Murder by Design by Lee Goldberg

 

First Line: There are some things you need to know before I start telling you this incredible, improbable, but absolutely true story.

Struggling actor Wally Nash didn't really know what he signed up for when he agreed to be Edison Bixby's "minder." Bixby is wealthy, handsome, and-- due to a traumatic brain injury-- impulsively rude. Wally has been hired to keep Bixby from offending everyone he meets.

A former police detective with a 100% clearance rate, Bixby is now an insurance investigator who solves his cases by figuring out how the design of the man-made world around us makes them possible.

Wally's first case with Bixby looks like a simple accident, but Bixby is positive that the victim was murdered by design, subtly manipulated into causing her own demise. Now all Bixby has to do is prove his theory before more people die.

~

Having enjoyed and come to depend on Lee Goldberg's laugh-out-loud funny, fast-paced thrillers with his Ian Ludlow and Eve Ronin series, I was really looking forward to this first Edison Bixby novel, Murder by Design. Unfortunately, the book fell flat for me.

Edison Bixby's looks, wealth, and home would make him the stuff of fairy tales if not for his mouth. He's always been obnoxious, but a traumatic brain injury has loosened what few restraints he had on his tongue. No longer in the Los Angeles Police Department, he is now the stuff of nightmares for the insurance company that hired him. The man needs someone to keep a close eye on him to prevent any more lawsuits, and that's where wannabe movie star Wally Nash comes in.

We see everything through Wally's eyes, and for a while, that's entertaining. (He tends to see everything as an opportunity for his Big Break in films.) Also intriguing is Bixby's contention that the design of man-made things can be the source of crime. Then, there's the relationship Bixby has with LAPD officer Bridget McGregor. Not only did McGregor get right up my nose, but I just couldn't buy into how their relationship worked.

In fact, that wasn't the only thing that didn't quite make sense. Too many aspects felt over the top. To be honest, the suspension bridge of my disbelief collapsed two-thirds of the way through Murder by Design. Perhaps it was partially due to my low tolerance of obnoxiousness. Hopefully, your mileage will vary. 

Murder by Design by Lee Goldberg

eISBN: 9781662533600

Thomas & Mercer © 2026

eBook, 236 pages

Thriller, #1 Edison Bixby

Rating: D+

Source: Net Galley

Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly

 

First Line: The family gathered in the visitor lot: Jorge Ochoa's mother and brother and me.

 

After getting a wrongfully convicted man out of prison, lawyer Mickey Haller is inundated with requests from incarcerated people who claim they're innocent. He recruits his half-brother, retired LAPD Detective Harry Bosch to weed through the letters. Both men know that most of them will be false.

 

When Bosch reads the letter of a woman in prison for killing her husband, a sheriff's deputy, he reviews the case and sees that some things just don't add up.

 

Now Haller has an uphill battle to fight in court. He and Bosch are both in danger from people who don't want the case reopened and will do anything to keep the truth from coming to light.

 

~

 

Reading one of Michael Connelly's books featuring Mickey Haller and Harry Bosch is a sure thing. Readers are guaranteed a roller coaster ride story showcasing how brilliant these two men are at ferreting out the truth and successfully getting justice. I also like how Connelly has dealt with the aging Harry Bosch. Yes, his advancing years are affecting him, but he's still more than capable of playing a vital role in any pursuit of truth. And as far as Mickey Haller is concerned, by the book's end, he's reached a crossroads, and I'm looking forward to seeing which road he takes.

 

I don't care what format I choose to read Connelly's books. Still, after having enjoyed Amazon's TV series, Bosch, I have to admit that I have a bit of a preference for the audiobook version so I can listen to Titus Welliver. (Love his voice!) 

Are you in the mood for a compelling investigation and riveting courtroom drama? Get your hands on Resurrection Walk.

Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly

Narrated by Peter Giles, Titus Welliver, and Christine Lakin

ASIN: B0BT24RVJH

Little, Brown & Company © 2023

Audiobook. 10 hours and 30 minutes.

 

Legal Thriller, #7 Lincoln Lawyer thriller

Rating: A

Source: Audible.

