Faceless Killers (Wallander Mystery)

By Henning Mankell

Kurt Wallander, a Swedish detective, is called out to a small farmhouse.  There he finds an elderly couple, the husband beaten to death, and the wife left to die with a noose around her neck.  Before she dies, the wife says the word "foreign" over &over again. Why would anyone want to kill these old people in such a brutal way?  Were foreign refugees really to blame for all this violence?

Can't say I loved or hated this book.  The main story was good, but something was lost in the translation.  Why I needed to know that Wallander had roaring diarrhea after every lunch still baffles me...

Mrs. Pollifax Pursued

By Dorothy Gilman

Mrs. Pollifax discovers Kadi Hopkirk, a young girl who has been hiding in her hall closet. After hearing a weird story of Kadi running from kidnappers, and seeing a suspicious white van driving up & down the street for hours, Mrs. Pollifax jumps to the rescue. A phone call helicopter ride later, Mrs. Pollifax and Kadi go undercover at a circus until they can figure what's going on.

I like series that you can jump in the middle of and not be completely confused.  Good thing this storyline is good, because I had no idea this was number eleven.

The Keepers of the House

By Shirley Ann Grau

For seven generations, the Howlands have been the pillars of their Southern town.  But when Abigail Howland Mason discovers the secret between her grandfather, William, and Margaret, his black housekeeper, racism and revenge surround her home and family.  But Abigail is not going down without a fight.

Excellent book -- it deserved the Pulitzer Prize in 1965. The ending is especially good.

Seriously... I'm Kidding

By Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen being Ellen... I discovered that even a book on tape is not as funny as listening to a standup routine.  A few funny moments, but I'm glad I borrowed this from the library for free.

Thyme of Death (China Bayles Mystery)

By Susan Wittig Albert

China Bayles, a former lawyer, now owns the Thyme and Seasons Herb Shop in Pecan Springs, Texas. She's trying to escape the tension and headaches of her old job, but stress comes in different forms. Now, her good friend Jo has killed herself.  When another death happens, China starts to think the maybe someone killed Jo as well. She's smart around people, and knows her way around the law, so this is the first mystery heroine in a while that didn't stumble around until she figured out whodunit.

Don't Know Much About Mythology: Everything You Need To Know About the Greatest Stories in Human History But Never Learned

By Kenneth C. Davis

General overview of creation and other myths in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Native America. Includes stories of the Trojan War, Buddha, Druids, Thor, Machu Picchu, etc.. It has to be read in small bites, otherwise the information is overwhelming. You also have to slog through the bad jokes and liberal viewpoint.

In The Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin

By Erik Larson

In 1933, Professor William E. Dodd became ambassador to Germany just as Hitler was coming to power. He brought along his wife and two adult children to live with him in Berlin.  The story rests mostly on Dodd and his daughter Martha, who both kept journals during their stay.

Dodd complains constantly about paperwork, waste, and lack of respect.  Great of him to notice, but he only took the post to have more time to write a multi-volume history of the American South. It's hard to have sympathy for him when people are disappearing to concentration camps or getting beat up in the streets for not using the Nazi salute.

Martha is narcissistic and amoral.  She attaches herself to the local Nazi leaders, and seems shocked at their brutality, but doesn't seem to care enough to stop partying.  Martha meets up with a married Russian diplomat, has an affair with him, and would have developed into a world class spy if she actually knew anything.

I enjoyed reading this despite the fact that I thought the Dodds were Ugly Americans. I had no idea how much Jews were hated even by people in FDR's cabinet. No wonder people looked the other way... no one cared if a few Jews were imprisoned or abused.

The Lottery and Other Stories

By Shirley Jackson

Originally written in 1948, The Lottery is a perfect example of post WWII paranoia.  No one trusts anyone, nor should they, as a town is gathered for their annual lottery.

The title story is terrific. The more I read of the rest of the stories, the more bored and/or disgusted I became.  I stopped reading about halfway through, so who knows what else I missed, but I was tired of wasting my time.

