"Theft On Thursday"

"Theft on Thursday is author Ann Purser's 4th book in her Lois Meade mystery series.  In this book Lois has a thriving cleaning business to manage without many personnel issues until she takes on a new cleaner, Sharon, who has a flair for the dramatic, a love of romance novels and an eye for the young men.  However, it's Sharon's actual "wandering" eye which she refuses to have fixed surgically that attracts the attention of a local cult.

In the meantime, there's a new choirmaster, Sandy, who has unclear ties to the newly installed minister he's living with until he finds his own place.  In addition to selling real estate in a nearby town, Sandy turns out to be a bit of a charmer with his eye not only on Sharon but Rebecca as well.  Rebecca and Lois' cleaner, Bill, live together and he's concerned enough to attend choir practice himself just to keep an eye on the situation.  Will this be the end of Bill and Rebecca's romance?

Although Lois' husband, Derek, is wary of her having any involvement again with Chief Inspector Cowgill, Cowgill asks for her help and Lois enjoys the challenge.  Lois and Derek are almost empty nesters but their youngest son, Jamie, is still at home until he leaves for school in the fall.  He's dating Annabelle, the granddaughter of a local wealthy woman, and this romance does not meet with her favor and has Derek and Lois concerned as well.  Since Annabelle may have had ties to the local cult at some level, Cowgill enlists Lois to help him keep an eye on the situation.  When people start dying, though, the investigation takes a more serious turn.

I think this may be my favorite Lois Meade mystery so far as it weaves not only a complicated tale but involves some complicated relationships!  pazt

"Vixen"

Ken Bruen's "Vixen" was difficult for me to follow at times and now I think I know why -- It's the fifth book in Bruen's Inspector Brant Series so it might have made more sense if I'd started with the first book in the series, "A White Arrest."

"Vixen" focuses on a case involving a series of lethal explosions across London which it turns out are being masterminded by a sensuous, crazed female serial killer.  It's a tough case with twists and turns and deaths!

I've seen part of the "Jack Taylor" TV series which is based on books by Bruen and I enjoyed that so I think I'll read the first book in that series next then decide if I want to read more of Bruen.  Anyone out there that has him on their favorites list?  pazt

"Dead Between The Lines"

"Dead Between The Lines" is another Denise Swanson Devereaux's Dime Store Mystery - third in the series.  Devereaux Ann Sinclair (known as Dev to her friends) is facing a lot of challenges:  Her father is being released from prison soon exonerated for a crime he didn't commit.  The physical reactions she felt when inside the prison made it too difficult to visit him behind bars and she wonders how he is going to feel about that as well as how he's going to support himself and if he'll be accepted back into the community.

In addition, she has started seeing her childhood sweetheart, Dr. Noah Underwood, but another man whose handsome looks make her melt when she sees him is back in town - Deputy U. S. Marshal Jake Del Vecchio.  He's talking about quitting his job and acting as foreman for his uncle's ranch because he is seriously interested in Dev and the possibility of their having a future together.  Since she doesn't know if she can trust either man yet, she proposes that she date both of them.  What can they say about that?  They really don't have a choice!

When a local book club asks to meet at her dime store, she knows she needs the extra money so she says yes.  It doesn't turn out so well, though, when the guest speaker turns up dead outside her back door the next morning.  Someone also thinks Dev may know something about the murderer's identity and threatens her.  While Noah must spend his time with his ailing mother at the hospital and her close friends are away, Jake jumps in to help Dev solve the murder while protecting her.  But....the murderer strikes when Dev is alone and feeling safe - will she be able to fight him or her off or ?????

If you want to find out who is behind the murder and where Dev's love life appears to be heading, read the book!  pazt

"Miami it's Murder"

Edna Buchanan's second book in the Britt Montero series is "Miami it's Murder" and it doesn't disappoint.
Britt's detective friend, Dan Flood, has retired from the police force but not willingly - He has health issues he's dealing with.  With the death of Dan's daughter then his wife and Britt not having a father they have bonded like a father/daughter and regularly get together over lunch to talk about the old days and current cases.  Dan has some regrets about some cases he never could solve including one where he suspects a teenage boy killed an 8 year old girl.  He'd sure like to solve that one since the "boy" is now set to be elected as the next governor of Florida.  Britt decides it's worth looking into but isn't getting a lot of cooperation.

In the meantime, there is a rapist hiding out in public women's restrooms and attacking women.  Britt bullies the police into letting her write about it and the rapist sends her messages letting her know he's not happy about her coverage and everyone around her, including Dan and her other police friends, believe she's making herself a target.

At the scene where a car is being pulled out of the water with a body inside, Britt meets a handsome tour boat captain who takes an interest in her and makes her former boyfriend, Lt. Kendall McDonald jealous.  McDonald isn't ready to get involved with Britt again, though, and possibly interfere with the positive direction his career appears to be taking.  Will Britt be able to move on and find a new relationship?

