Sunday, August 31, 2008

Cozy Mystery Time

I am unhappy that Sept is a day away. Cause I know there is snow lurking around
some corner. Ok so it will probably be a few months before the snow comes but I hate seeing the leaves fall of the trees and the weather turning colder....

But I am thrilled that it is time to read cozy mysteries for Kris's challenge. Can't wait to see how many I make it thru.

So it is off to the swing to read and enjoy the warm weather.

134. Tacked To Death by Michele Scott

About the book

A new tack shop and a gala polo match are reasons to celebrate for horse trainer Michaela Bancroft—until equestrian Sterling Tabor is found clubbed to death with a polo mallet. Worse yet, suspicion falls on Michaela...
The weapon belongs to Michaela, her prints are all over it, and rumors of her alleged affair with the victim aren’t helping. With her boyfriend Detective Jude Davis out of town, Michaela doesn’t stand a chance of proving her innocence and clearing her name unless she delves into Tabor’s mysterious life—and death—on her own. But in unearthing a real suspect and a motive, she discovers a deadly past. And Tabor’s shady friends are more than willing to throw Michaela off the track—for good.

I really love this series. This is a great installment. I loved the ending can't wait to see what happens in the next book

Saturday, August 30, 2008

133. Death Perception by Victoria Laurie

About the Book

It took a while for Abby Cooper's FBI agent boyfriend, Dutch Rivers, to accept her psychic gifts as the real deal. But these days he knows better than to question Abby's visions. So when his favorite cousin Chase is kidnapped in Vegas, they both catch the next flight to Sin City. Abby's inner eye insists that Chase is still alive, but nothing else about the case adds up—especially Dutch's reluctance to involve his own Bureau.
On top of everything, Dutch is battling a mysterious illness, and Abby keeps having disturbing dreams that predict his death. Dutch wants Abby to promise that if the investigation goes south, she'll head home to safety. But when the chips are down, Abby won't fold without a fight...

I loved this book and I love the series. Now I have to wait a year for the next one.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

132. Secondhand Smoke by Karen E Olson

About the book

Awakened by a loud commotion, New Haven reporter Annie Seymour wanders outside to discover a favorite Italian eatery engulfed in fire. Even more shocking is the bullet-ridden body found in the debris. Then things get personal. Annie's father, a Vegas casino boss, suddenly arrives in town and the restaurant hires hunky private eye Vinny DeLucia, with whom she has some unfinished business. Now trying to cut through the smoke to uncover the real story, Annie questions her father's connection to the crime. Between the FBI, her would-be hero Vinny, and some raucous animal rights protestors, Annie must peer through the familiar town houses, worn-out sidewalks, and back alleys of her youth to determine a killer's motives-and avoid being burned next...

I loved this book as much as the first. I am so bummed that there are only 2 more books in this series. I love Annie. The third one is sitting here calling my name but it will have to wait a bit. I need to make the series last as long as possible

Monday, August 25, 2008

131. Fractured by Karin Slaughter

About the book

With its gracious homes and tree-lined streets, Ansley Park is one of Atlanta’s most desirable neighborhoods. But in one gleaming mansion, in a teenager’s lavish bedroom, a girl has been savagely murdered. And in the hallway, her horrified mother stands amid shattered glass, having killed her daughter’s attacker with her bare hands.
Detective Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is here only to do a political favor; the murder site belongs to the Atlanta police. But Trent soon sees something that the cops are missing, something in the trail of blood, in a matrix of forensic evidence, and in the eyes of the shell-shocked mother. Within minutes, Trent is taking over the case—and adding another one to it. He is sure that another teenage girl is missing, and that a killer is on the loose.
Armed with only fleeting clues, teamed with a female cop who has her own personal reasons for hating him, Trent has enemies all around him—and a gnawing feeling that this case, which started in the best of homes, iscutting quick and deep through the ruins of perfect lives broken wide-open: where human demons emerge with a vengeance.

A very interesting read. Pulled me in from the first page and would not let me go until I finished it. (Good thing I was off today) There was one part that I found to be kindof unbelievable...but I guess it could happen.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

130. The Next Thing on My List by Jill Smolinski

About the book

After a car accident in which her passenger, Marissa, dies, June Parker finds herself in possession of a list Marissa has written: “20 Things to Do by My 25th Birthday.” The tasks range from inspiring (run a 5K) to daring (go braless) to near-impossible (change someone’s life).
To assuage her guilt, June races to achieve each goal herself before the deadline, learning more about her own life than she ever bargained for.

