Ivy's 2011 Book Challenge

I will aim for 75 books but hope to read a whole lot more then that...I was able to read 103 this year but had only planned on 50 so I would say I went way over my goal. Looking forward to seeing what everyone reads and hopefully get some ideas for the coming year.

Good heavens, Ivy! If you got 103 after aiming for 50, the mind boggles and the spirit quails to imagine what you'll hit aiming for 75!

Welcome back!

Welcome, Ivy!!

Glad to see you joining us in 2011, Ivy!

1. Indulgence in Death (In Death, Bk 31) by J. D. Robb

I liked it for the most part but found that some of my favorite characters from past books where not in this one as much. All in all though it was a good addition to the series. Loved the way Eve figured out who the killers where and how she took them down.

Finished: 1/2/2011
Pages: 373

#6: I love that series!

2. Sweet Narcissus by M. K. Lorens This book is written in a style that I am not real fond of. I read it mostly because it fit into a challenge I am participating in in another group. I also have had it on my pile forever so wanted to get it read and off my shelf.

Finished: 1/3/2011
Pages: 262

Total Pages so Far: 635

Currently Reading: The Footprints on the Ceiling.

#8: I think I will give that one a pass. I hope you are enjoying your current read more, Ivy!

3. The Footprints on the Ceiling by Clayton Rawson. I picked up this book because the main character, The Great Merlini, has the same last name as I do. He is a magician that seems to find himself in the middle of some kind of a mystery in each of the books in this series. This one has a dead body in a haunted house, footprints on the ceiling of the room the body is found in and a whole lot of other mysteries stuff. I could not put it down and ended up not getting much sleep the last couple of nights so that I could finish it.

It was originally written in 1939 so there was some getting use to there not being any cell phones or other modern conveniences but once I got into the book it just flowed. I would love to be able to find other books in this series but think that is going to be hit or miss at this point.

Finished: 1/4/2011
Pages: 256

Total Pages so Far: 891

#10: I love old mysteries, so I will have to give that one a try. Thanks for the recommendation, Ivy!

4. 100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson. This is book 1 of the 100 Cupboards series. It is written for 9-12 year old children but I wanted to read it before sending it to my niece to read. I wanted to make sure it was a book she would like to read. I found that it was very well written and that the action just kept on coming. Kept me interested and wanting to find out what was going to happen next to the main character, Henry. I would recommend it to any one that likes to travel to other places both real and make believe.

Finished: 1/9/2011
Pages: 289
Total Pages so Far: 1180

#12: I wish my local library had that one so I could give it a try!

Hi, Ivy. I just dropped in to see what you were reading, and you seem to be a mystery maven. I recall liking M.K. Lorens - Ropedancer's Fall is a title I remember - but it's been so long ago that I don't remember exactly why. I'm pretty sure I never tried the *Narcissus* though.

I picked up my copy on 100 Cupborads at Walmart for around $6. I bought it for my niece but wanted to read it first to make sure it was okay for her to read. Turns out it was very good and I am going to see about getting the next book in the series.

As for Narcissus, it has been on my shelf since forever waiting for me to get around to reading it. I need to read an older book for a challenge I am in so picked this one up. Good way to read a book that has been on the shelf way to long and then to find that it was a good read was even better. Made me wonder why I had waited so long to read it...

5. First Kill All The Lawyers by Sarah Shankman This is the first book in the Samantha Adams series. It is an older book and it a bit dated but a good read none the less. I got a feel for Samantha and why she was back in Georgia...how she got involved in the whole mystery and how she solved the mystery. Good writing, great plot, and a great surprise ending. Looking forward to reading another one in this series.

Finished: 1/12/2011
Pages: 220
Total Pages so Far: 1400

#16: That looks like one I would enjoy. Thanks for the recommendation, Ivy. I will see if my local library has a copy!

6. The Case of the Mythical Monkeys by Erle Stanley Gardner I fell in love with Perry Mason years ago and still love reading his books over and over again. This is one that I don't remember ever reading but then I could be wrong. These books were originally written in the 1950s so are very dated and for someone who has not read them before may throw them a bit. I like that they show some really good detective work and great court room drama. I like the way Mason figures out who did it and the way that he solves the crime before the police can even think about getting it solved.

Finished: 1/13/2011
Pages: 229
Total Pages so Far: 1629

#17 I have the next couple of books in this series on my shelf...think I will get to them soon since this one was so good...

#17/19: I checked and my local library has books 3, 4, and 5 in the series but not books 1, 2, 6, or 7. Arg! I hate when they do that!

