It's been a long time since I stayed up late to finish a book! This is a delight - charming, funny, occasionally violent. Looking forward to more in this world.

Fluffy romance? Maybe. Berzerkers, random heads found in the streets, gods, lawyers, conspiracies and evil politicians? Certainly. Delightful? Absolutely!

Mobsters and monsters? Gangsters and goblins? Why not both? It's New York, but it's not your New York. It's a great deal of action and fun.

This is somehow Sam Spade, but also Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, I stayed up late to finish it and will read it again to rejoice in the details. People who love LA will especially enjoy it.

Despite the towering to-be-read pile, Cherie Priest is must-buy, must-read. I can confirm I made the right choice. Gothic but also modern, horror but very little slime/spatter, relationships but no happily-ever-after promises.

As always, I love the way Priest handles language. The rhythm of the words gives the dialog a southern flavor without resorting to dialect. Little twists are woven in so that they surprise but do not distract. Descriptions of the town and swamp also flow beautifully, never taking me out of the story. I also like that not everything is explained, but can still be understood by inference - I will spend some time looking up haints!

If you like spooky, southern mystery / horror with lots of shades of gray, this will suit you fine.

This is not the sort of book I usually read. You should read this book. Apocalypse, religion, science, politics and the only book ever to rickroll me! Fans of Stephen King take note - you'll be glad to be on the front end of Wendig fandom

This is a delightful change in urban fantasy - real people, with all the variety you would encounter. My New York friends should especially enjoy the Brooklyn setting. First in a series, and I will certainly be getting the rest. Ghosts, magic, world domination... recommended!

Classic old-style mystery. Set in the 60s but with a Golden Age sensibility: well-drawn characters, lovingly detailed settings & everyone in their place. A comfortable read with a fine & twisty ending.

Odd story where the mystery is only a small part of the story. An old-fashioned psychological which never quite gets to thriller. The twists are well done & the story well-written, but I have to say I didn't like any of the characters, which makes it hard to like the whole. A great example of between-the-wars Golden Age mystery, which should be judged as such.

Fun, sometimes funny, twisty & old-fashioned. A little hard to read at times, since almost no one was likeable. Worth checking out if you're a fan of Golden Age mysteries.

Charming life in the country stories from the point of view of the local constable. These are not mysteries really, but more police procedural set in a small town with little crime. Well written & reminiscent of classic British country house stories.

Campion is always a delight and this is a great example. Including his sister, his almost fiancee, a small boy & Lugg, this is a story as much about the sort of people involved as about the deaths and who did what. I'd spend time with any of them & you should too!

Con-men, scientists, Oxford dons & students and a gang of small children. Innes is always a delight & the Appleby books are my favorites. Golden Age mystery with enough twists to keep them from being too dated. Not quite a cozy, but close - and worth the time.

Before James Bond, before Smiley, there was Department Z. Before the Cold War there was the war, & the people who helped to fight it. Classic espionage with British gentlemen (& ladies) putting themselves on the line for Queen and country. These are great fun and somehow charming amid the adventure. They repay a visit to a time not all that long ago but somehow far away.

Kurt Vonnegut meets Monty Python at Studio 54. All the avatars of David Bowie combine for one last message. My brain is completely infected by the desire to create metaphors.

Buy this book now. You will get some of the references, miss some & feel like you're on the inside either way. This book will either be a tremendous hit or a cult favorite - don't you want to be in on it at the beginning? It's science fiction, it's coming of age for Earth as a whole, it's very very funny & it's always rock'n'roll.

It’s the Arockalypse Now bare your soul. —“Hard Rock Hallelujah,” Lordi

Remarkably pertinent to today's political situation, the story about an attempt to undermine the British government in the period leading up to WWII is both a delightful Golden Age mystery, and espionage thriller and a rollicking good story. Less Nigel than usual, which is a shame - but his wife is a fine substitute.

Classic British at it's best. This is one of my favorites, while being somewhat different from the usual. Campion is confused by feelings for one of the people involved, leaving him less effective but just as good a reporter. Lugg (always a delight) is called to fill in as a butler; a challenge which leaves him time to teach the child of the house lock-picking & Three Card Monte. A wide selection of police, each delivering a portion of the puzzle. Allingham's use of language remains elegant and on point. If you haven't read Campion, this is a good place to start.

Meet Albert Campion. He's a little like Peter Wimsey, with his knowledge and connections to the upper classes. He's a little like Sherlock Holmes with his collection of irregulars he can call on for assistance. He's a little like Poirot, looking for psychological clues.

This is my favorite Campion story, & easy to say why: family inheritances with element of mystery, horses, gypsies & the twist at the end. If you like classic British mysteries, please look for this one.

So glad I get to nominate for the Hugo awards this year. This book is a wonderful spin on Lovecraft's world-building. Hard to explain if you don't know the Cthulhu stories, but I believe it could be read by anyone interested in historical fantasy with an unusual spin.

Charming in the classic British style; even moving the action to Greece doesn't change the traditional structure. Blake's novels are always more about the people than any forensic investigation. The solution is foreshadowed almost from the start, which doesn't take any joy away from seeing how they get there. Tricky, intellectual & great fun.

Classic noir meets cyberpunk - this is an amazing book. Dark & violent, with odd moments of humor. The plot twists, sometimes violently, making the mystery satisfying, while the vision of future San Francisco is completely believable. Ornate in a way, as if Dashiell Hammett wrote a Russian novel in the future.

This gave me some trouble with the southwestern Spanish - realized how little I have retained from high school :) Still, most was understandable from context & the story itself compelling. The mystery is twisted and the resolution satisfactory, but the real story is about culture & the main character learning about himself. I found it charming and look forward to the next in the series.

This is a great book. The target market would necessarily be small, with both historical fiction and old-style horror combined. The main characters are a black extended family, dealing with Jim Crow laws and attitudes in the 1950s. The secret society/creeping horror a la Lovecraft is woven into the story seamlessly. I find myself thinking about it a great deal & recommend it with enthusiasm if you think this combo fits your interests.

Classic British Golden Age mystery. Not quite a cozy, but closer to Miss Marple than Poirot. This is a police procedural that depends more on relationships than forensics. Getting to know local history, gossip and help from the area constable are critical for resolution - but you still get all the clues to figure it out before the end. Charming and great fun!

This is elegant & lovely. A woman looking back on her life as she prepares to die, in a world very like ours could become. Speculative fiction with a mystery, a twist and compelling characters. A lot about music and art. This book won many awards.

Classic British with all the elements you would expect & several twists. Appleby falls somewhere between the lower-class "I know people" & the upper-class "I will solve this with my knowledge of Greek and Latin" detectives of the period. One thing I personally love is having to look up words; made especially easy in the ebook format! Great fun and one of a considerable series.

Bartenders save Chicago! What more could you ask? A little magic, a few personal crises & drink recipes - this book is great fun.

A classic of Golden Age detection, with all the flaws of the period. I love these stories and this one is a particular favorite, but you must be prepared to recall the attitudes of the times, some of which seem very silly now. If you like a puzzle and good writing, Blake is your man.

History, alchemy, science, magic - I'm not sure which hooked me, but this book had me from the first chapter. I found it hard to put down and delighted in all the characters. Urban fantasy with some romance, there's also all sorts of historic detail that delights me. Warning: first in a trilogy, so finishing leaves you looking for the next.

I've been catching up on speculative fiction I'd missed, with a specific focus on non-white writers and translated works. I am so glad! This is a remarkable book; epic fantasy that's elegant & ornate and - for once - the religion and culture isn't European. It's too easy to give away details, so I will only say that I am looking forward to the next in the series.