Two Kinds of Truth by Michael Connelly

 

First Line: Bosch was in cell 3 of the old San Fernando jail, looking through files from one of the Esme Tavares boxes, when a heads-up text came in from Bella Lourdes over in the detective bureau.

 

Harry Bosch works the cold case files at the San Fernando Police Department. The entire department is called out to investigate the shooting deaths of two pharmacists. It's a case that will take Bosch undercover and deep into the billion-dollar world of prescription drug abuse. But this isn't the only case that needs his attention.

 

A serial killer that Bosch put behind bars years ago while he was in the LAPD is telling everyone that Bosch framed him, and he seems to have the evidence to prove it. Bosch didn't leave the LAPD on good terms, so his former colleagues seem more intent on proving the serial killer is right. But if this one case is overturned, every case that Bosch has ever solved will be put under the microscope. It's up to Bosch to clear his name as these two cases wind around each other like barbed wire.

~

Of all the mysteries I've read in my lifetime, I have to say that Harry Bosch is my favorite detective. His intelligence, his persistence, and his humanity have made him an icon, and his "Everybody counts or nobody counts" is a mantra I use when I find myself eyeing the fast lane on the judgmental vigilante road.

Two Kinds of Truth highlights Bosch's humanity in the way he reacts when he learns that his assumption is wrong in the pharmacy murders and how he reaches out to one of the addicts he meets while undercover. When his daughter learns about the allegations made by the serial killer on Death Row and she actually thinks Harry might have planted evidence, the blow is visceral-- not just for Harry but for the reader as well. Connelly is a master at drawing his readers into the warp and weft of his stories. 

Connelly balances his two cases with the staggering scope of prescription drug abuse on one hand while dazzling readers with Mickey Haller's legal sleight of hand in proving his half-brother did not plant evidence to put a serial killer behind bars. This is another compelling addition to this long-running series, and-- the older Bosch gets-- the more I hope he will prove to be immortal.

[Note: As much as I love reading the books, I have to admit that I now prefer listening to the audiobooks narrated by Titus Welliver. I am a fan of the Bosch TV series, and Welliver has become Bosch in my mind.]

Two Kinds of Truth by Michael Connelly

Narrated by Titus Welliver

ASIN: B071FJF4S4

Hachette Audio © 2017

Audiobook. 9 hours, 55 minutes.

 

Police Procedural, #20 Harry Bosch

Rating: A

Source: Purchased from Chirp Audiobooks. 

Rock of Ages by Timothy Hallinan

 

First Line: The drum solo had gone on so long that it seemed to be taking place in geological time, and there was no indication that it was nearing an end.

 

Irwin Dressler, Hollywood's most dangerous geriatric mobster, has a problem. Four of his associates have put together a national tour of once-popular rock bands they own a piece of: concerts by those who were big shots in the 1960s and 1970s who are hoping for one last gasp of glory on this nostalgia tour. 

 

Dressler's problem? Those four associates of his are using the tour as a front to steal his money. This is something Dressler simply cannot allow. Who can he turn to? Junior Bender, Los Angeles burglar and off-the-books detective to the felonious, of course.

 

The timing couldn't be worse for Junior. He'll be spending the weekend with his teenage daughter, Rina, who's showing way too much interest in how Junior makes his living. Can Junior recover Dressler's money, prevent a murder, talk his daughter out of pursuing a life of crime, and somehow survive all that bad music?

 

One thing's for sure-- it's going to be an interesting weekend.

 

~

 

As a fan of cat burglars from Cary Grant's To Catch a Thief to Robert Wagner's It Takes a Thief, I've been a fan of the irreverent, irrepressible Junior Bender from book one (Crashed). In this latest installment, Rock of Ages puts readers right in the middle of a nostalgia rock and roll tour, complete with falling props, Super Trooper lighting, old groupies, and a very inquisitive teenage girl. The names of the bands are almost worth the price of admission alone, and this behind-the-scenes look at rock and roll is equal parts illuminating and hilarious. "The bands hated each other, some of them were rusty, some needed cue cards for their lyrics, and three guys had shown up in wheelchairs." Junior must navigate all this as well as slashed tires, threatening notes, inflated egos, and people willing to kill for a money-and-power grab.