I really enjoyed this book. A fun but thoughtful read. I might have to consider making a to do list.

129. Out of Time by Patricia Lewin

About the book

a shaken CIA officer returns to the field, drawn not by duties but by the chance to save a man's life . . . and to meet the father she hasn't seen in years.
Though Erin Baker has left the CIA, the people who once directed her career tap her to penetrate a medical aid group that may be hiding a sinister purpose. In Cuba, the organization's head doctor is Emilio Diaz, Erin's estranged father. Erin has the skills and a perfect cover to penetrate Castro's shadow world. She also has another reason to take the assignment. An ex-mentor, previously on the case, has vanished somewhere in Cuba.
Full of emotional landmines, this mission comes at a time when Erin's life is at a crossroads. Alec Donovan, a colleague at the FBI, is pushing for more than friendship, and he wants Erin out of the Agency's clutches. But Erin is already in- and though wanting to trust her charismatic father, she suspects that a dark plot is unfolding. Not knowing whom to trust or whom to believe, Erin fights her way deeper undercover until she is ultimately forced to make life-and-death decisions

I really enjoyed this book and the previous one that I read. I would like to read more about Erin and Alec or even more by the author. But it looks like Out of Time is the last book that she wrote.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

128. Out of Reach by Patricia Lewin

About the book

A rising star in the CIA, Erin Baker is driven by tragedy from her past. When she was a child, her eight-year-old sister, Claire, was kidnapped. Though Claire was miraculously found, she was changed forever. As was Erin, who now just might get what she's always wanted: the chance to make a difference in someone's life. But she must be willing to risk everything she holds dear.
When a child disappears near her home, Erin is certain there is a link to her sister's cold kidnapping case. She meets Alex Donovan, an FBI agent on the hunt to find the missing boy, whose record for locating missing children is unquestioned. Suddenly Alex and Erin find themselves on a desperate pursuit - from the streets of America's most peaceful neighborhoods to a horrifying underworld where children are stolen and trafficked. And as they get closer to the truth, they make their own lives, and the lives of everyone they love, into perfect targets for a killer.

This author was recommeded to me about 2 years ago...I finally picked this one up, even though the newer books were saying read me instead, I really enjoyed this book. A fast paced quick read. I started this book this morning and kept on reading until I finished it.

127. Death on Demand by Carolyn G Hart

About the book

At Annie Laurance's Death On Demand bookstore on Broward's Rock Island, South Carolina, murder most foul suddenly isn't confined to the well-stocked shelves. Author Elliot Morgan's abrupt demise during a weekly gathering of famous mystery writers called the Sunday Night Regulars is proof positive that a bloody sword is sometimes mightier than a brilliant pen.With Annie in the unenviable position of primary police suspect, the pretty young mystery maven and her wealthy paramour, Max Darling, embark on an investigation into a classic locked-room mystery with high stakes. For failing to unmask a brutal and ingenious killer could mean prison for Ms. Laurance. While success could mean her death.


Someone told me a couple of years ago that they thought I would like this series. So I have been collecting them from PBS and the used bookstore. I finally decided to read the first one. It took me longer to read this 195 page book than it takes me to read a 400 page book. It is usually very easy for me to get pulled into a book from page 1. Did not happen this time. Something was off for me. It could be the fact that the first book was written 21 years ago and I have tons of newer books that I would rather be reading. Or it could be that I was not fond of the 2 main characters. I do have more in the series to read and will be reading some of them before the end of the year.

126. Dixieland Sushi by Cara Lockwood

About the book

Jen Nakamura Taylor thought she left behind her awkward past of growing up half-Japanese, half-white in a small Southern town when she moved north to produce a popular Chicago television show. But when she gets word that her Southern Belle cousin is marrying Kevin Peterson, the very boy Jen loved-with-a-capital-L for years, she realizes she can't run from her past forever. Not only does the news conjure up sticky memories of growing up with a mixed heritage in the South (soy sauce on chicken fried steak, anyone?) but now the very single and very busy Jen has got to find a date for the wedding -- a grand affair that could put Scarlett O'Hara to shame.
Wax off....
Riley -- Jen's cute British friend from work -- seems just the ticket; even his girlfriend thinks it's a good idea. But as Jen and Riley whistle on down to Dixie, sparks start to fly. Add to the fire the grown-up but still charming Kevin Peterson, who appears to have a soft spot for Jen, and, well, whoa. It's going to take everything Jen has (and a lot of help from the Karate Kid-wisdom of her pop culture hero Mr. Miyagi) to survive the meeting of past and present, and of North and Far East and South...where Jen finally learns to come to terms with her heritage, her love life, and herself.

