Mr. Kiss and Tell (Veronica Mars #2) by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

Mr. Kiss and Tell (Veronica Mars #2) by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham - 330 pages

I liked reading this one a lot. It's the second Veronica Mars mystery set after the film of the same name. It is set 6 months after the end of the first mystery novel. A girl from Veronica's past is raped and beaten at the Neptune Grand and Veronica sets out to find the person responsible. Also, there's more drama around the incompetent Balboa County Sheriff Dan Lamb and a new contender to replace him in the November election. This one was better than the first novel, although I enjoyed reading both. It had everything I liked about the show and more. If you liked the show and movie, I would recommend reading the two novels that have been written so far.

A Serpent's Tooth by Craig Johnson

A Serpent's Tooth: A Walt Longmire Mystery by Craig Johnson - 352 pages

The theme of homecoming carries throughout this latest entry in the long running Longmire series.  A young boy shows up in rural Wyoming in search of family.  Walt discovers that the boy is running from religious cultists that may be up to no good.  This is another strong entry that exemplifies the strong characters and awesome sense of place that are hallmarks of Johnson's writing.  As a fan of the A&E series as well it is a little jarring to go back and forth since the relationships and characters are on somewhat different paths. 

Hell is Empty by Craig Johnson

Hell is Empty by Craig Johnson - 352 pages

In this 7th installment of the Longmire series, Sheriff Walt Longmire has been thirty years on the job and is feeling every one of those years.  This story pushes Walt to his limits both mentally and physically as he attempts to apprehend wanted fugitives in a blizzard in high mountain terrain.  The spiritual element is present in Walt's quest to reunite a native boy's remains with his people.  As always the setting is a character in and of itself and the novel reads like an action movie.