The latest in Grafton's alphabet series finds Kinsey along for the ride in "Reba's Revenge". Overall it is an enjoyable continuation of this long-running series. While Reba is getting her revenge against Beck, her former lover and boss, Kinsey deals with new romance in her life and tries to counsel her landlord, Henry, on his love life. She trails along on various illegal escapades with the paroled Reba and doesn't really do much sleuthing. There is nothing new or very exciting, but if you are a fan of the series, you will enjoy spending a few hours catching up with Kinsey.

You have to admire Sue Grafton for keeping the series set in the 80's so that Kinsey doesn't age too much (otherwise Kinsey would be 54 this year!). Grafton keeps fairly true to the time period with Kinsey still not owning or using a computer although business use of computers is part of the story. Kinsey still pigs out on McDonalds, gets by without a cell phone and other gadgets we are so dependent upon today. As much as I'd like to get to the end of the alphabet, I don't want Grafton to rush and finish the series just to appease the readers who want a new book every year. I would prefer she take her time and maintain the quality of the series. I look forward to seeing what happens to Kinsey in "S", no matter how long I have to wait.

I read a newspaper review that sounded intriguing so I bought "The Rule of Four". It is complex and difficult at times but provides a satisfying read. The four main characters are well developed and with the aid of flashbacks throughout the book, we learn about them, their pasts and how they became friends. Paul's quest to solve the riddle of the Hypnerotomachia is the basis for the friendship that he and Tom form. Tom has a love-hate relationship with the book because of the effect it had on his father and his family. He at times cannot resist the attraction of the quest to solve the puzzle, but has to make the choice between that and the love he has for Katie. It is ironic that once the mystery seems to be solved he makes a total change in his life. His post-college life seems to be just an existence until the possiblity arises that he can become involved in the quest again. He once again has the paradox and possibility of two loves back in his life--the book and Katie.

It is a book that reminds of us of how alive we felt as college students when anything seemed possible. Learning about some of the traditions at Princeton was interesting. The authors have evidently done a lot of research on Renaissance literature, history and art and the intricacy of the puzzles thay solve shows their skill at weaving a tale.

For the most part, the book happens over a 2-day time period, but with the flashbacks we get the full story. In this way it is much more believable the the Da Vinci Code (if it has to be compared to that) where everything happened in about 24 hours and they traveled all around Paris, the French countryside and acrossthe English Channel in that time period.

I like reading books that make me think and "The Rule of Four" certainly does that. It has its flaws but it is well worth your time if you don't expect everything to be written like a roller coaster ride like some of the best-selling thrillers. There are a few of those fast-paced, nail-biting moments in this book but it is balanced by strong characters, an intricate plot and a satisfying ending.

One additional note--in skimming through the reviews on Amazon--there are dozens of reviews by the same "Reader from New York". Every one is a 5 star review that ends by recommending another book (the same one each time). The review system is flawed if someone is out there trying to skew the ratings and/or trying to become a top reviewer by submitting basically the same review many times and getting away with it. It should be a forum for readers to share their impressions of the book with honesty and integrity.

I first read Michael Connelly when I read "The Poet" with Terry McCaleb. I became an immediate fan and read all of his Harry Bosch novels and have kept up with that series and the Terry McCaleb series since then as well as Connelly's other books. I have never been disappointed. I thought "A Darkness More Than Night" with both Harry and Terry in it was one of his best.

"The Narrows" allows Harry and characaters from "The Poet" and the other McCaleb books to meet and work together to finally eliminate the Poet. Harry's efforts to find out who murdered colleague Terry McCaleb is a thrill ride filled with well-drawn characters and detailed policework.

Connelly is one of the best mystery writers out there and whether or not you've read any of his previous works, you won't be disappointed with this one. In fact, after reading it, I am now going back to reread "The Poet" and then reread all of Connelly's books. It doesn't matter to me (like it appears to matter to other reviewers) that we now know what happened to the Poet. It does bother me that one reviewer couldn't even get McCaleb's name right (they called him Gerry more than once!).

If you want a good, fast-moving, well-written mystery, then spend a few hours with "The Narrows". You'll become a Connelly fan--if you aren't already!

John Grisham is probably best known for his many formulaeic legal thrillers. Some are better than others but they became too predictable. Some became his vehicles for commenting on society and social values and sacrificed the story to make a point (i.e. "The Chamber).

His most recent book, "The Last Juror" takes us back to the Grisham we saw in "A Time to Kill" which I believe is is best novel. Through extensive character development, we get to know Willie Traynor, Harry Rex, Miss Callie and the other inhabitants of Clanton. Seen through the eyes of Willie, we become immersed in their lives as the biggest murder of the county occurs. The trial, the subsequent years, the release of the murder and the revenge killings happen to people we have grown to know and care about.