7. Indiana Jones and the Seven Veils by Rob MacGregor I have to admit that I picked up this book just because it was an Indiana Jones book to see if it would be as good as the movies were. I have found in the past that movies are not always as good as the book or any sequels that are written based on the movie characters.

I was very surprised when I found that the book was very good. I could see Indy doing all of the things in the book and getting himself into all that trouble. The descriptions of the scenery and the characters was right on. I could see myself in the jungles and on the mountain tops. The fights where just right in the right spots. I look forward to reading more book by this author and in this series.

Finished: 1/17/2011
Pages: 275
Total pages so far: 1904

8. Tall, Dead, and Handsome by Annie Griffin I had trouble getting through this one...don't know why just seemed to not go very easy to read. Doubt that I will read any more in this series.

9. Sir Fartsalot Hunt the Booger by Kevin Bolger

This book is written for the 9-12 year old boy. I picked it up mostly because the title struck me as silly. I don't think I have laughed so much while reading a book as I did reading this one. Prince Harry of Armpit gets himself into trouble one to many times playing practical jokes and his father King Reginald decides to send him on an adventure with Sir Fartsalot. They get into some tight fixes with the creatures they encounter along the way. The names for the people, cities, and creatures had me laughing all the way through this book.

This book is headed to the special education classroom at our school for the kids to enjoy...some of them are having trouble with reading and this one will help them with the reading and have fun at the same time.

Sometimes that juvenile bathroom humor is hysterical, isn't it? I laughed just reading your review!

#23: This book is headed to the special education classroom at our school for the kids to enjoy...some of them are having trouble with reading and this one will help them with the reading and have fun at the same time.

It sounds like that book will fit the bill nicely!

10. Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell

This is the first book in the series so was not really disappointed as much as I was kind of bored in spots. There was a little to much detail about the witchcraft aspect of this book. And I lost track of what the main character was trying to do...solve a mystery. She kept going off on trips to buy more merchandise for her store instead of trying to find clues as to how the child got kidnapped or the death of the woman. She seemed more concerned with her love life then she was with the problem at hand. Not sure if I will read the next book in this series or not.

Finished: 1/28/2011
Pages: 313
Total Pages so Far: 2462

#26: I think I will give that one a pass. I hope you enjoy your next read more, Ivy!

11. Murder on Waverly Place by Victoria Thompson

This is a book in the Gaslight Mystery series. It is set in the 1800s and very enjoyable. I like the way the books are written and the way the main characters solve the murder without any modern conveniences that we have now. In this one Sarah gets involved with a Spiritualist and of course a dead body. With Malloy's help they figure out who the killer is and the trap him into admitting he did it. Very well written and enjoyable all the way through.

Finished: 2/5/2011
Pages: 294
Total Pages so Far: 2756

#28: I enjoy that series too, Ivy. I just found out yesterday I have book 12 on the way to me from PBS.

Then Hang All The Liars by Alice Storey Alice Storey is another name for Sarah Shankman. She started this series using Shankman but this one has Storey as the author. It was a bit confusing trying to find all of the books in this series because she keeps going back and forth between the two names.

This is the second book in the Sam Adams series. Very well written...enjoyed it a lot. Kept me going in different directions all through it. I was surprised to find out who had done it...

My local library has a few of the books in the series, but not the first two. I hate starting a series in the middle, so I am going to have to be on the lookout for books one and two.

I have both book 1 & 2 posted on my PBS bookshelf if you want to request them...

Chapter and Hearse by Lorna Barrett

Another good addition to the Booktown mystery series. The killer kept me wondering who they were and who they were going to go after next.

Finished: 2/12/2011
Pages: 326
Total Pages so Far: 3494

I picked up a couple of books this month that I didn't finish for whatever reason but I am counting the pages that I did read in my total pages read for the year.

The Emperor's Tomb by Steve Berry Pages Read: 72

Bury the Bishop by Kate Gallison Pages read: 23

Aftermath, Inc. by Gil Reavill Pages Read: 57

#32: Ivy, I sent you a PM.

Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews This is book 1 of the Meg Langslow mystery series. It is a very good first book and very well written. I thought I had figured out who the killer was a couple of times to be proven wrong. Looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

I have enjoyed the two books in the Andrews series that I have read. I hope you like book 2 as much as you did the first book, Ivy.

Better Read Than Dead by Victoria Laurie Book 2 of the Psychic Eye Series. Abby does a good job standing up to the Mob and getting away with it. Really like this series and am looking forward to reading the next one in the series.

