Summer Reading List....

Having lots of time on my hands up here in the White Mountains I have read 9 books in a 2 1/2 week period.

The first book was by one of my usual authors, Perri O'Shaughnessy. I'm familiar with her series about an attorney, Nina Reilly, who lives at Lake Tahoe. This book, "Keeper of the Keys," was about a different character. I was half way through the book before I realized Nina Reilly was never going to show up. = (

The next book was by JA Jance, another familiar author whose books I've been reading for quite some time. This book was "Hand of Evil." I already read "Edge of Evil" and "Web of Evil." This series is about a former Los Angeles News Reporter who got run off because she was too old. HA!! Ali Reynolds has moved back to Sedona, AZ, where she grew up, and seems to become involved in murders and other mysteries around every corner. I've enjoyed this series.

The next book was another JA Jance book, "Long Time Gone." This is another series, about a former Seattle Policeman, now working for the Washington State Attorney's Special Homicide Investigation Team, or loving referred to as "SHIT." It was good.

Next came Sue Grafton's "T is for Trespass." I've now read A-T and anxiously await "U." This series is about Kinsey Millhone, a Private Investigator who resides in Santa Barbara, CA. "T" was one of my favorites. It dealt with an elder next door neighbor, which kind of hit home since my elder next door neighbor took his own life the day before I left Sun City for Show Low. I came home from shopping and noticed several Sheriff's Deputies on my street, then what appeared to be crime scene tape around my house, then realized it was around my neighbors house, but attached to my trailer which was parked on the street in front of my house. One of the deputies came over and asked if I'd heard a gun shot during the night. I hadn't, or at least not a noise that recognized as a gun shot. The kindly gentleman was considerate enough to choose the carport for the incident, so as not to mess the house, or maybe to make it easier to be found in a timely manner?

The fifth book was another JA Jance book, "Day of the Dead." It is another Jance series about a retired Pima County (Arizona) Sheriff, Brandon Walker. This was the first book by Jance that I would describe as GRUESOME!! I haven't read the first two books based around this character. I might not read them if they are all as gruesome.

Then I took a break from murder and mayhem and read "A Woman of Independent Means."
When I first picked up this book I thought I had read it before. The title was very familiar. But when I began reading it didn't seem very familiar. The book is a series of letters written by Bess Steed Garner, a "precocious, bossy and loving woman." She was born in 1890 in Honey Grove, TX and her first letter was written in 1899 at the age of 9 to a classmate, Rob. She went on to marry Rob in 1909. Her last letter was written in 1968 shortly before she died. It was very enjoyable. I think I saw the made-for-TV movie.

Next, was "Trading Places" by Fern Michaels, the first I've read by this author. The book was good, with funny parts, tense parts and romantic parts, but the premise of the story was a little far fetched. But it had a happy ending where they all lived happily ever after. = )

Then on to two more really gruesome books, both by Philip Margolin. The first was "Gone, But Not Forgotten." I saw the movie. It starred Brook Shields. The movie wasn't as gruesome as the book. I think I liked the movie ending better than the book ending.

The next, and last was "Wild Justice." This was VERY GRUSOME. Not just murder, but lots of torture, with a twist of torturous poetic justice in the end. = )

I've since started 3 other books but just couldn't get into them. I'll soon start another, hopefully with better luck. "Not Without My Daughter" seems appropriate with all that's going on in Iran. I saw the movie, with Sally Field, about an American woman married to an Iranian Doctor. They lived in the US but took a trip to Iran, where the Doctor decided they would stay. She wanted to go back home. He said fine, but their daughter had to stay in Iran. The woman eventually made a daring escape, with her daughter, and made it back to the US. It's a true story!!