An ok read, funny at times. Not my favorite book by her. But glad I finally read it.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

125. Chamomile Mourning by Laura Childs

About the book

At Charleston's Spoleto festival, tea shop owner Theodosia Browning is far from festive when the Poet's Tea is forced indoors by rain. But rain proves to be the least of her problems after a local auction house owner plummets from a balcony to his death-and it looks like someone helped him over the edge.
With a full kettle of suspects, Theodosia investigates and uncovers a criminal enterprise of art forgery, fraud—and murder—that leads her into the murky swamps of the South Carolina Lowcountry. Now, she's hot on the heels of a criminal who plans on showing her just how dangerous it is to stick her sensitive nose where it doesn't belong.

A very nice installment in the series. I love reading these even though I can't stand tea. The food sounds so good, I will have to attempt one of the recipes.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Murder On The Rocks by Karen MacInerney

About the book

Trading Texas heat for Maine's tangy salt air, Natalie Barnes risked it all to buy the Gray Whale Inn, a quaint bed and breakfast on Cranberry Island. She adores whipping up her signature blueberry coffee cake and killer cranberry scones for her guests. But when her guests start turning up dead, the police and most of the townspeople think Natalie has added murder to the mix.
Now, Natalie must get cooking to solve the mystery and find the true killer before she loses the Gray Whale Inn. Or her life...

The first book in a new series that has been sitting here for 2 years. I am very glad I finally picked it up and read it. A light and fun book. Natalie makes the best sounding breakfasts, I was so happy to get to the end and find recipies. I will be reading more by her

123. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

About the book

In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn, color your hair, watch a third of a hockey game. In nineteen minutes, you can bake scones or get a tooth filled by a dentist; you can fold laundry for a family of five....In nineteen minutes, you can stop the world, or you can just jump off it. In nineteen minutes, you can get revenge.
Sterling is a small, ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens -- until the day its complacency is shattered by a shocking act of violence. In the aftermath, the town's residents must not only seek justice in order to begin healing but also come to terms with the role they played in the tragedy. For them, the lines between truth and fiction, right and wrong, insider and outsider have been obscured forever. Josie Cormier, the teenage daughter of the judge sitting on the case, could be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened in front of her own eyes. And as the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show, destroying the closest of friendships and families.

I really enjoyed this book. Ok maybe enjoy is the wrong word to use since how can you enjoy a book about a school shooting. I thought it was very well done and some things that happened I did not see until they did.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Cozy Mystery Challenge

I am so happy that Kris is hosting the Cozy Mystery Challenge in Sept. I am trying to decide on a good number of books to post. I don't want to get to crazy.. But since they are cozy books they should be quicker reads.
If you want to join here is the link hopefully it will really work as a link. LOL
http://notenoughbooks.blogspot.com/

Finished Challenges or ones I almost finished

Title Master reading Challenge ended July 1.
Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts
Faux Finished by Peg Marberg4-08
Luscious Lemon by Heather Swain6/08
Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews5/08

I read 3out of 4 not to shabby

Amatuer Sleuth Challenge

French Pressed by Cleo Coyle -- Coffeehouse mystery5/08
Alibi in High Heels by Gemma Halliday--Shoe Designer 3-08
Carrot Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke -Bakery owner 2-08
Scene of the Grime by Suzanne Price-A Grime Solvers Mystery 3/08
Knitting Bones by Monica Ferris--owns a knitting shop 1/08
A Peach Of A Murder by Livia J.Washburn A Fresh Baked Mystery 1-08

I had all year to do this challenge and made it thru pretty quickly.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

122. Intent To Kill by James Grippando

About the book

Ryan James, a minor league baseball star, was poised for the major leagues until the hit-and-run death of his beloved wife, Chelsea. destroyed his dream. Now he’s a popular “shock jock” at a Boston radio station trying to raise his 6-year-old daughter on his own. His life is somewhat coming back to normal when prosecuting attorney Emma Carlisle contacts him about an anonymous note sent to her on this third anniversary of Chelsea’s death, claiming the hit-and-run driver, who’s never been found, intended to kill her. Ryan can’t help wondering whether Chelsea’s brother, Babes, who suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, sent the note and may know something about what really happened at the scene of the crime.
After a second communication reaches Emma, Babes suddenly goes missing, only to call into Ryan’s radio show and announce—on the air—that he was the one who killed his sister. Now the police are hunting down Babes, unaware that a well-paid hired gun is determined to find him first. And Ryan and Emma are racing against the clock to not only find Babes before he can hurt himself, but to uncover the real killer, who’s made it clear that nothing, not even life, is worth more than his reputation.