Finished: 2/21/2011
Pages: 296
Total pages so far: 4086

Witch and Wizard by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet

Finished: 2/26/2011
Pages: 307

Indigo Dying by Susan Wittig Albert

Finished: 3/4/2011
Pages: 264

The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen This is book 1 in the Rizzoli and Isles series. It was okay for a first book of a series. The only thing is that Isles is no where in this book. Hopefully she will show up later in the series.

Finished: 3/9/2011
Pages: 359

Dance Upon The Air by Nora Roberts This is book 1 of the Three Sisters Island trilogy. It is a very good book, well written and kept my on my toes for most of the book. Now I am off to start the second book to see what happens next.

Missing In Death by Nora Roberts Listen to this one on audio CD.

Heaven and Earth by Nora Roberts

This is book 2 of the Three Sisters Trilogy. It centers mostly around Ripley and her accepting her gift as a witch. She also finds the love of her life which is a good thing for her.

Now off to start the last book in the series...

Face The Fire by Nora Roberts This is book 3 of the Three Sisters Trilogy. This one centers around Mia and the final fight to save the island. She fights with herself about Sam and how she feels for him and how they can save the life they once might have had.

Grave Apparel by Ellen Byerrum Crime of Fashion, Book 5

Finished: 3/25/11
Pages: 290

Those In Peril by Wilbur Smith

I got an ARC copy of this book from Library Thing Early Review Book Give Away program. The hardcover is due out in May 2011.

I had never read anything by this author so was not sure what to expect. I found that he wrote in a style that I enjoyed. He kept the action going and kept me wondering what would happen next. His description of the assault on the yacht and the taking of Cayla was so good that I felt like I was right there on the yacht and was one of the crew that was observing everything that was happening. From there on through the whole book I felt like I was one of the characters watching everything that was happening instead of someone reading a book.

Mystery of the Tolling Bell by Carolyn Keene

This is book 23 of the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories. I am having alot of fun rereading these books with my granddaughter. She had never heard of Nancy Drew until I got some of these for her. We are reading them together and having a lot of fun spending the time together and reading.

This one takes Nancy to a coastal town where there is a cave with a tolling bell and a ghost. Nancy has a time at finding out how the bell tolls whenever the tide is coming in.

Finished: 3/29/2011
Pages: 181

The Bone Thief by Jefferson Bass

This is book 5 of the Body Farm series. In this one Dr. Brocktcon has to find out who is selling body parts on the black market. I found myself turning pages as fast as I could read them. Very well written and interesting.

Finished: 4/3/201
Pages: 375

For some reason I don't know of I have not been keeping track of the books I have read since my last post...I will attempt to get it all caught up here...

Treachery in Death by J. D. Robb
The Demolished Man by Alred Bester
The Palace of Laughter by Jon Berkeley
Murder on Marble Row by Victoria Thompson
The Hunt for Atlantis byAndy McDermott
Blood Lies by Daniel Kalla
Pretty in Pink by Karen E. Olson
Murder at the Academy Awards by Joan Rivers
Married to the Mop by Barbara Colley
Hot Rocks by Nora Roberts
How to Host a Killer Party by Penny Warner
The Treacherous Teddy by John L. Lamb
A Tisket, A Tasket, A Fancy Stolen Casket by Fran Rizer
The Brothers of Baker Street by Michael Robertson

I managed to lose you there for a while, Ivy. Hopefully I will keep up better with you for the rest of the year!

Victoria Thompson's Gaslight series is one of my favorites. I have the first book in John Lamb's teddy bear series in my TBR stash, but I haven't read it yet. How do you like Michael Robertson's Baker Street series? I noticed that the books have recently been added to the audio books available from my public library through OverDrive and I've added the first one to my OverDrive wishlist.

The Baker Street Series was okay but I found that it was very slow going in parts. I found myself wanting to put the book down and not pick it back up. Just wasn't interesting enough to me to want to go back and find the first book to read it and catch up on what was going on. This is for sure a series that has to be read in order so that you know why the characters are interacting the way they do. If you can get it from the library that is the way I would go.

As for the Teddy Bear series it is much better, something always happening. Very interesting series.

And the Gaslight series is another one of my favorites. I am always in awe of the way that Sarah gets herself into these mysteries and then how she gets herself out of them without any major trouble.

