Sue Grafton’s Alphabet Series
Sue Grafton
The other day, my dad said “This Grafton woman has another book on the NYTimes bestseller list. She’s up to V. I wonder if they’re any good. You should read one and find out.” And I did. And they were. Very, very good. But then again, she IS on the NYTimes bestseller list and has been published from A is for Alibi right up to V is for Vendetta.
Grafton has that rare gift in that she can write a series around one character without them, or the plots, becoming stale. Her P.I. Kinsey Milhone is funny, independent, stubborn and rich with personal quirks that make her thoroughly likeable. Despite having a set group of friends and neighbors that appear in every book, Milhone’s cases, and her...
Devil-Devil
Graeme Kent
Kent has managed to create one of the rarest of novels. Set in the Solomon Islands in the 1960s as colonial rule is disintegrating, many of the bright boys are given a European education in preparation to take over control of the country. These men vacillate between their traditional village lifestyles and beliefs and their eastern education and Christianity. Kent does the amazing job of giving a solid chunk of island history, the beliefs and religions of the various Solomon Island tribes and families, colonial attitude, the life of a missionary and much more… all without the usual tedious couple of paragraph expositions crammed in here and there. His dialogue flows between Sergeant Kella, a police officer officially looking for a missing...
The Brothers of Baker Street
Michael Robertson
Robertson’s first book, The Baker Street Letters, had an excellent premise. Two brothers, both barristers, set up shop at 221 Baker St. Part of their lease stipulates that they must answer all letters written to Sherlock Holmes with a form letter. The younger brother, Nigel, starts reading the letters and the expected chaos ensues. The book was good, though the plot was a bit confused. However, the Sherlock Holmes connection held up pretty well.
The Brothers of Baker Street both continues to hold up the premise but has a much tighter and more cohesive plot. It is a mystery full of excellent plot twists, likable characters plus plenty of London scenery. There are some giveaways to the first book, so I would recommend reading them...
Raven Black
Ann Cleeves
The first in her Shetland Island thrillers, Cleeves’ story is dark and gripping. The isolation, small-town atmosphere and like of privacy on the tiny island add to the tense atmosphere and ominous air. Suspicion over the death of two local girls bounces from one resident to the other, though always circling to the grinning old man in the dilapidated house. A book as much about psychology and personality as it is about murder. Wonderful.
Force of Habit
Alice Loweecey
Written by an actual former nun, Force of Habit is the first in an excellent new series from Midnight Ink. Guilia Falcone, an escapee from the sisterhood, finds her new secretarial job for a private detective to be a lot more adventure than she had planned for. The plot itself is a tad weak. However, Falcone’s misadventures and thought processes (tainted and twisted by years of Catholicism) are well-worth the read.
Following Polly
Karen Bergreen
A perfect blend of mystery, chick-lit, tension and snark. Bergreen’s heroine (of sorts) Alice acts like a real person. She holds grudges, creates fantasies and often does nonsensical and stupid things. But they all make their own wacky, forgivable sense. Out of work and looking to occupy herself, Alice happens to catch sight of a former classmate. Now rich and famous, Polly is everything Alice is not. With nothing better to do, Alice starts following Polly…all the way to the end. Amusing and engrossing. I hope Bergreen has some more titles in the works.