It becomes a page-turner because we want to know about these people and their lives. The ending is fairly predictable but it is a satisfying tale and well worth a few hours of your time. It is a well written book and much more believable than many of his high-speed "legal thrillers" that leave you breathless but forgetting the story not long after you are done. The well-developed characters and the sense of place(a small Mississippi town in the 70's) are what make this book unforgettable.

Everyone Dies is the newest in a great series, but not the best of the series. We get the continuation of Chief Kerney's relationship with his often absent wife, his recently discovered son and other characters who have grown familiar as the series has developed. There are a lot of violent murders and the gradual introduction to the murderer as he pursues his agenda. It is the good police work and quick analysis of the evidence as the case takes unexpected twists and turns that keeps the reader's attention. It is a exciting, quick read that I would recommend to anyone who likes a good mystery. Skip some of the poorly written "best sellers" that everyone is reading and dig into one of the better written mystery series and you will be rewarded.

I would recommend reading the earlier books in the series first to get the background on these characters. I have been a fan of the series since Tularosa and will continue to read any books by Michael McGarrity since they are well written and take place in areas of the Southwest with which I am very familiar.

I disliked Cornwell's earlier book about the Wolfman and was disappointed to find this book went back to his character. Then things get more unbelievable with Benton still alive. It was a long, tedious read to get to the end with a lot crammed into the last few pages and no satisfactory resolution to some of the story. How does a blind prisoner manage to escape from prison, even disguised as a guard, and still make his way into the real world without being caught almost immediately? There is nothing about any of the main characters that makes you want to read about them any more and apparently Cornwell is bored with writing about them as well. She should stick to writing about her nonfiction investigations. The only good book she has written in years is the one on Jack the Ripper. If you have to read this because you've read all of her others and were a fan of her early work, then don't buy it. Save your money and borrow it from the library or from someone like me who made the mistake of buying it.

I was sad to think we would see no more of Harry Bosch when he retired at the end of "City of Bones". "Lost Light" brings his complex character back but with a different perspective. As Harry investigates an unsolved case because it haunts him, we learn a lot about him and his feelings for his ex-wife. Michael Connelly is one of my favorite authors to read because his novels are well written, complex and entertaining. "Lost Light" kept my attention and was a quick and enjoyable read with lots of twists and turns and a totally unexpected twist related to Harry's personal life at the end. I can't wait to the next installment! If you are a fan of Harry Bosch and Michael Connelly, you can't go wrong by spending a few hours with "Lost Light".

As I watched the movie "The Hours", I knew I had to have the soundtrack. The music just flows and is so moving. As a former piano student I especially like music (classical and pop) where the piano is predominant. When all the tracks are so beautiful, it is hard to say any one is my favorite but I am partial to "Morning Passages". The soundtrack helped make the movie and Philip Glass should win an Academy Award for it. Hearing this soundtrack makes we want to get to know Philip Glass' other music as well.

As always Perri O'Shaughnessy has given us a well-written installment in the Nina Reilly series. The various plot lines work well. We are kept guessing what the next secret is that Jessie Potter is hiding. With careful reading, we know who the murderer is from early in the book and we are given insight throughout the book into his motivations in each of his murders as he become more obsessed with getting his hands on the money. We learn about how the slots machines work through Kenny's research. We are viewers in the courtroom as Nina uses everything she can to win Jessie's case and even she gets a surprise that will ultimately help her client. Even then, things do not go smoothly, and Nina almost sacrifices her personal relationship with Paul in the process of doing the best she can for her clients.

It was a great, fast read and I enjoyed every moment of it!

I have read the earlier reviews posted here and wondered what book some of the reviewers read. Although the ending doesn't spell everything out for you, if you read it carefully, all the loose ends have been tied up by then. The final question about who killed Dow Purcell and why he was killed is answered in the last few pages with a discovery by Kinsey and a few subtle clues from the behavior of two of the characters.

The subplots prove to be interesting, especially the one involving Kinsey's need for a new office. It is through another of the subplots (Henry working on Rosie's sister's medical bills)that Kinsey gets a better understanding of how the Medicare scam at the nursing home worked. But even that is another red herring as to the reason for Dr. Purcell's death. Was it murder, was it suicide? Did the money missing from his bank account have anything do do with his death? And if it was murder, who did it--his ex-wife, his business partners, his current wife's ex-husband, etc?

Throughout the book, Kinsey takes some risks and find herself in potentially dangerous situations. The book ends while she waits for the police, and she has once again put herself in peril. The ending at this point keeps us wondering--knowing she is in danger and not knowing until the next installment if she escapes this situation unscathed.

My perception of the book seems to be different from many of the early reviews especially in regard to the ending. I think it is a well written book with a neatly wrapped ending. If you are not perceptive and cannot read between the lines and see how Sue Grafton neatly wrapped up the story line about the Hevener brothers, or the murder of Dr. Purcell, then you might not appreciate the ending of the book. I think through the deft writing of Ms. Grafton, we are left with Kinsey in peril. You have to believe that the main character will not be killed off or what would be the point of her working on the next in the series? Too bad we have to wait a year for "Q"!