Death Comes To Pemberley

By P.D. James

Six years after their wedding, Elizabeth and Darcy are preparing for their annual ball at Pemberley.  The night before, Elizabeth's sister Lydia arrives unannounced and hysterical, screaming that her husband Wickham has been killed in the woods. Although Wickham is found alive, he is weeping over the body of his best friend, who is lying dead. The entire household at Pemberley is upended and confused by the murder.

Much better book than I expected.  I enjoyed seeing everyone six years ahead -- Elizabeth & Darcy, Jane & Bingley, Georgiana, and even Lydia & Wickham. I'm sure a lot of P&P snobs will think this book is unnecessary, but I liked how James handled the characters.

The Miracle of Freedom: Seven Tipping Points that Saved the World

By Chris Stewart and Ted Stewart

How does the world manage to keep humanity, democracy, and culture alive?  The Stewart brothers examine points in history that, if events would have different, the world would have become a drastically different place.  The stories include the salvation of the kingdom of Judah, the victory of Greek democracy, and the conversion of Constantine to Christianity.

Simply told, but interesting. The Battle of Britain, for example, is interesting because if the Nazis would have kept up the air war, England would have been a goner.  Thank goodness European tyrants always try to take on Russia in the winter!  Spreads out the troops, saves the rest of Europe.

The Secret

By Rhonda Byrne

I'm only writing this down to remind myself never to pick up this book again... how do people get sucked into this drivel???  I know! The Secret is to write an insipid book, get Oprah to endorse it, and make millions!

Every Day

By David Leviathan

"A" wakes up in a different body every day.  Always has, and probably always will.  Then he wakes up in the body of Justin, and falls in love with Justin's girlfriend, Rhiannon.  After that, A brings nothing but problems for himself and others trying to see Rhiannon over and over, no matter what body A happens to inhabit.  Trouble ensues when one of the "bodies" claims on the internet to have been possessed by a devil.

Either I have finally grown out of teen-angst romance, or this was way too politically correct for me.  For me, the whole one-day-I'm-homosexual, one-day-I'm-a-druggie, blah blah blah, was silly.  The author tried too hard.  If he would have stuck more to the main storyline, it wouldn't have felt so forced.

Bloodborne

By Gregg Luke

Ubersmart Dr. Erin Cross sits in a deli, receiving mysterious, threatening text messages right before a man starts shooting the place up.  She escapes unharmed, thanks to Sean Flannery, a former Marine.  If the shooter meant to kill her, why did he kill himself instead?  Erin & Sean eventually go into hiding together, as Sean inexplicably tries to keep Erin alive.

Such a jumbled storyline.  While Erin & Sean are hiding in the Utah desert, a mad scientist is trying to unleash a strain of killer mosquitoes on a small island in Hawaii.  Convoluted bio-terrorism at its finest.

How We Decide

By Jonah Lehrer

Intuition? Gut feelings? Rational thought?  How we decide depends on what we are trying to decide.  Stock picks -- do your research. Buying a house -- happiness comes from the gut, but don't forget a home inspection! Most importantly, keep your skills and awareness sharp, so that when life throws you for a loop, your brain has already trained itself to react. 

True Grit

By Charles Portis

Fourteen year old Mattie Ross, is after Tom Chaney,  an outlaw who shot her unarmed father in Fort Smith, Arkansas.  Chaney stole her fathers' life, his horse, $150 in cash, and two gold pieces hidden in his waistband.  Mattie hires U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn to help her track the coward down.

I really liked this book.  Mattie is tough and resourceful, and Rooster is an original "hero with a dark past".  His type is what we think of as a true cowboy in the Old West, complete with an eye patch and a wandering spirit.  The story reminds me yet again that I wouldn't last long as a homesteader --- I don't have the guts or the smarts.

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

By Ransom Riggs

Sixteen year old Jacob adores his grandfather, but long ago stopped believing the "fairy tales" about his grandfather's childhood during World War Two.  When his grandfather is brutally attacked, he tells Jacob to travel to "the island", where he will be safe.  Jacob convinces his father to travel with him to his grandfather's small Welsh island to find the Home For Peculiar Children.