Dying To Be Murdered by Judy Fitzwater

Jennifer Marsh Mystery, Book 5

I really liked this book. I kept me turning the pages and wondering what would happen next. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Jennifer and how she figures out a crime. She kept me guessing until the end about who the killer was. Am looking forward to finding the rest of the books in this series to read.

Finished: 6/5/2011
Pages: 225

Just checked on Dying to Be Murdered and discovered that I have a friend's copy in my TBR stash. Maybe I need to bump it up on my TBR list!

>54 luvbug11: I read that one a long time ago (before I was regularly posting reviews here), but I don't remember much about it.

Dead By Midnight by Beverly Barton

I picked up this book thinking it was the first book in a trilogy but as I read it I found that it would have been better if I had read other books by this author that have the same characters in it. I found that this is a the first book of a trilogy that is in the middle of a series of books with the same characters and found that there was a lot of references to previous books.

Having said that I still enjoyed reading this book...it was well written and really kept me reading the next page. It did leave me with a cliff hanger so now I am off to see if I can find the next book to see if I can figure out who the other killer is.

Finished: 6/18/2011
Pages: 442

#54: Well, rats. My local library does not have that one.

#57: . . . or that one either. *sigh*

Thanks for the recommendations, Ivy! I am obviously going to have to look further afield for the books.

I will be posting Dead by Midnight on PBS as soon as my sister in law finishes reading it if you will be interested send me a PM and I will be sure to post it to your account.

I have a paperback copy of Dying to be Murdered that I can post on PBS if you want it...just send me a PM so I know where to send it.

The Lies That Bind by Kate Carlisle

This is book 3 in Bibliophile Mystery series. It was well written, set in San Francisco, two dead bodies and a killer that just doesn't fit the bill until it is all pointed out to you who they are...will be looking for other books in this series.

Finished: 6/25/2011
Pages: 275

If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell

This is book 1 of the Haunted Home Renovation Mystery series. It was okay but I found that it was slow and seemed to take for ever for anything to even move along. The explanation for Mel being able to see the ghost was very lame and I don't think was ever really explained very well. And why was she solving the death of someone that she didn't like in the first place but less someone that didn't like her either. I kept waiting for something to happen for most of the book...to much explaining about home renovation and not enough mystery or the solving of the crime...boring in spots. Don't think that I will be looking for the next book in the series.

Finished: 7/3/2011
Pages: 316

Killing Her Softly by Beverly Barton

This is book 1 in the Griffin Powell series. It is very good and kept me turning pages. There was always something going on and kept me wondering how they were going to figure out who the killer was. Just about the time I thought I knew who the killer was another clue was dropped and I had to change my mind.

I am now looking for the next book in the series. I am for sure hooked on this author.

Finished: 7/6/2011
Pages: 404

#59: Ivy, I just now saw your message. Let me know if PBS is still an option for me and I will go request the books from you.

I just got it back from my sister in law so it is still an opption...PM me and I will post it directly to your wish list...

Bedeviled Eggs by Laura Childs

This is book 3 of the Cackleberry Club Mystery series. This book was okay but at the same time was boring in parts. It seemed like Suzanne spent more time having parties for her business or her love life then she did trying to solve the mystery. And then about the time I thought she was finally going to get down to business and try to figure out who the killer was the killer confessed. It was not a good way to end this book...all of a sudden he was there. Struck me as anti climatic ending.

Finished: 7/13/2011
Pages: 302 not including pages with recipes at end of book.

#64: OK, thanks!

Close Enough To Kill by Beverly Barton

This is book 2 of the Griffin Powell series. This one has a serial killer who thinks that each of his victims are his lovers...he courts them as a secret admirer before letting them know who he is.

This book is very well written and kept me turning the pages and wanting to see how the police would figure out who the killer was and how they captured him. My only negative things is that although it is part of the Griffin Powell series you do not hear about Griffin until the book is over half done and then only very briefly. Other then that it was very good and I ended up staying up late (11:00pm) a couple of nights reading because I couldn't put it down.

Finished: 7/28/2011
Pages: 438

#67: I ended up staying up late (11:00pm) a couple of nights reading because I couldn't put it down.

The sign of a good book!

10th Anniversary by James Patterson

This is Book 10 in the Women's Murder Club series. I have really enjoyed reading this series for the most part. This one has Lindsey chasing after three different bad guys for three different reasons.

For the most part I enjoyed reading this book but it jumped around a bit more then usual because of the three different story lines going at one time.

