Category Archives: books

I’m really not big fan of Louise Penny but I keep trying to like her books.  Over some time I read the first 5 in her Detective Ganache series but I usually quit or slipped into blank out mode.  I’ve … Continue reading →

Some folks indulge in binge watching Christmas movies over the holidays, I binge on Christmas novels – preferably mysteries. I don’t know when this started but it’s been at least 10 years since I picked up Monica Ferris’ Crewel Yule … Continue reading →

City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg 2015 / (946 pages) read by Rebecca Lowman and others/ 37h 53m rating  9  – / literary crime It’s disconcerting to have decided that for historical fiction to be historical it has to be set in … Continue reading →

The Keeper by John Lescroart 2014 / 321 pages rating  B / crime (#15 in the Dismas Hardy series) I like Lescroart,  but crime and corruption in the cop-shop is getting a tad old no matter whose pen it comes from. … Continue reading →

Wayfaring Stranger by James Lee Burke 2014 / 449 pages read by Will Patton 13h 10m rating A++ / literary crime This latest offering from James Lee Burke is a little different from the violent crime sagas we usually get from … Continue reading →

Six Years by Harlan Coben read by Scott Brick 2013 / 369 pages rating:  A/ crime I’ve had this on my wish list for a long, long time.  I’m not sure about Coben, but I do like a good Scott … Continue reading →

The Taliban Cricket Club by Timeri N. Murari 2012 / 341 pages read by Sneha Mathan / 10h 59m rating:  4 From the front cover and the title this looks like it could be a fluffy little thing, huh?   Well,  trust me – … Continue reading →

Orfeo by Richard Powers 2014/369 pages rating: 9.5  / contemp fiction OMG!  One of my favorite books of all time is The Goldbug Variations by Richard Powers. And although I’ve read much of what he’s written since, nothing has come anywhere near … Continue reading →

Fourth of July Creek by Smith Henderson 2014 / 480 pages – read by MacLeod Andrews, Jenna Lamia 15h 41m rating:  8 / literary thriller I just picked this up on a whim – from the blurbs and sample it sounded like … Continue reading →

The Conservationistby Nadine Gordimer1974 / 270 pagesrating: 9 / 20th century Mehring is a very rich, white,  South African man who has purchased a 400 acre cattle farm in rural South Africa. This is during the days of apartheid and it all makes him think … Continue reading →

The Farmby Tom Robb Smith2014 /  369 pages / 9h 24mread by James Langton & Suzanne Torenrating:  B+ / crime-suspense When Daniel, our  single first person narrator,  answers his phone one evening he has to listen as his father, Chris,  tells him that his mother … Continue reading →

The Chatham School Affairby Thomas Cook1996 / 335 pages / 10h 6m read by George Guidallrating A+ (8) / literary crime I’m certainly catching up on my listening and crime books since my 3-month hiatus from the genre and medium! … Continue reading →

The Museum of Literary Souls aka The Caxton Private Lending Library and Book Depository by John Connolly 2013/ 68 pages rating – 9+ / short story I enjoy a good short story once in great awhile, especially those of certain … Continue reading →

Those Who Stay and Those Who Leaveby Elena Ferrante2014 /400 pagesrating 8.5 / contemp fict. (Italy) This is the third in Ferrante’s absolutely brilliant (so far) Neapolitan Trilogy which began with My Brilliant Friend and continued with The Story of a New Name … Continue reading →

The Gods of Guiltby Michael Connelly2014/ 401 pages – 11h 49mread by Peter GilesRating – C This is Connelly’s new one starring criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller, a “Lincoln lawyer” – which means he works out of his car.  Haller gets … Continue reading →

Fallenby Karin Slaughter2014/401 pagesread by Shannon Cochran 13h 23mrating: B- / crime(Georgia Series #5) This is another one I’ve had around since April or so – I’m catching up now.  I’ve not read anything by Slaughter before but going by the … Continue reading →