 

I really enjoyed the time spent with Junior's daughter, Rina. She's one sharp cookie who has a mind (and a mouth) very similar to her father's. Junior's going to be sweating bullets over Rina in a year or two, mark my words. But Rock of Ages isn't just the Junior and Rina Show. Other characters shine as only Hallinan can make them. Lavender the old groupie. Cappy the manager who keeps everything running. Debbie, whom Junior calls when he needs backup. Irwin Dressler, the LA mobster of legend. I always love Hallinan's casts of characters.

 

As I said before, I've enjoyed this series from the very first book. I will follow Junior Bender wherever he leads me because I know I'm going to enjoy myself with a first-rate plot and an excellent cast of characters, and guess what? I always learn something, too. The history of Los Angeles, the movie industry, rock and roll... it's all up for grabs when Tim Hallinan shares an adventure with my favorite burglar. I'm already looking forward to the next one. Hurry up, Junior!   

Rock of Ages by Timothy Hallinan

eISBN: 9781641292191

Soho Press © 2022

eBook, 336 pages

 

Private Investigator, #8 Junior Bender mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Net Galley

The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly

 

First Line: It was supposed to rain for real and that would have put a damper on the annual rain of lead.

 

New Year's Eve finds Renée Ballard and her partner sheltering from the annual rain of lead as thousands of revelers in Los Angeles fire their guns into the air. Minutes after midnight, she's called to the scene of a street party where an auto shop owner has been fatally hit by a bullet. 

 

It doesn't take Renée long to see that the bullet didn't fall from the sky. In fact this shooting is tied to an earlier case first investigated by Harry Bosch. She's also on the trail of the Midnight Men, tag-team rapists who leave terrorized women, but no evidence, behind.

Determined to solve both cases, she finds no help in a police department hard hit by the pandemic, social unrest, low morale, and inertia. Her best resource is Harry Bosch, and Renée doesn't hesitate to accept his offer of help.

~

Sometimes there's not much to say when a book is as good as The Dark Hours. This is vintage Connelly, plain and simple. Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch are cut from the same cloth. They're characters a reader can always depend on: focused, dedicated, and determined to bring bad guys to justice even if it means coloring outside the lines a bit.

There are four main characters in The Dark Hours: Ballard, Bosch, Los Angeles, and the pandemic. Connelly does a superb job in showing readers the harrowing effect the pandemic has had on LA's police department. It has, in effect, been defunded because of all the overtime spent on trying to contain all the social unrest. Many officers don't care any more. They keep their heads down and do the bare minimum to warrant receiving a paycheck. They are the antithesis of Ballard, who refuses to stop until justice is done.

The story unfolds inexorably, and leaves Renée with a huge decision to make concerning her future. I'm fairly certain which path she will choose, but as long as she continues to work with Harry Bosch in any capacity, I'll be happy because I consider these two characters to be family.

Marvelous characters, excellent story, and the audiobook was a treat to listen to. You can't ask for more.

The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly

Narrated by Christine Lakin and Titus Welliver

ASIN: B08WRKY4Z7

Audiobook. 11 hours, 4 minutes.

 

Police Procedural, #4 Renée Ballard mystery

Rating: A+

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

Gideon's Rescue by Alan Russell

 

First Line: The Arctic air had brought bitter cold to the Colorado prairie.

 

LAPD detective Michael Gideon and his K-9 partner Sirius literally walked through fire to catch an infamous serial killer known as The Weatherman. Gideon still suffers from fire dreams and PTSD. 

 

To help the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit, Gideon has been strong-armed into visiting the Weatherman (AKA Ellis Haines) monthly with crime scene photos they want Haines to analyze. This month's visit sparks a discovery: there's a new serial killer on the loose, and he's seeding his crime scenes with messages meant for Haines.