Finished: 8/3/2011
Pages: 395

The Dying Game by Beverly Barton

This is another book in the Griffin Powell series. This one involves Griffin for then the ones in the past and really lets you get to know him better. We find that he is searching for a serial killer that killed his friends wife four years ago. The search is intense and exciting...you are kept on your toes the whole way through the book. I was constantly wondering who the killer was and how he was getting away with so many murders.

Finished: 8/8/2011
Pages: 440

Unraveled by Maggie Sefton

This is book 9 of the Knitting Mystery series. I was surprised by who the killer was but had figured out that the person wasn't who they thought it was. I know that is confusing but if you read the book you will understand. It was very well written and kept my attention enough to want to finish it but not so much that I had any trouble putting it down at the end of the day.

Finished: 8/18/2011
Pages: 292

Wow! Is that series up to 9 now? I've got one or two in my stash that I need to read, but it's not my favorite series so there's usually something else I want to read more.

#69: I need to get to that one. The Woman's Murder Club series are the only books of Patterson's that I read any more.

Cold Hearted by Beverly Barton

This is another Giffin Powell book. It is not as good as previous books in this series but still kept me reading. Killer not who I thought it would be.

Finished: 9/1/2011
Pages: 403

#74: but still kept me reading

Good! I like books like that.

The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen

Book 2, Rizzoli and Isles series. I have to say that I have watched the program on TV and read two of the books in this series. I find that I like both for different reasons but like the books more then the TV series. The books are more in depth and can go places the TV series can't begin to go.

You have to have read the first book in order to follow what is happening in this one...this one picks up where the first one ended...you get to know a bit more about Rizzoli and what makes her tick and you get introduced to Dr. Isles.

Isles isn't in this one much but enough to understand how her and Rizzoli met. You get to know why Rizzoli thinks that she needs to show no emotion and why she thinks she has to be as good if not better then her male counterparts. You also get to find out more about the Surgeon and why he thinks he needs to manipulate women and why he needs to kill. I don't especially like the way it ended but can live with it in the long run.

Finished: 9/9/2011
Pages: 366

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I picked up this book to see what all the hype was about. I wondered if it would be as good as the advertisement said it would be.

I found that it was very well written, kept me turning the pages, and made me think as I read it. I had trouble putting it down most nights and just had to keep reading it. I laughed out loud, I cried, and I wondered how we could have been so cruel to another race of people. I also found that I had to think about the way I was treating other people, no matter what race they were.

I wanted to slap Hilly for the way she treated her maid and the other people of color and the way she tried to run everything like she was the President of the USA. And I laughed with Minny on several occasions...she was a woman that spoke her mind.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wonders what it was like being a person of color in the southern United States in the 1960s.

Finished: 9/14/2011
Pages: 522

Always a Thief by Kay Hooper

Finished: 9/15/2011
Pages: 310

The Sinner by Tess Gerritsen

Rizzoli & Isles Book 3

Finished: 9/20/2011
Pages: 355

The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner

Detective D. D. Warren, Book 3. Found it slow, and boring in spots. Seemed to take forever to even get started. I had no problem putting it down to do other things. Not sure if I want to read any others in this series.

Finished: 9/24/2011
Pages: 462

New York to Dallas by J. D. Robb

This is book 33 of the In Death Series. This one pits Eve against an old nemisis from her past as a rookie cop. You get to know more about her past and her relationship with the others in her life. My concern at this point is that since we now know so much about her and the secondary characters in these books that there will not be very much farther to go unless more characters are introduced.

That being said, this book was really good...kept me wanting to keep reading and kept the action coming all of the time. Stayed up late a couple of nights just to see what was going to happen next.

Finished: 10/2/2011
Pages: 402

The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen

This is another Rizzoli and Isles book. This one pits Jane and Maura against a serial killer that has been killing for years. The twists and turns kept me reading and wondering who the killer really was. And why he was going after her in the first place. Very good book, well written...I think that I like the books better then the TV series although both are very good.

Finished: 10/14/2011
Pages: 418

The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen

Another Rizzolie and Isles book. This one takes you to places you never would have thought to go. It has a lot of twists and turns and will question your beliefs in the supernatural. Very good ending...I was surprised to find out how some of the characters where related.

Finished: 10/19/2011
Pages: 315

Theodore Boone: kid lawyer by John Grisham

This is book one of the Theodore Boone series. I picked this one up for two reasons...first, I have read other books by this author and really liked them. Second I picked it up because my granddaughter wanted it and I wanted to make sure it was age appropriate before giving it to her.

