Death at the Door (Ruby and Cordelia Mysteries #2) by Olivia Blacke

 

Death at the Door (Ruby and Cordelia Mysteries #2) by Olivia Blacke - 352 pages

Ruby Young is slowly adjusting to her new life in Boston. A big part of that is her unexpected roommate—the ghost of the woman who lived there before. For Cordelia Graves, she may no longer be breathing, but it’s still her apartment and Ruby is the somewhat unwanted houseguest. They’re both happy they’ve managed to become friends, which is a miracle considering they struggle to communicate with each other. Cordelia even set Ruby up with her old job.

When Ruby discovers the body of a delivery guy at work, the new life she’s been building hangs in the balance. The last time Cordelia dragged Ruby into a murder investigation, it was almost two ghosts living in the apartment, not one. Determined to protect Ruby, Cordelia tries to shield her from the investigation, but Ruby has other ideas. It will take both of them working together to navigate the fine line between the dead and the living to bring a killer to light.

This is such a good cozy mystery series, I really hope the author comes out with more.  I was hoping she'd dive in a bit into Cordelia's death but she doesn't.  Fingers crossed that there's a third and it's handled in that one.  

Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson

 

Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson-270pages

Years ago, bookseller and mystery aficionado Malcolm Kershaw compiled a list of the genre’s most unsolvable murders, those that are almost impossible to crack—which he titled “Eight Perfect Murders”—chosen from among the best of the best including Agatha Christie’s A. B. C. Murders, Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, Ira Levin’s Death Trap, A. A. Milne's Red House Mystery, Anthony Berkeley Cox's Malice Aforethought, James M. Cain's Double Indemnity, John D. Macdonald's The Drowner, and Donna Tartt's A Secret History.

But no one is more surprised than Mal, now the owner of the Old Devils Bookshop in Boston, when an FBI agent comes knocking on his door one snowy day in February. She’s looking for information about a series of unsolved murders that look eerily similar to the killings on Mal’s old list. And the FBI agent isn’t the only one interested in this bookseller who spends almost every night at home reading. The killer is out there, watching his every move—a diabolical threat who knows way too much about Mal’s personal history, especially the secrets he’s never told anyone, even his recently deceased wife.

To protect himself, Mal begins looking into possible suspects—and sees a killer in everyone around him. But Mal doesn’t count on the investigation leaving a trail of death in its wake. Suddenly, a series of shocking twists leaves more victims dead.

It was ok...fairly predictable.

Taking My Life Back: My Story of Faith, Determination and Surviving the Boston Marathon Bombing by Rebekah Gregory with Anthony Flacco

Taking My Life Back: My Story of Faith, Determination, and Surviving the Boston Marathon Bombing by Rebekah Gregory with Anthony Flacco, 230 pages

Rebekah Gregory writes a very emotional book about surviving the Boston Marathon bombing.  Rebekah was watching a friend run the marathon with her young son and another friend.  She was standing behind her son when the bomb went off right behind her.  She saved her son's life by taking the brunt of the blast.  After numerous painful surgeries, she choose to have her left leg amputated.  Faced with numerous life challenges, she is forced to move back home and pick up the pieces of her life.  Rebekah ends up marrying the friend she went to the marathon with, but soon realizes that was a mistake. Fortunately, with her courage and strong faith in God, her story does have a very happy ending including a successful marriage and a new baby.

The Drop by Dennis Lehane

The Drop by Dennis Lehane - 224 pages

Lehane returns to the neighborhood featured in Mystic River to tell the story of a lonely barman who rescues a puppy from a trashcan at Christmas and then finds a life no longer spent alone is filled with entanglements both romantic and criminal.  Lehane is awesome at atmosphere and populates a world with vividly flawed characters that seem very real.

I was intrigued to see that this book was made into a movie with James Gandolfini and Tom Hardy.  The still photos show that they used a ridiculously cute puppy and of course Tom Hardy is pretty easy on the eyes as well.

Bunker Hill: A City, A Siege, A Revolution

By Nathaniel  Philbrick

398 pages

Massachusetts, and specifically Boston, was a hot bed of revolutionary support in 1775. Skirmishes between British troops and patriot militia men became a reality in Lexington and Concord. However, this was nothing compared to the tremendous battle of Bunker Hill.

Stronger by Jeff Bauman with Bret Witter

Stronger by Jeff Bauman with Bret Witter, 244 pages

Stronger is about Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman.  Probably the most famous photo from the day of the bombing is of Jeff being pushed in a wheelchair by Carlos Arredondo.  In the picture, on the internet, his legs are blown off from below the knees because the bomb was detonated from the ground.
April 15, 2013 changed Jeff's life forever.  Jeff went to the Boston Marathon to watch his girlfriend, Erin,  run as part of an effort to raise money for charity.  Jeff was at the finish line when the first bomb went off.  He eerily describes how he was face to face with the bomber and saw the backpack.  While Jeff was being rushed to the hospital, he was trying to let people know he saw the bomber.  This book details Jeff's life before and after the bombing and how he has to learn to live again without his legs.  Both his mom and girlfriend, as well as many other family members, and Costco played an integral part in his recovery.  Jeff describes the physical, as well as emotional pain of his ordeal.  Jeff Bauman has become an inspiration not only to Boston, but to all of America.

Silent Night by Robert B. Parker with Helen Brann

Silent Night by Robert B. Parker with Helen Brann--229 pages

This is another in the Spencer series.  An eleven year old street kid named Slide comes to Spencer for help in finding out who is threatening an unlicensed homeless shelter.  This was an unfinished manuscript that was completed by Parker's agent, Helen Brann.  Although it was a fun, quick read, it was not Robert Parker.