I was hoping this would be more of a thriller than science fiction.  I liked the old photographs that the story was wrapped around, and thought they were sufficiently creepy to amp up the storyline.  Overall, I wanted a more serious, scary story.

You've Got Murder

By Donna Andrews

Turing Hopper, an artificially intelligent computer program, notices that her workaholic designer, Zack, is missing.  She checks everywhere for his electronic footprint, with no luck, then decides to enlist the help of two human friends to do some actual legwork.  It seems Zack is nowhere to be found, and some other apparently dangerous people are looking for Zack too.

I liked this far more than I thought I would, mostly because I liked Turing.  I imagine her as the "good" AI character, as opposed to the typical "evil" AI trying to destroy humankind.  Turing liked people, and wanted to be more like them.  Slightly more serious than Andrew's previous books but still fun.

Daddy Long-Legs

By Jean Webster

Originally published in 1912, this is the story of an orphan who gets the chance at a "real" life. Jerusha Abbott escapes the boredom and overwork of the John Grier Home when a mysterious benefactor supports her dream of attending college.  The only stipulation is that she write and update him with her progress, but never expect him to reply or interact with her.

Jerusha is a free spirited, intelligent girl, and it is fun to read her letters.  She enjoys her new life, but still is grateful  and doesn't take advantage of her sponsor, even though everyone around her is wealthy.  I think that makes her appreciate her life more.

Withering Heights

By Dorothy Cannell

Ellie and Ben Haskell travel to Yorkshire to return Ben's runaway 13 year old niece, Ariel.  Ariel begs them to investigate what is really behind all the strange accidents at their newly purchased gothic manor.  Ariel's stepmother, Betty, is convinced that the manor is haunted by the missing husband of the previous owner.  Meanwhile, Ellie's oddball housekeeper, Mrs. Mallory, tags along to reunite with her long lost sister, who also lives in Yorkshire.  And if that isn't enough, Ben's old childhood friend appears and obviously wants to be more than friends.  Ellie just wants to quickly solve the mystery and get her husband home.

This is a cute series, but as is apparent from the above synopsis, there's a little too much going on.  I like the silly characters, and everything seems to fit together towards the end, but it's rough going keeping up with all the characters & plot lines.

The Secret Life of Cee Cee Wilkes

By Diane Chamberlain

In 1977, the governor's wife, pregnant Genevieve Russell, was kidnapped and then disappeared.  Twenty years later, her body is discovered, and Timothy Gleason is charged with murder.  However, her unborn child is not with Russell's remains.  What happened to her baby?

Cee Cee Wilkes knows what happened that night, because she was there, and she knows Gleason is innocent of murder.  Will she tell the truth & destroy her family, or allow Gleason to die?

Because of the initial storyline, I thought this would be a great book.  Boy, was I wrong!  There isn't a single main character that makes an intelligent decision.  For example, I know Cee Cee was a young teen when the kidnapping happened, but she was smart enough to take care of herself despite being in foster homes.  But from then on out she just gets stupider & stupider (if that is a real word).  You would think being in foster care would make her a little more cautious. Plus, she lies and messes over everyone she cares about... she really needed massive amounts of therapy.

The Sinister Pig

By Tony Hillerman

Sergeant Jim Chee can't help but be curious about the nameless corpse that was discovered by an Apache oil field.  The FBI has taken over the case, and declared it a hunting accident, but Chee thinks it is murder.  At the same time, retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn is called on to investigate whether Washington politicians are stealing from the Navajo nation.  Chee and Leaphorn's trails lead them to help their friend, former policewoman Bernadette Manuelito, who is nervous about some happenings with her new job as a Border Patrol agent.

I like Bernadette the best of Chee's love interests.  Here's a girl who is smart, tough, and proud of her Native American heritage... finally someone who is a good match for Chee!  This is the last of the series that I needed to read, and I'm glad that I ended with characters that were great for each other.

Made To Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

By Chip Heath and Dan Heath

What makes us believe some theories and trust some people?  Urban legends, conspiracy theories, and bogus health scares have just enough truth and believability to live forever.  The Heaths explain why interesting, simple ideas have far more "stickiness" in our minds.