This isn't the only thing on Gideon's plate. He's searching for a young woman's fiance who's gone missing, and he's trying to bring down a dogfighting ring after meeting a sweet pitbull named Emily who was left for dead. No rest for the weary...

~

As much as I like this author's ability to create an exciting scene and put me right in the middle of it, no matter how much I like watching his K-9 partner work, this is the last Gideon & Sirius mystery I'll be reading. Why? It's got nothing to do with the marvelous Sirius and everything to do with the human half of the partnership, Gideon.

In the first two books, Gideon angered me by not paying attention to what Sirius was trying to tell him, and both times Gideon got the stuffing punched and kicked out of him. (That's what you get for not paying attention, stupid!) Here in Gideon's Rescue, he didn't ignore any canine messages, but he showed callous disregard for the situations he put a very traumatized dog in. Not only that, but he rationalized the need to put himself in a TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) moment, and if not for the clear thinking and action of a friend, Gideon's bacon would have been well and truly fried.

This is a shame because Russell does know how to tell a good tale. The investigations into the missing fiance and the dogfighting ring were very well-done, and the whole serial-killers-communicating-with-each-other scenario gave me plenty of food for thought. I tend to be a pacifist, a live-and-let-live type of person, but there are times when I think throwing the switch is best. Just how many serial killers are being kept alive because they're "helping" law enforcement? And how many are actually providing information that brings closure to grieving families or puts killers behind bars? Pardon me for being cynical in my belief that the number is a very low one. There is no real reason to put any faith in a serial killer because they've proved time and time again that their only concern is for themselves.

As you can see, although I've run as far down this track with LAPD Detective Michael Gideon as my patience will allow, Alan Russell does create stories that draw me in, keep me interested, and make me think.

 

Gideon's Rescue by Alan Russell

ASIN: B07CHPDQTM

Three Tails Press © 2018

eBook, 305 pages

 

Police Procedural/Working Dog, #4 Gideon & Sirius mystery

Rating: C-

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

Silent Murders by Mary Miley

 

First Line: Turns out vaudeville doesn't prepare you for Hollywood.

 

Jessie Beckett has a new name, and she's working hard to make a new life for herself as an assistant script girl in Hollywood for the Pickford-Fairbanks Studio. Thrilled to get an invitation for herself and her friend, Myrna Loy, to movie studio bigwig Bruno Heilmann's swanky party, she's surprised to find an old family friend there. However, the next morning, she learns that both the family friend and Bruno Heilmann were brutally murdered sometime during the wee hours of the morning.

Jessie's talents and the fact that she doesn't have an easily recognizable face make her a perfect choice to help her boss, legendary actor Douglas Fairbanks. It seems that his wife Mary Pickford's sister may come under police scrutiny for Heilmann's murder, and that could have dire consequences for Pickford's reputation in headline-hungry Hollywood. Fairbanks will do anything to protect his beloved wife.

Yes, Jessie is perfectly positioned to dig into the circumstances behind the murders, but she may also be putting herself right in the path of a killer.

~

I enjoyed The Impersonator, the first book in Mary Miley's Roaring Twenties series so much that I knew I'd be coming back for more. Silent Murders does not disappoint. In the first book, Jessie was hired to impersonate an heiress. Growing up in vaudeville had given her all the tools for deception that she needed for this role. Now she's on the straight and narrow with a new name and a new life in Hollywood.

Jessie is just the sort of wise-cracking, thinks-on-her-feet, good-hearted sort of character that I enjoy, and there's something about the Roaring Twenties and the silent film industry that draws me like a magnet. I liked how Miley blended fact and fiction in the sort of story that would blend in seamlessly with the actual Hollywood history of the era. Her use of real-life people like Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, and Myrna Loy rang true, with Fairbanks and Pickford accustomed to their roles as silent film royalty and Loy as a young girl just beginning to break into the movies. A young Gary Cooper can even be seen on the sidelines from time to time.

 

The movie industry has had a part in shaping this country's history for good or ill, and I really enjoy seeing the Old Hollywood used as a backdrop for a mystery series. Combine this setting with a strong main character and that gives me just the perfect reading when I need an escape.  

