david and the phoenix – VG

Ormondroyd, Edward – YA – Standalone…

THE FALLS – VG

Rankin, Ian – 12^th in series

The disappearance of a female student, the discovery of a small wooden coffin, and an Internet role-playing game lead Rebus…

Seranella, Barbara – 4^th in series

One of Munch Mancini’s customers is murdered, another raped and tortured and Munch is being threatened. This is a wonderful series, with excellent…

Scavenger Reef – G+

Shames, Laurence – 4^th book

A painter dies, his paintings…

High Lonesome Road – G

Thornton, Betsy – 2^nd of series

This was the first book of…

Alexander, Bruce - Death of a Colonial - G+

Colonial returns to claim inheritance. Sense of history and character

Brown, Dan - Deception Point - VG

Non-stop ride, Presidential election and NASA discovery…

A FEARSOME DOUBT – VG

Todd, Charles – 6^th of Series

Rutledge investigates the murders…

Winslow, Don - ISLE OF JOY – VG

Originally published as “A Winter Spy” by McDonald Lloyd, the basic plot is thinly based on the affair between John Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe. But there’s so much more to the book than that. Winslow’s writing is wonderful and his depiction of New York in…

The East Bay Mystery Readers' Group -

1 April 2003 Meeting Recap

WALKING THE PERFECT SQUARE (Det. Fiction) - Reed Farrel Coleman - Good

"Moe, an ex-cop forced to retire because of a knee injury, is to find the son of another cop, a young man who left a party one night and hasn't been seen since. So many people have been searching for Patrick Mahoney in the 20 years since his disappearance that Moe doesn't…

Bowen, Rhys – Evan Only Knows – G+

Less light than some of the previous offerings in the series. Evan investigates a man who served time for killing his father and is now accused of rape and murder. It also touches on the impact on the community of Mad Cow disease. This is a very enjoyable…

Brown, Dan – The Da Vinci Code – VG+

I loved it! Any book which captures me on page 1 at 4 p.m. and doesn’t let me go until the last word at 11 p.m. on the same day works for me. It was a fun, intriguing ride.

Corley, Elizabeth – Fatal Legacy – Okay

A wealthy businessman dies and leaves his estate to his nephew and wife. I would like to have seen more character development. There was only one character for whom there was a real backstory given. I shan’t give it away, but the ending was one I…

Deverell, William – Trail of Passion – Okay

Not a murder but a legal “mystery” of a Canadian barrister brought back from recent retirement to defend a university professor against a charge of raping one of his students. Certainly the protagionist was the most interesting part of the…

Dobyns, Stephen – Saratoga Bestiary – G

He’s no Dick Francis but does write an enjoyable series set in Saratoga, NY. This entry deals with a stolen painting of Man-O-War, a dead bookie and dog fighting.

Harstad, Donald – Code Sixty-One –VG

House of young people, one of whom is killed by a “vampire.” Harstad writes wonderful police procedurals whose characters are very “real”; an obvious result of his many years’ of police experience.

King, Laurie – Keeping Watch - G

I love her writing, loved “Folly” and really wanted to like this better than I did. The backstory of the main character’s time in Vietnam was superb where the story in present day almost seemed to be a side bar.

Lehane, Cornalius – Beware the Solitary Drinker – NR

Having lived, briefly, with a New York bartender, alcoholic, cocaine-user, this book was just not for me. Been there, done that (rather, witnessed that), don’t need to be reminded of it.

Masterton, Graham – A Terrible Beauty – VG

Parker, Robert B – Back Story – VG

I am a fan of his and do think he is the master of dialogue. In Back Story, Spenser investigates a 28-year-old murder for the daughter of the victim. Classic Parker.

Parker, T. Jefferson – Silent Joe – VG

Young man, whose face was burned by his father having thrown acid on it, witnesses the shooting of his adopted father, a local politician. It was the first I’ve read by him and definitely won’t be the last.