I found that this book was a very good way to introduce a child to the mystery genre. Theo is a kid in sixth grade who has parents who are both lawyers. He wants to be a lawyer and give a little free advice. Theo gets involved in a murder case in his little town and works to get the bad buy convicted of the murder. When things gets to a point he is having trouble figuring out what to do he goes to his uncle (who is also a lawyer) for advice on what to do next.

Very good book. Loved it and would recommend it to anyone wanting to read a good mystery or to introduce a teen to this genre. There is no language, or questionable situations. The only thing I did not care for was the way it ended...it seemed to just end abruptly.

Finished: 10/23/2011
Pages: 263

A Deadly Row by Casey Mayes

Mystery by the Numbers, Book 1. This kind of a new to me author...I have read his books that he writes under other names (Tim Mayers) but not under this name. He is a good writer and I enjoyed this book very much. The action kept coming and so did the clues. I figured out some of it before Savannah did and other parts where a surprise to me.

Savannah is a retired math teacher that now makes math logic puzzles. Zach, her husband, is a retired Cheif of Police. Zach now does consulting for the police. He gets called in on a double murder in his home town (Charlotte) and Savannah goes with him to help. Between helping Zach solve the murders she takes a few side trips and mends some bridges with her family and almost gets killed before the book is finished.

All though this is the first book of the series it kept referring back to thinks that had happen in the past and left me wondering if it was really the first book. I could not find a reference to a previous book in the series so guess that this is just the way he decided to write it.

I will be looking for the next book in this series.

Finished: 11/01/2011
Pages: 291

>85 luvbug11: I'll have to add that one to my wish list. I like his Lighthouse Inn series, and I like logic puzzles, so it sounds like a book I'd enjoy!

I have that one in my stash. I'm pretty sure it's one of the ones I picked up when Borders was going out of business.

It was a good start to a new to me series. I look forward to learning more about the main characters and to see their interaction with others.

Avenging Angels by Mary Stanton

Beaufort & Company, Book 3. I have been reading this series from the start and have really enjoyed them. These really do need to be read in order or else you get confused about the characters. I find that I learn a little bit more about the main characters in each book. In this one I found out that Brianna's mother also was a lawyer for the dead.

This book is very well written, the characters are interesting and the story just keeps on getting more interesting all of the time. The twists and turns keep you wanting to find out how Brianna is going to get out of the fix she finds herself in this time.

Finished: 11/10/2011
Pages: 293

One Grave Too Many by Beverly Connor

Diane Fallon Forensic Investigation, Book 1

I have read several books in this series and always wondered how Diane Fallon got into solving crimes...now I know. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It kept me ingaged and wanting to read the next page. I found out things about the main characters that I didn't know before and discovered that I like the direction that the author has gone in this book and the others in the series that I have read. Diane Fallon is good at what she does and the way that she goes about figuring out who the killer is was very fascinating.

Diane returns to Georgia after a year long hiatus while grieving for her dead daughter. She is hired to head up the River Trail Museum and get it up and running. She is asked by an old friend to help identify a bone that was found by his friend, the friend thinks it may belong to his run away daughter or her boyfriend. When the friend and his family turn up dead, murdered, Diane gets even more involved in trying to find out who the bones belong to and figuring out who the killer is and why he killed him.

There is a lot going on all through the book but it is all connected in such a way that you want to keep reading and finding out how it will all fit together in the end. I liked the multiple plots and twists and the way the author brought them all together to make for a very interesting and engaging book.

Finished: 11/14/2011
Pages: 383

Angel's Verdict by Mary Stanton

Beaufort & Company, #4. I love this series...the idea of a lawyer for the dead is really an interesting concept and then to give her a temporal client that is also looking for the truth to the same mystery but from a different angle makes the story even better.

I learn a bit more about Bree and her heritage and some back story to go along with it. I also found that she is more involved with the dead then she was in the past.

Very well written, kept me turning the pages wanting to know what would happen next. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

Finished: 11/20/2011
Pages: 286

The Diva Cooks a Goose by Krista Davis

Domestic Diva, #4

This one starts with the theft of all the Christmas gifts and goes on to have one of the main characters killed. I liked the whole idea of the mystery but had some problems keeping keeping track who was married to whom. I didn't like that it seemed that occasionally they all forgot that they were trying to figure out who the killer was and were more concerned about who was dating whom. The mystery seemed to be lost in the mix until about the last 1/4 of the book and then it seemed to be the only thing anyone were concerned about.

Finished: 11/27/2011
Pages: 283