As if that weren't enough happening at the moment, there are three suspicious deaths -- the first two appear to be accidents but the last one is definitely murder.  The interesting connection is that all three victims were previously implicated in three different murders but either got off on technicalities or there wasn't enough evidence to connect.  Their methods of dying match the methods their supposed victims died.  When Britt starts reviewing the cases, she discovers evidence at the last scene that leads her to one of the biggest stories of her career and a surprise ending.

I can see why Edna Buchanan was a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter because she's a master at weaving mystery novels, too.  pazt

"Night Prey"

John Sandord's "Night Prey" is the sixth book in his Prey series featuring Lucas Davenport.  The new Minneapolis Police Chief, who is fighting to retain her job and has political aspirations, calls in Lucas to help solve a murder which one of her female detectives is fixated on -- in the wrong direction many think.

Meagan O'Connell sees a link between a series of murders that others aren't seeing and she's determined to find the truth before she dies and, given she has a terminal illness, she doesn't have a lot of time.  As a result, she comes across very pushy alienating a lot of her fellow officers.  When Meagan and Lucas are paired, he finds her difficult to work with but also has a respect for her instincts and the clues she's put together so far.

In the meantime, we have a view into Koop -- a burglar who seems to have a need to pick up a woman about once a year and kill her then abandon the body in various locations.  When he burglarizes Sara Jensen's apartment, he becomes fixated on her -- so much so that he spends a lot of his time spying on her and several people are murdered when they get in his way.  He's also finding his need to kill increasing and maybe that will cause a misstep that will enable Lucas and Meagan todiscover and stop him.

Lucas is in a semi-committed relationship with a female doctor, Weather, who he met in the last Prey book.  She has moved to Minneapolis to live with him and they are juggling their separate careers and their opposite work shifts fairly well.  Will Lucas be tempted, though, when a female reporter comes on to him?  Will this be the end of his relationship with Weather or just a bump in the road?

As is usual with Sandford's books, it is rich in detail and fast paced keeping me up late at night to finish the book!  pazt

"Contents Under Pressure"

"Contents Under Pressure" is Edna Buchanan's first suspense novel in the Britt Montero series.  Buchanan is a journalist in Miami, Fl, described as "one of America's most exotic and dangerous cities."  Britt Montero, her heroine in this series is a crime reporter for a major Miami newspaper so I'm assuming Buchanan has drawn on her own experience in writing this novel.

The story begins as Britt becomes aware of an auto accident that has left a black man with fatal injuries.  However, he is not just any black man -- He's a former football star with a wife and three young children who works in the poverty-ridden area he grew up in to mentor young black boys to try to get them on a path to a better life.

As Britt uncovers more of the story, she finds it difficult to get details from the police and not all the facts seem to gel so she continues her investigation while also maintaining her daily coverage of major crimes.  She uses her sources within the police department although many of them are very reluctant to talk about this case except for one female policewoman friend who also works the night shift.  She is willing to share anonymous info with Brit about the police "screw ups" who tend to be moved to the midnight shift.  They're the ones that tend to be harder to control, full of rage -- in a word, dangerous.  It was a number of these cops who were chasing this black man on the night he died -- after a BOLO was issued describing his car.

The more she investigates the more hostile some of the cops become towards her and she receives death threats and her clandestine love relationship may not make it if she continues her digging.

I love Buchanan's style of writing and I look forward to reading the next book in this series.  She doesn't make Miami and its high crime statistics sound like a place I'd like to visit, though.  Maybe that's why her female editor is always trying to get her to dampen her stories and write more fluff pieces that won't scare the tourists away!  pazt

"Loving Frank"

"Loving Frank" is a novel by Nancy Horan based on the true affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney.  After Edwin Cheney and his wife, Mamah, commissioned Frank to design a new home for them in Oak Park, Il (a Chicago suburb), the Cheneys became friends with Frank and his wife.  Eventually Frank and Mamah became lovers and decided to leave their spouses and children to be with each other.  It was quite a scandal in the 1920's and eventually Mamah won a divorce from Edwin with summer visitation by her children.  Frank's wife would not grant him a divorce, however, so Frank continued to support her and his children while building a new home, Taliesin, in Wisconsin for he and Mamah.

The relationship took a toll on their friendships and their families as well as on Frank's career but they appear to have been kindred spirits.  Frank had a big ego and Mamah seemed destined to be an "independent" woman and they were suited to each other and remained together until her death.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fictional account of their romance and was so interested in Mamah and her ability to break away from the traditional female roles of her time that I decided to look her up and learn more about her before I finished the book.  That was a mistake!  If you don't already know the story, I highly recommend you finish reading the book before researching her further!  pazt