Book 5 (2014) Death in China * by Lee Child

Okay, read it in China.

Book 1 (2014) 61 Hours * by Lee Child

E-Book.  Okay for a travel book.

Book 8 (2013) Bloodline ** by Lynda LaPlante

A great and prolific writer.

Book 7 (2013) Until the Night ** by Giles Blunt

Another John Cardinal mystery, set in northern Ontario.

Book 25 (2013) The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds ** by Alexander McCall Smith

enjoyable Isabel Dalhousie "mystery"

Book 28 (2012) Berlin Noir Trilogy** by Philip Kerr

I read it for the background of a detective surviving in Berlin during WW II.   Great read.
The first of the Bernie Gunther series.

Book 23 (2012) Confined Space ** by Deryn Collier

A first mystery, and quite good.   A Bern Fortin novel (he's a Canadianj Forces commander retired, now a coroner in a northern BC town).   Let's hope for more in this series.

Book 20 (2012) T is for Trespass ** by Sue Grafton

Another good one.

Book 11 (2012) V is for Vengeance ** by Sue Grafton

As with A to U, all good reads.

Book 6 (2012) Willful Behavior ** by Donna Leon

Another great read starring Venice, Italy.

See other reviews on Donna Leon's Brunetti series on this blog.

Book 4 (2012) The Charming Quirks of Others ** by Alexander McCall Smith

Another Isabel Dalhousie novel.   Love her, love the setting, want to be secretly wealthy living in Edinburgh (well maybe not).

Book 26 River of the Dead ** by Barbara Nadel

Interesting, well written.   Set in Turkey.   I've read a few histories and novels about Turkey and the plots, settings, and character types were all new to me.  

Will I read Nadel again --- maybe.

Book 25 Cry of the Owl *** by Patricia Highsmith

Much better than average mystery.   You cannot guess what will happen on the next page --- all remains a surprise up to the very last page.  


Three stars for being unique.


Other great books by this author:
The Talented Mr. Ripley and its sequels (one of my favourite mystery characters).

Book 10 Crime Machine ** by Giles Blunt

This is Book 4 in the John Cardinal series.   He's a cop in a small town (North Bay, Ontario) and a great read.

Book 8 (2011) A Sea of Troubles** by Donna Leon

Another treasure in the Comissario Guido Brunette series.   A new setting, the island of Pellestrina on the lagoon, and active involvement by Signorian Elettra.  
A must for Italy lovers who want to learn the inside scoop about Italian culture and politics and read a great mystery with interesting characters.

Book 1 (2011) Snow Job* by William Deverell

I've read all of Deverell's books, and this one is better than the last few in that the story lines are all very interesting.   This book is set in the usual Saltspring Island location, but with Ottawa and Bhashyistan and Albania politics and war backgrounds as well.

See also review of Kill All the Judges by the same author for detailed comments.

Book 94 Started Early, Took My Dog ** by Kate Atkinson

The usual great mystery read from Atkinson.

Top Five Mystery Writers

Henning Mankell
Donna Leon
Alexander McCall Smith
Minette Walters
Lynda LaPlante

Also love:
Giles Blunt
L.R. Wright
Eric Wright
Edward Phillips

Book 74 The Girl of His Dreams ** by Donna Leon

This is one of Leon's best in the Brunetti series.  The themes are the church and religion, on which she is more than cynical, and gypsies or Rom as they are called.  

Other books with church/priest themes reviewed on this blog:
The Bishop's Man * by Linden MacIntyre
The Italians **** by Luigi Barzini

Book 70 & 71 Above Suspicion and Deadly Intent** by Lynda LaPlante

Two more great mysteries by this author in the Detective Anna Travis series.