Silent Murders by Mary Miley

ISBN: ‎ 9781250051370

Minotaur Books © 2014

Hardcover, 320 pages

 

Historical Mystery, #2 Roaring Twenties mystery

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased from Book Outlet.

Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara

First Line: Rose was always there, even while I was being born.

 

For twenty-year-old Aki Ito and her family, the happy, prosperous world they knew in Los Angeles is gone forever. Imprisoned in Manzanar since Pearl Harbor, Aki and her parents have finally been released, but they're being moved further east to Chicago to rejoin Aki's older sister, Rose. 

When they arrive, it's to the news that Rose committed suicide by jumping in front of a train at Chicago's Clark and Division station. Aki is convinced that her beloved sister did not commit suicide. The police can't be bothered to look into Rose's death any further, so Aki knows that finding the truth is up to her. What she doesn't realize is just how many secrets she will be uncovering to discover what really happened.

~

If you've never read about the lives of Japanese Americans during World War II, you should read Naomi Hirahara's Clark and Division. Readers follow twenty-year-old Aki Ito and her family from their happy pre-Pearl Harbor lives in Los Angeles to their imprisonment in Manzanar in California's Owens Valley to their resettlement in the Japanese American neighborhood of Clark and Division in Chicago.

Readers see everything through Aki's eyes. She worships her older sister, Rose, who is beautiful, intelligent, and accomplished-- everything that Aki wishes she was. In comparison, Aki feels like a slow, unattractive lump, and it's not until the Itos have been in Chicago for a while that it becomes clear that Aki has been selling herself short for most of her life.

Life in Chicago isn't easy. Even giving Rose a proper burial is difficult since cemeteries are not accepting Japanese interments, and Aki cannot believe how everyone seems comfortable with the verdict of suicide on Rose's death. As she juggles her job at the Newberry Library with dealing with her parents, she still finds time to search for answers because she thinks nothing of fighting for her sister even though she won't fight for herself. 

Hirahara does an excellent job of weaving a real feeling of menace into the story, and the mystery is a satisfying one to try to solve. But more than a mystery, it's the story of the Japanese American experience during World War II that's the star of Clark and Division. Watching Aki navigate her way through governmental roadblocks, prejudice, lies, and fear to finally begin to get a real sense of herself and what she's capable of is the best part of this book, and the author's list of suggested reading at the end is invaluable.

Mystery, character study, history... Clark and Division is a story that you won't want to put down until you've read the very last page.

 

Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara

eISBN: 9781641292504

Soho Press © 2021

eBook, 312 pages

 

Historical Mystery, Standalone

Rating: A

Source: Net Galley

The Wrong Side of Goodbye by Michael Connelly

 

First Line: They charged from the cover of the elephant grass toward the LZ, five of them swarming the slick on both sides, one among them yelling, "Go! Go! Go!" -- as if each man needed to be prodded and reminded that these were the most dangerous seconds of their lives.

 

Harry Bosch may be working part-time as a detective in San Fernando, but he's also a private investigator. He's extremely picky about the cases he takes on, so he doesn't advertise, but that doesn't keep word from spreading, and he's summoned to the estate of one of southern California's biggest moguls. The man is in his eighties, has six months to live, and a ton of regrets. Foremost on his mind is whether or not he has an heir. 

 

Harry reluctantly takes on the case and soon finds himself piecing together a 65-year-old mystery that's nowhere near as simple-- or as cold-- as he thought it was going to be.  

~

I've loved Harry Bosch since something compelled me to buy a copy of The Black Echo years ago at a local bookstore. Bosch is a fixture in my life. One of my vertebrae even. I was thrilled at the quality of Amazon Prime's Bosch television series. But for some unknown reason, I allowed myself to get a bit behind in reading the books. Probably because Mickey Haller made an appearance, and I'm not a big fan of his. I know-- excuses, excuses. But I knew the books would always be there, and they'd always be good. 

