new to this series but such knowledge is not absolutely necessary --the Commissario solves a case involving glass factories, with a possible murder as well as possible industrial pollution --Brunetti's family, including his professor wife and two teenagers, contributes to the Commissario's understanding of the case --an easy read --recommended A Mourning in Autumn, by Hacker Moore. Mysterious Press, New York, 2004. Hardcover. ISBN 0-89296-775-7. --police procedural involving a serial killer --not for the squeamish; and a pair of twin boys are kidnapped towards the end --lead detective Jimmy Sakura also deals with the homecoming of his blind wife --the profiler also has a complicated private life --and there's the ambitious TV reporter too --New York City is the setting Sun and Shadow, by Ake Edwardson. Translated from the Swedish by Laurie Thompson. Viking, New York, 2005. Hardcover. ISBN 0-670-03415-0. --Detective chief inspector Erik Winter works a murder case, deals with the death of his father, welcomes his pregnant girlfriend into his home --puzzling, psychologically motivated crime --interesting characters and settings in Europe, chiefly in Gothenburg, but with an interlude in Spain --something of a thriller, but a quiet one The Old Wine Shades, a Richard Jury Mystery, by Martha Grimes. Viking, New York, 2006. Hardcover. ISBN 0-670-03479-7. --a woman, a boy, and a dog disappear, but the dog comes back --Detective inspector Jury, on suspension, takes an interest in what starts out as a barroom joke but ends with a dead body --the dog Mungo is a key character --Melrose Plant, Jury's civilian sidekick, plays his part too, including the impersonation of a long-dead scientist --recommended The Bone is Pointed, by Arthur W. Upfield. With a new introduction by Edward Marston. Scribner Paperback Fiction, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1998. Reprint of the 1947 novel. Paperback. ISBN 0-684-85057-5. --Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte, or Bony as everyone calls him, deals with the Australian bush, its ways and its people and animals, in order to solve the mystery of a missing man --features ancient magic rituals and unusual animal events --how to look for tracks when months have passed and efforts have been made to disguise everything --Bony never gives up --recommended Shadows on the Ivy: an Antique Print Mystery, by Lea Wait. Scribner, New York, 2004. Hardcover. ISBN 0-7432-4950-x. --professor and sleuth Maggie Summer deals with trustees, deans, single parents, college aspirations, and murder by poisoning --also includes descriptions of interesting prints --starts slow but gets better The Fourth Durango, by Ross Thomas. Introduction by Sara Paretsky. Thomas Dunne Books, St. Martin's Minotaur, New York, 2003. Reprint of the 1989 novel. Paperback. ISBN 0-312-31585-6. --classic double crosses and multiple murders --the good buys win, but shady characters abound --the town of Durango exists in California, not in Spain or Mexico or Colorado --recommended Acts of Vengeance, by Frank Smith. St. Martin's Minotuar, New York, 2003. Hardcover. ISBN 0-312-30739-X. --British police procedural with hero DCI Paget incapacitated for the first half of the novel thanks to an attack which occurs in the first chapter --serial killer tale --subplots involve a love story, an unemployed alcoholic, a possible wrongful conviction, and more info on how Paget's wife died Death in the Garden, by Elizabeth Ironside. Felony & Mayhem, London, 1996. Paperback. ISBN 1-933397-17-9. --mixes a 75-year-old murder mystery and a present day romantic entanglement --involves marriages, wars, written records, families, legacies, and gardening The False Inspector Dew, by Peter Lovesey. Soho Press, New York. Reprint of the 1982 novel first published in Great Britain. Paperback. ISBN 1-56947-255-6. --murder aboard an ocean cruise ship --slow pace to establish the characters but an intricate plot, so worth the wait --recommended The Cat Dancers, by P.T. Deutermann. St. Martin's Press, New York, 2005. Hardcover. ISBN 0-312-33377-3. --a gas station robbery sets of a horrific chain of events, from accidental deaths to torture-murders to bombings, as the robbery perpetrators are freed on a technicality --police procedural involving internal investigations --hero Cam Richter and his two German shepherds deal with assaults and wilderness treks and mountain lions --cliffhanger situations right up to the end of the book --computer wizardry and even a love story --a very meaty crime novel |
About the mysteries reviewed above: whether they be police procedural or amateur investigation, whether gruesome or quiet, whether convoluted in plot or an "easy read," these stories and the many like them that are published every year, provide entertainment and ideas for many, many people. So, don't pass up the "Mystery" section in the local bookstore next time you visit!
♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣
Back to Start.
And thanks for visiting this page.
Send E-Mail if you must.
Just kidding-- comments are welcomed!
Page last modified Jan. 29, 2008
Page design and comments on books are copyright © c. stockbridge 2006-2007. Do not copy without express permission.