Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

Only 13 books this month. A couple of really good ones, a couple not so good.

by Chaz McGee (Katy Munger): 1st in what looks to be a new series. Kevin Fahey is a ghost, who was a crappy cop & a crappier husband & father in life. He's looking to try and redeem himself in some way when the ghost of a victim whose case fell to him and his half-assed partner appears to him and leads him to another body. Turns out the wrong man was sent to prison for the original murder and Kevin looks for some way to help the cop who is working the new case. This was just a good book, and even if you don't go in for the "woo woo" you might like this. Grade: 9

by Barry Eisler. I only have one left to go, Cheryl! Another good entry in the John Rain series. Grade: 8

[image error] edited by Trisha Telep: As per the title, a selection of 13 vampire tales. I bought it for Rachel Caine's Morganville Vampires short story, but was pleasantly surprised to find more good stories than clunkers in this one! Grade: 7.5

by Diana Orgain. 1st in Maternal Instincts series. Liked the locale, and the story wasn't bad. However, the main character was terribly annoying with her constant list making. My sister does that and it makes me completely nuts! Grade: 5.5

by Kathryn Lilley: 2nd in Fat City series. I just don't like this heroine and the book was a chore. Won't read any more. Grade: 4

by Sara Paretsky: Newest V.I. Warshawski, and a great book! Vic agrees to see what she can find out about a man who disappeared over 40 years ago. The man's aunt is dying and her dying wish is to see him again or to know what happened to him. Chicago politics, which are always shady, and a story that has its beginnings in Martin Luther King's march in Chicago in 1966. Paretsky can tell a story and this is a very good one! Grade: 9.5

by Amber Kizer. Meridian is 16 when she finds out she's a fenestra. They help people cross over from life to the "good place". The fenestra's numbers have been dwindling down over the years, due to the aternocti who reap souls for the "bad place". This is a bit of an oversimplification of a story that was actually pretty good. It's a YA novel, but definitely held my interest to the end. Grade: 8.5

by J.F. Lewis: 1st in Void City series. Typical bad ass vampire taking on the local weres. Might read the 2nd one if I can get it used for REALLY cheap! Grade: 5.5

by Dorothy Howell: 2nd in Haley Randolph series. I kind of liked the first one, but Haley was just totally unlikeable in this one. Won't read any more. Grade: 4


by Patricia Briggs. 2nd in Alpha & Omega series. I'm not all that into werewolf stories, but this one was such an improvement over the first in the series that I'll definitely stick around for #3. The Marrok is planning on outing the US werewolves to the public and a summit is planned in Seattle for the heads of the US group and the heads of all the European and South American groups to hash things out (the Asian & Australian groups are considered mostly unimportant because their numbers are so small). There are witches and vampire hitmen and all kinds of mayhem! Grade: 9.5

[image error] by Neil Gaiman. I liked the story of Nobody Owens, but I was aware that it was a kid's book all through it. I usually don't feel that way about most YA books I read. I understand it's being made into a movie, so maybe I won't feel that way about it. Grade: 6.5

[image error] by Cricket McRae. 3rd in Sophie Mae Reynolds Crafting series and the best one so far I think. A Cadyville cop is killed in a suspicious car wreck and days later a very unpopular member of the local artist's co-op is found dead at the co-op building. Grade: 8.5

by Kim Harrison, Jeaniene Frost, Vicki Pettersson, Jocelynn Drake & Melissa Marr: Paranormal short story anthology. The only one I liked was the Jeaniene Frost story, which was the reason I bought it in the first place. The Harrison story was about Jenks, but it wasn't very good except for the parts that dealt with Jenks & his family. The other 3, eh! Grade: 4.5

Just finished a cozy mystery and haven't decided what to read next, though I'm leaning toward the Vampire Diaries, since the show starts next week!

Good month, Melodie!!
I look forward to reading Katy's new book under her nom de plume, Chaz McGee and to Hardball.

Melodie wrote: "Only 13 books this month. A couple of really good ones, a couple not so good.
Desolate Angel by Chaz McGee (Katy Munger): 1st in what looks to be a new series...."

by Barry Eisler. I only have one left to go, Cheryl! Another good entry in the John Rain series. Grade: 8

The next one is pretty good, too.

He's finishing up his next book now, doing revisions. I hope after that he will go back to John Rain in some form or another.

I have the first Fat City book on my shelf, but haven't gotten around to it yet.

I do enjoy the Cricket McRae series!