Picnic In Someday Valley by Jodi Thomas-327 pages

Marcie lives near Honey Creek and is a talented singer.  But her ex-boyfriend ruined any chance she ever had to make it to the big time..in fact her only gig is in a rowdy honky tonk.  She has a fan though..a quiet cowboy named Brand who always comes to hear her sing.  Thankfully he is always looking out for her too.  As danger seems to follow Marcie wherever she goes.

We also revisit two other couples from the first book "Breakfast at the Honey Creek Café".  Always fun to catch up with the characters and see how their relationships are evolving.

I am looking forward to reading the next two books in this series.

A Terrible Fall of Angels by Laurell K. Hamilton

A Terrible Fall of Angels by Laurell K. Hamilton - 388 pages

This book is the first in a new series for the the prolific Hamilton.  Zaniel Havelock is a cop that can talk to the divine which makes him the one tapped to investigate a demon possession murder.  Hamilton unfortunately falls back into her pattern of being way to in the head of the characters and having them voice every thought in their heads to the other characters as an exposition dump for the reader.  Hopefully other books in the series will be better since this world building is out of the way now.  
 

Irene Huss Detective Series by Helene Tursten

5) The Golden Calf by Helene Tursten, 340 pages

6) The Fire Dance by Helene Tursten, 336 pages

7) The Beige Man by Helene Tursten, 320 pages

I continue to enjoy these solid police procedurals set in Goteberg, Sweden that feature Detective Inspector Irene Huss.  I enjoy learning about another culture and how the legal process works there.  Sweden has a 25 year statute of limitations on murder, who knew?

If you enjoy Dateline mysteries and Law and Order these are the books for you!  I've got #8 in bag about half read right now.

Detective Irene Huss Series by Helen Tursten

1) Detective Inspector Huss - 400 pages

2) The Torso - 368 pages

3) The Glass Devil - 338 pages

4) Night Rounds - 336 pages

This police procedural series follows Detective Inspector Irene Huss as she works cases for the Goteborg, Sweden police department.  Fans of Law and Order will find much to like here with following a case riding along with the police from inception through being solved.  I like learning about new cultures by reading mysteries in other parts of the world.  Finding out how their legal system differs from the US is often fascinating. 

The first book in the series is a little clunky but it seemed to be a translation issue that was fixed with the later volumes.  I've got four more in the series waiting on my to be read pile. 

Hunting Game by Helen Tursten

Hunting Game by Helen Tursten - 280 pages

Embla Nystrom has always been high energy and plagued with chronic nightmares.  She channels her energy and investigative mindset into her work as a Detective Inspector for the mobile unit in Gothenberg, Sweden.

Nystrom embarks on her annual hunting vacation to the rural area where her Uncle lives out by prime forested hunting grounds.  She is part of a community hunt that has been going on for generations.  The hunt sees several new participants that bring an edge of tension that soon blows up into a criminal case when people turn up both dead and missing.  Peter, a newcomer to the community returned to his family estate, becomes an interest in both the case and Nystrom's personal life.

This book has a great sense of place and I felt rural Sweden unfold around me as I read.   I like Scandinavian thrillers for their sparseness and focus on the action in the narrative that moves the plot forward.  I'm looking forward to further entries into the this series and exploring the author's back catalog.

Someone You Know by Brian McGilloway

Someone You Know by Brian McGilloway - 384 pages
Lucy Black Series Book 2

Detective Lucy Black of the Derry, Northern Ireland police force is called in when the body of a young girl is found on the railroad tracks north of town.  Black investigates the girl's last hours and discovers that the girl's so called friends may have turned out to be her worst enemies as she uncovers a web of sex, drugs and kidnappings that reach back into the past to rip apart families, including Black's own. 

Shelter in Place by Nora Roberts

Shelter in Place by Nora Roberts - 438 pages

Thirteen years ago, three boys went on a rampage in a mall killing and injuring many before taking their own lives.  Now the sister of the "ringleader" is out to complete their mission by killing those who escaped that day.

I listened to this on audio.  I really enjoyed the book.  The villain was very chilling.  The main characters were multi-faceted.  And the romance was well integrated into the story.

Ambush by James Patterson and James O Born

Ambush by James Patterson and James O Born, 417 pages

Ambush is the latest Michael Bennett book in the detective series.  This was a quick read and I think a little better than the last Michael Bennett book.  Michael Bennett is faced again with being caught between two drug cartels and them wanting him dead and using his family to get to him.  Bonus short story call Manhunt included.

Shelter in Place by Nora Roberts

Shelter in Place by Nora Roberts - 438 pages

On Friday, July 22, 2005, three shooters rampaged through the local mall killing and injuring those inside.  For those who lived through that horrible day, it changed them all.  They struggle to make sense of the tragedy while living their lives.  However, one person doesn't think the death toll was high enough.  Over the years, that problem is fixed as they kill off the survivors one-by-one . . .

This is the latest thriller by Nora Roberts.  I would consider it more of a thriller than a romance as the two romantic leads don't even meet until two-thirds of the way through the book.  I really enjoyed this.  I had a hard time putting it down as I just wanted to keep reading until I was done.

Robicheaux by James Lee Burke

Robicheaux by James Lee Burke - 464 pages
Book 21 in the series

Dave Robicheaux is an iconic character brought to life by an amazing writer.  Even though this is book 21 in the series the characters are still fresh and Burke's lyrical writing is astounding.

Dave's struggles with alcoholism and reconciling his past with the present are at the forefront in this book.  An antique sword from the Civil War becomes a linchpin for violence that tears relationships apart  The story was beautifully told but at times it feels heavy just from all the weight Dave is carrying around with him.  He's just so very tired...