For the past few years, I've been conducting a private war with audiobooks. So many readers seem to swear by them, but I'd never found a book narrated by someone who didn't put me to sleep. I don't have trouble with insomnia, so this entire "war" has been frustrating-- until I noticed an audiobook copy of The Wrong Side of Goodbye. The price was really good, so I took a look at the small print. Narrated by Titus Welliver... I love that man's voice! I bought the audiobook so fast I think I broke the internet for a second or two.

Listening to this book was being allowed to relax in heaven for a while. Seriously! I haven't felt this good about being read to since I was small enough to crawl into my mother's lap to listen to her read me a story.

Of course, the story is excellent, vintage Connelly. Harry has two cases keeping him busy: his P.I. case for the billionaire, and a case involving a serial rapist called the "Screen Cutter" in the San Fernando Valley. Most writers would think they'd hit the jackpot with just one of those storylines, but Connelly has them both and he handles both brilliantly.

What I love the most about Connelly's storytelling is the personal details he adds. It's the personal that brings the reader's emotions to the fore, that really makes the reader engage with the story and the characters. Why Harry won't eat Vietnamese food. Bob Hope, Connie Stevens, and Neil Armstrong going out to entertain the troops during the Vietnam War. That sculpture at the conclusion of the book...

With this audiobook experience being such a wonderful one, you know what I did, don't you? I have the next Harry Bosch lined up, and I'm looking forward to listening to Titus Welliver's voice telling me another story. I have finally been converted, at least where Harry is concerned.

The Wrong Side of Goodbye by Michael Connelly

Narrated by Titus Welliver

ASIN: B01K3EKBXS

Hachette Audio © 2016

Audiobook. 10 hours, 21 minutes.

 

Police Procedural, #19 Harry Bosch mystery

Rating: A

Source: Purchased through Chirp Books.  

And Now She's Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall

 

First Line: She had to do it.

 

Grayson Sykes's very first assignment as a fully fledged private investigator is the missing persons case of Isabel Lincoln, but it doesn't take Grayson long to wonder if Isabel is missing or just doesn't want to be found. Isabel's case has all the hallmarks of an abused woman, so Grayson's primary focus becomes insuring that Isabel is all right.

But the case becomes ever more complicated and dangerous with each of Isabel's secrets and truths that Grayson uncovers. This new private eye is caught in a cat-and-mouse game, so it's a very good thing that she's just as complicated as the woman she's tracking.

~

And Now She's Gone has a plot that's more convoluted than San Francisco's Lombard Street, and I enjoyed every twist and turn. Grayson Sykes' voice drew me right into the story, and we're told from the beginning that she's a strong woman who keeps a lot bottled inside. When looking at a photo of the missing Isabel Lincoln, Grayson sees the type of woman that most men want to marry: a Mary Ann.  Her boss tells her, "You're not a Mary Ann. You're the Skipper. No nonsense. Reliable. Resourceful." Not words to warm the cockles of most women's hearts, but true enough, especially when describing a woman who "kept her jaw clamped like a crocodile on a wildebeest's leg."

The further the reader gets, the wondering sets in. Why does Grayson seem to be identifying so much with the woman she's trying to find? Then the gradual unfolding of Grayson's backstory begins, and as it's woven in with Isabel's story, the cat-and-mouse game comes into its own. And Now She's Gone is a spellbinding look into how violence and fear can lead a person to abandon everything in order to survive.

Note: If you'd like to read more books by Rachel Howzell Hall, I recommend her four-book series featuring Elouise "Lou" Norton, a Black homicide detective in Los Angeles. The first book is Land of Shadows.

And Now She's Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall

ISBN: 9781250753175

Forge Books © 2020

Hardcover, 384 pages

 

Thriller, Standalone

Rating: A-

Source: Purchased from The Poisoned Pen.

Wrecked by Joe Ide

First Line: "Do you know what Abraham Lincoln said after a six-day drunk?" Jimenez said.

Isaiah Quintabe-- IQ for short-- is learning that success is no cure for loneliness. A series of successful solutions to high profile cases means that he can't even go to his neighborhood store without being recognized. His sidekick, Dodson, is now his partner and has decided that he's going to straighten out the company finances. No more chickens, sweaters, or lawn mowing in exchange for IQ's services.

