SHATTER by Michael Robotham

Robotham's books feature the same group of characters, with different persons appearing as protagonists from one book to another. Not precisely a series, but nevertheless an enjoyable way to learn more about each character. In SHATTER, psychologist Joe O'Laughlin is at the scene when a woman jumps to her death, and begins to investigate the confusing scenario. Eventually there are more suicides and Joe is pursuing a particularly sadistic and manipulative killer.

SHANGHAI MOON by S J Rozan.

At last, Bill Smith and Lydia Chin return - this time following the trail of a mysterious missing jewel - the Shanghai Moon. The story moves back and forth between the present day and Shanghai in the mid twentieth century when a small colony of European Jews fled there escaping the horrors of Nazi Germany. I really enjoyed this one, hope I don't have to wait too much longer to read about Lydia and Bill again!

SAFER by Sean Doolittle.

Doolittle might be one of those excellent authors you never hear about! In his latest book (and first hardcover edition), a married couple, new residents in a small Iowa town, are disconcerted to find their lives micromanaged by a neighbor. As events unfold, long buried secrets and the answers to a mysterious disappearance become clear.

THE SNOW LEOPARD by Peter Matthiesson

Once again, I read a classic which had been waiting far too long on the to-be-read-someday list. The author traveled through Tibet with another explorer and a group of bearers and guides. They hoped to see the elusive snow leopard and to study one of the mountain goats native to the region. They succeeded to some extent, however like all armchair travel books, the most interesting part is the journey itself and the author's explanations of Bhuddist philosophy and belief.

JUMP by Tim Maleeny

Taking his plot from Agatha Christie, Maleeny places events on the 20th floor of a San Francisco high rise, after the bitterly disliked landlord falls to his death. One of the tenants of the top level apartments must be the guilty party, but who? All have motives and opportunity. JUMP is a pleasant light read, with a thoughtful ethical twist at the end. Good book for the beach, or a long plane trip.

RABBIT RUN by John Updike

After his death, I heard a rebroacast of an interview with Updike broadcast on NPR, and decided to read his books, a gap in my reading which I wanted to remedy. The first in his series featuring Harry Engstrom, RABBIT RUN is a intriguing study of responsibility, grief, and a search for satisfaction.

CUTTING FOR STONE by Abraham Verghese

The best of this bunch, at least the best of the current titles. Twin boys grow to maturity in the insular world of a small hospital in Ethiopia, and the author succeeds brilliantly in providing an engrossing story very hard to put down, while at the same time examining the many faces of love.

GAME OF SHADOWS by Fainaru-Wada and Williams

The fascinating study of the current doping scandals in professional sports published a few years ago by two reporters for the San Francisco Examiner. Reading this book was like watching a slow motion train wreck.

A MATTER OF JUSTICE by Charles Todd

Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge survived the trench warfare of WWI, and is back at work. He has an somewhat adversarial relationship with his superior officer at the Yard, and gets sent all over England when a murder occurs that no one else wants to deal with. In this latest, a particularly unpleasant man is found hanging from the rafters in his barn. Almost everyone Rutledge interviews has reason to wish him dead. The reader has an inkling from the opening chapter what the truth might be, but Todd has some surprises waiting!

OUTLIERS by Malcolm Gladwell

What really is the secret of success? Sociologist Gladwell examines this question and has some intriguing answers. Gladwell's books are that pleasant combination of readability and intellectual examination.

LIFE SENTENCES by Laura Lippman

Lippman's stand alones manage to be mysterious in every sense of the word while not involving the classic questions of a mystery - who killed this person and why? A popular author of two memoirs and a marginally successful novel hopes to base her next book on the lives of a group of childhood friends. Her interviews eventually make her challenge her own life history. A very, very good book!

ALL THE COLORS OF DARKNESS by Peter Robinson

Inspector Alan Banks and his partner Annie Cabbot are investigating an apparent murder/suicide when a visitor from some unnamed intelligence agency shows up, to ask them to tread carefully and not reveal too much. When their superior officers seem to be acting on similar requests, the two Yorkshire cops become curious and find themselves the quarry in an unpleasant game of cat and mouse. As the story unfolded, I had absolutely no idea where we were going next, and the last few pages are very disconcerting, to say the least!

That's it for the latest installment! Happy reading, everyone!