The Heaths believe in six key principles to make an idea unforgettable: simplicity, unexpectedness, concreteness, credibility, emotions, and stories.  These ideas are helpful to teachers, speakers, and anyone else who wants their ideas to not only be heard but remembered.

A is For Alibi

By Sue Grafton

Former cop turned private investigator Kinsey Millhone promises newly paroled Nikki Fife to investigate the murder of Nikki's husband.  Nikki was convicted of his murder and served her jail time, but now wants Kinsey to reopen the case.  Then another corpse shows up, and Kinsey is left with too many other suspects and not enough clues.

I thought I would like this book more than I did, considering Grafton has made it through most of the alphabet with Kinsey.  But Millhone is so clueless, and stumbles from place to place without processing anything.  Maybe she gets smarter in later stories, but I'll never know... I refuse to read another one.

Don't Know Much About the Bible: Everything You Need to Know About the Good Book But Never Learned

By Kenneth C. Davis

A long, tedious, unfunny "investigation" into why everything in the Bible is wrong.  I kept waiting to actually learn something new, but all I learned is that Davis doesn't believe in the Bible, pushes his liberal views, and states over & over again that the Bible can't possibly be true because archaeological findings don't match up.  I've read other books by Davis and enjoyed them, so this was a letdown.  The background of the Dead Sea Scrolls was interesting, along with the Jewish vs Christian ordering of the Old Testament books.  Otherwise, UGH

The Red Tent: A Novel

By Anita Diamant

The story of Dinah, the sister of the male "Twelve Tribes" mentioned in the Old Testament, and daughter to Jacob.  It dramatizes the short yet violent Bible verses concerning Dinah's life, using a loose knowledge of life in ancient times.

I know several people that loved this book, but to be honest, I skipped the middle & read the end.  The writing style bothered me, the plot bothered me, and the characters bothered me.  Some reviewers said this wasn't a feminist book, but there were no sympathetic, moral, male characters... they were weak, violent, and petty.  Sorry to say, the whole story was pretty ridiculous.

The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House On the Prairie

By Wendy McClure

The author is a HUGE fan of the Little House books, and documents her adult journey of her juvenile obsession.  McClure tries her hand at churning butter, wades by the banks of Plum Creek, and visits the annual summer pageant in Laura's hometown, among other down-home, pioneer experiences. 

Not being a true Little House fan myself, I read this book like an adult indulging a small child.  It was interesting, but I couldn't connect with the over-the-top mania.  That being said, I liked her willingness to explore.  McClure is a city girl, so her reaction to being trapped in a "covered wagon" during an intense hail and lightning storm in South Dakota is great... I loved it.

The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom

By Jonathan Haidt

Haidt compares the world's beliefs and philosophies searching for common themes. He compares the way to find a successful life with controlling our inner "elephant" by becoming the in-charge "rider".  Wealth is less important to happiness than close friendships, quiet surroundings, and short commutes.

This book almost has too much to think about, since it covers childhood & parenting, positive psychology, and the author's own philosophical journey.  However, taken in small chunks, it is an informative, interesting book.

Engaged to Die

By Carolyn Hart

On the night of Virginia and Jake's engagement party, Jake goes missing and is later found murdered.  Bookstore owner Annie Darling is drawn into the investigation, since her clerk is also in love with the victim.  But while she's trying to solve the murder, a stalker is watching her every move.

Blech. Maybe it's due to an overload of mysteries, but this book was horribly stupid.  'Nuff said.

The House of Silk: A Sherlock Holmes Novel

By Anthony Horowitz

Fine art dealer Edward Carstairs visits Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, claiming that a man has followed him back from America and wants to kill him.  Holmes tracks the stranger, who is then found dead.  Unfortunately, this leads to more questions and dangers for Holmes.

This story has updated language, and makes Holmes seem a bit less robotic, which true Sherlock fans will hate.  I have always had trouble finishing the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories, so it was just fine by me... I didn't get lost in the verbiage.  It still has all the constant plot twists that make a Holmes book entertaining.