I normally love his books. I enjoyed this one but found it a bit slow

121. Twisted by Andrea Kane

About the book

Former FBI Special Agent Sloane Burbank survived a life-threatening injury sustained in the line of duty, only to face leaving a job she loves in order to recuperate. As an independent consultant, she now uses her specialized skills to train law enforcement and private organizations in crisis resolution. But when one of her closest childhood friends mysteriously disappears, and the woman's devastated parents beg for her help, Sloane takes the case—even though her ex-lover Derek Parker is the FBI agent in charge.
Special Agent Derek Parker, now assigned to the Asian Criminal Enterprise Task Force in the FBI's New York Field Office, has no time to spare for a year-old case he sees as a dead end—especially since it would mean working with a woman he never expected to see again. He's pursuing the leader of a Chinese gang and trying to solve a series of grisly murders in Chinatown, so he initially offers Sloane the case files and minimal cooperation.
But as more women disappear and others turn up brutally murdered, Derek's priorities shift, and he and Sloane come to the sickening realization that these random crimes are linked to the samecrazed killer. No one can anticipate when he will strike again, but when Sloane becomes the target of the killer's twisted obsession, it's clear that his ultimate fantasy is even more psychotic than either of them ever imagined.

Excellent book. She keeps you guessing.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

120. Damage Control by J A Jance

About the book

On a beautiful sunny day in the Coronado National Monument, an elderly couple's car goes off the side of a mountain and into oblivion. The terrain is so rocky that a helicopter must be flown in to retrieve the bodies, and to make matters worse, a thunder-storm is looming on the horizon. Hours later and miles away, the subsiding rain reveals gruesome evidence: two trash bags containing human remains.
It's just another day in the life of Cochise County sheriff Joanna Brady.
Back at home, Joanna has a newborn baby, a teenage daughter, a writer husband, and a difficult mother to deal with. But in the field, it turns out that she has much more on her hands. The remains are those of a handicapped woman who had wandered away from a care facility with a suspicious track record. Another resident, with whom the woman may have been involved, has also been reported missing.
Meanwhile, a note is found in the glove compartment of the car lying twisted down the mountainside, stating that its occupants intended to take their own lives. Yet a contradictory autopsy report surfaces, and when the deceased's two daughters show up to feud over their inheritance, Joanna knows there is more to this case than just a suicide pact.
And she will go all out to find the truth—no matter where it leads

I enjoyed this book. I love this series and can't wait for the next installment.

Monday, August 4, 2008

119. Say Goodbye by Lisa Gardner

about the book

Come into my parlor . . .

For Kimberly Quincy, FBI Special Agent, it all starts with a pregnant hooker. The story Delilah Rose tells Kimberly about her johns is too horrifying to be true—but prostitutes are disappearing, one by one, with no explanation, and no one but Kimberly seems to care.

Said the spider to the fly . . .

As a member of the Evidence Response Team, dead hookers aren’t exactly Kimberly’s specialty. The young agent is five months pregnant—she has other things to worry about than an alleged lunatic who uses spiders to do his dirty work. But Kimberly’s own mother and sister were victims of a serial killer. And now, without any bodies and with precious few clues, it’s all too clear that a serial killer has found the key to the perfect murder . . . or Kimberly is chasing a crime that never happened.
Kimberly’s caught in a web more lethal than any spider’s, and the more she fights for answers, the more tightly she’s trapped. What she doesn’t know is that she’s close—too close—to a psychopath who makes women’s nightmares come alive, and if he has his twisted way, it won’t be long before it’s time for Kimberly to . . .

I love this authors books, i think this one topped all of her other books. Very enjoyable read it has lots of suspense and twists and turns. Very creepy at times. If you like suspense you have to read this book

118. Through A Glass, Deadly by Sarah Atwell

About the book

Glassblower Emmeline Dowell has made a home for herself among the artists of Tucson's Warehouse District. But her friendship with troubled newcomer Allison McBride takes a dangerous turn when Allison's husband turns up dead in Em's studio.
Now Emmeline is involved in a murder investigation that reaches beyond the sunny Southwest. And when the killer acts again, it's up to her to pick up the shards of Allison's life before it's too late.

This is the first of a new series. I am still undecided on it. I enjoyed learning about glass-blowing. The main character is ok. The mystery was a bit slow at times. Not sucked in like I thought I would be but I will give the second a try when it comes out.