The plot centers around crime bosses, a famous writer, and the filming of a Hollywood movie in Dave's town.  It can be read at two levels since James Lee Burke in real life has been somewhat reticent to have his books adapted into movies and hasn't always seemed pleased with the results. 

Night Moves by Jonathan Kellerman

Night Moves by Jonathan Kellerman - 416 pages
Alex Delaware Book 33

By the time a series gets to book 33 we all know the drill.  There is a gruesome murder and Detective Milo Sturgis of the LAPD is called in to investigate.  The crime is horrific enough he asks his consultant friend Dr. Alex Delaware to lend his expertise. 

A body is discovered inside a home on a quiet well to do culdesac in the Pacific Palisades with the hands removed and the face destroyed.  The investigation brings to light a web of lies the ends up encompassing the whole neighborhood. 

Kellerman's strength lies in the procedural side of plotting out the mystery details.  He doesn't flesh out the side characters much and the reader is left wondering about their motivation.  Plus I have a long standing wish that Alex's longtime girlfriend Robin would be given something more to do than just wandering through with occasional exposition to share.  That remains a wish at this point.

That said, it's another solid entry in a long running series.  The mystery was good and the plotting was suspenseful and the dynamic of Sturgis and Delaware continues to entertain.   

Hot Cop by Laurelin Paige

Hot Cop by Laurelin Paige-288 pages

While "Hot Cop" is indeed a book filled with humor, romance, and adventure, it was not quite my cup of tea. I went ahead and finished it though, because I was just dying to know the ending. The plot itself could use a lot of work, but the writing was brilliant and the characters were extremely personable(especially since the main character is a librarian.)

The Detective: A Nathan McNamara Story by Elicia Hyder

The Detective: A Nathan McNamara Story by Elicia Hyder
- Prequel to the Soul Summoner Series - 94 pages

This short prequel gives back story to Detective Nathan McNamara prior to him crossing paths with Sloan Jordan in The Soul Summoner.  It follows McNamara as he tries to solve a string of burglaries of the rich people in his county while at the same time trying to work the case of his sister who has been missing for many years.  This short story helps flesh out his character in a fast fun read and adds more depth to his motivations in the rest of the series. 

The Soul Summoner Series by Elicia Hyder

The Soul Summoner - 310 pages
The Siren - 312 pages
The Angel of Death - 406 pages

Sloan Jordan has always known she was adopted but still thought she had an ordinary human origin story.  Her world turns quickly upside down as she realizes that the coincidences that have follower her during her whole life are the tip of the iceberg regarding her paranormal powers.  A chance encounter with a police detective at the county offices where she works draws Sloan into a missing persons case that will change her life forever.  This is very readable snarky urban fantasy series with a fully fleshed out world and characters.  

Bad Wolf by Nele Neuhaus

Bad Wolf by Nele Neuhaus - 464 pages
Pia Kirchhoff and Oliver von Bodenstein (Book 2)

The second entry into this German police procedural series doesn't disappoint.  Readers are drawn into a web of lies that conceals horrible crimes happening at the highest levels of German society.  Neuhaus successfully merges elements from classic Grimm fairy tale into a modern day plot of violence and murder.  The discovery of a dead girl on a riverbank draws Detective Superintendents Pia Kirchhoff and Oliver von Bodenstein into the mystery when it is linked to an offender in a previous headlining crime.  The overall plot is more clear to the reader than the main characters since its occurring in several independent threads at first, but just when you think you know what's happening, there's a twist to be enjoyed!   

Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus

Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus - 374 pages

This bestselling German procedural introduces the detective team of Kirchoff and Von Bodenstein. The team is called to an odd traffic accident where a woman is pushed off an overpass into traffic. The investigation soon leads to a small village where secrets that have been festering for years eventually come to light. The action builds slowly but I enjoyed all the red herrings that kept me wondering the true nature of what was going on all the way to the end.

Pall in the Family by Dawn Eastman

Pall in the Family by Dawn Eastman, 304 pages

The small town in the center of this series is like no other.  Many of the residents are psychics or have other "new age" talents.

Home on leave as cop from Ann Arbor, Clyde has found herself back at her parent's home.  She must adjust to living with her parents again - as well as an aunt who says she is an animal psychic, and a preteen nephew.  Clyde has tried to deny her psychic abilities all her adult life, but now that there has been a murder, will she try to solve the crime using her police skills or her psychic abilities?

Space Taxi: Archie Takes Flight by Wendy Mass

Space Taxi: Archie Takes Flight by Wendy Mass & Michael Brawer - 101 pages

Archie is excited as this is the first time his dad is taking him along on the job.  Turns out his dad's job is much more exciting than he ever thought -- he's an intergalactic taxi driver.  Now Archie is helping him navigate black holes and ferry passengers to their destinations.
This was a cute science fiction story for early elementary age kids.  The text was simple to read making it a good easy chapter book.  There are more books slated to be released in the series.

Bone Dust White by Karen Salvalaggio

Bone Dust White by Karen Salvalaggio - 289 pages

This debut novel begins with a murder that unleashes revelations that shake a Montana town to its core.  I will say nothing more so I don't spoil the plot twists.  Salvalaggio's characters are multidimensional and spring to vibrant life upon the reader first meeting them.  The descriptive writing leads to a very visual reading experience where you can almost see the story as it unfolds.  I highly recommend this book to suspense fans.      

Even Firefighters go to the Potty! by Wendy Wax

Even Firefighters go to the Potty! by Wendy A Wax, 24 pages

We all do it...it's a normal bodily function. But this story lets kids know that even the people they may see as heroes - firefighters, police officers and pilots, to name a few - use the potty!