The Woman in Black: A Ghost Story

By Susan Hill

Arthur Kipps is a young lawyer sent to Crythin Gifford to settle the estate of recently deceased Alice Drablow.  No one will talk about her or her house, Eel House, but Kipps knows that something is horribly wrong.  His routine business trip turns into a nightmare, as Kipps is haunted by a child's cry, strange noises in the fog, and a mysterious woman in black.

Although this story was written in the 1980's, the style is more like a Sherlock Holmes novel.  It lent a nice historical touch, although some may think it's hard to follow.  I knew what was coming at the end, and kept hoping I was wrong.  Then I was disappointed that the author skimped on the details, leaving tension and feeling out when I wanted it the most.

The Real Macaw

By Donna Andrews

The Lanslows are now the proud parents of twins, but still can't keep her family from invading every minute of their lives.  Now Meg's grandfather has "rescued" the animals from the local shelter, and of course has no where to keep them except for Meg and Michael's house.  And of course the man who was supposed to find homes and shelter for the animals is found murdered.  But this time Meg is trying her hardest to stay away from sleuthing, even though everyone assumes she will be her nosy self.  She wants to worry about her twin boys, not a murderer.

I keep saying that I'm done with this series, mostly because I want to throttle Meg's family.  With her parents living on a farm close by, why do they always pick on Meg? So freaking what if her mother doesn't like a mess, they all need to leave the Lanslows alone already, especially now that they have twins. And it's not just her family... Meg now has a foster child when his mother is stationed overseas.  For such a strong person, she is a real doormat.

The Best of Me

By Nicholas Sparks

Twenty five years after their ill-fated teen romance, Dawson and Amanda are brought back together for the funeral of their friend Tuck.  They were his only friends, and Tuck left instructions for them alone to carry out.  Along the way, they learn things about their friend and each other, and ask themselves how their choices affected their lives.

I am officially tired of Nicholas Sparks books... they are so predictable that I could now write one myself.  Starcrossed lovers, secrets, misunderstandings, and the inevitable death of a main character.  But you have to give him credit for writing readable stories, no matter how unsurprising the plot.

The Shape Shifter

By Tony Hillerman

Navajo Tribal Police Lt. Joe Leaphorn is newly retired, and still not ready to give up cases.  An old friend asks for his help finding out about a cursed Navajo story rug supposedly destroyed but recently photographed in a magazine.  The friend disappears shortly afterward, which adds to Leaphorn's curiosity.

This story was pretty convoluted... lots of back and forth, which made it hard to follow.  However, the ending was harder to predict than a usual Hillerman book, which was a pleasant surprise.

Crazy Little Thing

By Tracy Brogan

Sadie Turner, in the midst of a messy divorce, decides to take her children away for the summer and visit her Aunt Dody.  There she meets a man that is everything she dreams of, if she or her family can stop chasing him away with their loopiness.

This book is what it is... a light-hearted summer read.  If you expect more, prepare to be disappointed.  The only part that was a little heavy was how everyone seemed to drink all the time.  Since I don't drink at all, maybe that's how summers with crazy relatives are, & I've been missing out on constantly making a slobbering fool of myself.

Bookmarked For Death

By Lorna Barrett

Tricia Miles, owner of Haven't Got A Clue bookstore, invites local author Zoe Carter for a book signing.  Unfortunately, Zoe is murdered in the store's restroom, and there are plenty of suspects that detested the author.  The sheriff shuts down the bookstore just to spite Tricia, so she feels obligated to narrow the suspects and save her store.

I should have enjoyed this book... I love bookstores and mysteries.  Too bad I don't love whiny, bipolar characters.  Tricia is always losing her appetite, forgetting to eat, and hates sweets... sounds like borderline anorexia.  Her sister, who happens to own a cookbook store next door, is either trying to pick a fight or carping about how she wishes she was a size 8 like Tricia.  (If I have to stop eating to be thinner, it ain't gonna happen.)  Tricia's reporter-boyfriend is no better, since he uses their "dates" to pump Tricia for exclusive information, then gets defensive when she's upset and leaves.  This whine-fest got old quickly.