The First book of my favorite series in crime/PI fiction. I'd recommend reading this series in publication order. I'm currently rereading these books and they really have held up well over time. Knowing where Matt Scudder ends up makes these reads even more enjoyable the second time around.

A little different than my comfort zone for reading. Nevertheless I enjoyed it. Reminded me a bit of a sexploitation movie from the 70s. Good character development.

First time reading Huston and I think he's worth the praise. Fast moving story with plenty of dark humor. Will definitely continue reading about Hank Thompson.

Set in the fictional resort town of Elysiana, New Jersey in 1969. Part mystery, part coming of age novel, Knopf has delivered a cast of characters that kept me engaged and a setting that felt like I've been there hundreds of times (being a yearly Jersey Shore vacationer). This is the first book I've read of his, but I will surely seek out more in the future.

Combining the right amount of mystery, crime, and history, Sam Eastland has delivered a great first novel in what I hope will be a long series. The book revolves around Inspector Pekkala, who was the Tsar's most trusted ally during the last years of his reign. After spending years of banishment in Siberia, Pekkala was called into action by his country's new leadership. The narrative through most of the book switches from Pekkala's current time (1929 USSR) to flashbacks of Pekkala's early life (both in Finland with his parents and with the Tsar, who would become his one true friend). Eastland does a wonderful job contrasting the paranoia of the Soviet regime under Stalin to the Russian empire and Pekkala's bittersweet memories of his relationship with the Tsar amid the threat of revolution.

It's easy to see how Lopez's time as a columnist in big cities has left him somewhat cynical. There is a sense of hopelessness in many characters throughout this novel. Yet there is an underlying eternal hope in some of their actions that make this book an engaging read.

IS this about a line cook/chef or a rock star from the eighties? Crazy stuff but having worked in the food industry for many years, I could say it's the truth. Great for viewers of his show.

Jackson Donne is definitely a character I will continue to read. Reminds me of Lawrence Block's Matthew Scudder somewhat. Struggling against substance abuse, tormented by his past, but with a sense of morality. Very good first novel from Dave White.

Definitely one of my young favorites in the mystery/crime genre. Swierczynski blends the right amount of drama, action, and humor to be mentioned among the best in the genre. Fans of Charlie Huston should give this guy a shot.

"Dirty Little Angels" is a brutally honest book written from the perspective of a teenage girl. Hailey experiences many more hardships than the typical teenager and is forced to grow up before she is ready.

Far from an uplifting story, it was nonetheless an entertaining story with a strong cast of supporting characters.

Brilliantly crafted novel focused on three Sarajevans and how their lives and their city were affected by the Siege. The Cellist (a fictional portrayal of the real life Cellist) binds these three characters together. Each of the characters are forced to decide how they want their lives to change or remain the same, both from the perspective of how they act towards others and how they treat their inner selves. Written in a simple style on the surface; there is definitely a depth that makes this book a worthy read.

George Kimball's Four Kings fruitfully conveys the story of "the last great era of boxing" as it could only be told by an eyewitness. By centering his book on the nine fights between members of the four kings- Duran, Hagler, Hearns and Leonard- Kimball captures the excitement of the bouts which attracted millions to follow the sport. In addition, the author does a great job in telling the story of each boxer's career, training and dealings with managers and promoters. Kimball uses his vantage point as a reporter covering boxing to great effect, giving the reader a ringside seat to the fights that electrified the world.

This is the seventh book in the CJ Floyd series, although CJ does not have a big role in this book. Instead this book is centered around his friends and "family", mainly his Godson Damion Madrid. Damion, with the help of others including CJ, is trying to find the reasons and culprits of his best friends murder.

All in all this was a decent book, and I will search out some of the earlier books in this series.

A page-turner of a book written by a husband and wife who took their family on an extended trip that would change all of their lives. This book offers a first hand account of the beauty and the misadventures they faced along the way. Highly recommended to readers of adventure books as well as parents. You might not agree with all the choices the authors made for their family, but there are definitely lessons you can learn from them. And you will appreciate the candor in which they recount their story.

Everything that makes Elmore great is in this book: great dialogue, quirky characters, sense of place and strong point-of-view. The Rwanda setting is different for Elmore, but he pulls it off.

Very good book about prison life written by someone who was there. Bunker does a good job describing prison society and relationships without sensationalizing/glorifying it. The creators of the HBO series "OZ" could have taken a lesson from him.