But this is a concept that IQ just can't get his head around. When a young artist asks for his help in finding her mother, it's not the fee he's looking to earn, he wants the human connection. Unfortunately, that human connection leads him right into the middle of a deadly paramilitary organization, and everyone's life is now in danger.

Before I go any farther, I'll issue a warning. If you cannot tolerate or have a low tolerance for torture, you might want to give Wrecked a miss. None of the scenes are graphic-- Ide knows how to let your imagination supply most of the details-- but neither does he pull any punches in telling readers what happened. I have a high tolerance for such things, but even I was uncomfortable at times. Also, the torture is not gratuitous; it illustrates just how bad the bad guys are... and that IQ isn't Superman. But enough of that.

One of the reasons why I enjoy this series so much is that Joe Ide takes me right into the heart of the 'hood. It's a place I'd never think of going on my own, but I'm in good hands with him. I see how people live, how they think, how they talk, and how they behave. My entire visit is an emotional roller coaster. Sometimes I'm disgusted. Sometimes I get tears in my eyes. And sometimes I laugh myself silly... but that happens when I read books set elsewhere. You see, there are a lot of similarities between the 'hood and the "normal" parts of town. Some folks just don't want to admit it.

Wrecked isn't just about torture. It's also about love. How does IQ fare with the woman he loves? You'll have to read the book. How does Dodson fare with his ladylove when he keeps doing things she disapproves of? You'll have to read the book. Joe Ide's one-line descriptions may be the soul of wit and observation, but it's his characters that I love the most, and boy, there's a character in this book that made me laugh so much I was almost howling. Junior is a bad guy. A very bad guy. But he's also Mrs. Malaprop on steroids and methamphetamines. How Junior made me laugh! He's almost worth the price of admission all by himself.

But there's an engrossing story here, too. The bad guys were loathsome, and I couldn't wait to see how IQ and his posse made them pay for their crimes. What a ride! Fortunately, I don't have long to wait for the next book in the series. Long live IQ!

Wrecked by Joe Ide

eISBN: 9780316509497

Mulholland Books © 2018

eBook, 352 pages

Private Investigator, #3 IQ mystery

Rating: A+

Source: Purchased from Amazon.


 

The Night Fire by Michael Connelly

First Line: Bosch arrived late and had to park on a cemetery lane far from the gravesite.

Jack Thompson was Harry's mentor when Harry was a rookie homicide detective. When Jack dies, his widow gives Harry a murder book, one that Thompson took with him when he left the LAPD twenty years before.

The murder book concerns the unsolved killing of a troubled young man, and Harry takes it to Detective Renée Ballard for her help. What was it about this case that lit Thompson's fire all those years ago? While working her own cases on the midnight shift, Ballard begins making inquiries and finds that aspects of the initial investigation just don't add up.

Bosch and Ballard are forming a tight bond as they become a formidable investigative team. It doesn't take them long before they are asking themselves the question: Did Thompson steal the murder book to work the case in retirement, or to make sure it never got solved?

One of the things that Harry Bosch's mentor, Jack Thompson, told him was, "Take every case personally and you get angry. It builds a fire. It gives you the edge you need to go the distance every time out." It's something that Harry has done time and time again, and readers are seeing that Renée Ballard is cut from the same cloth.

The Night Fire is a mystery that kept me guessing, and I loved how all the various subplots were woven together. It takes skill to tell so many stories in such a way that isn't confusing, but long-time fans of Michael Connelly know that he's a master of the craft.

One of the underlying themes of The Night Fire is the fact that you can always learn things about the people you thought you knew well. No one wears all their experiences, all their emotions, out in plain sight for everyone to see. During the course of their investigation, both Bosch and Ballard discover that they have a lot of learning to do about their fellow police officers.

Harry Bosch has had a very special place in my heart since I first met him in the first book in the series, The Black Echo-- twenty-three books ago. I've tried to adopt Harry's mantra ("Everybody counts or nobody counts.") in my daily life. If you've never met him and don't feel like dealing with all the books in such a long-running series, I urge you to start with The Late Show. You'll be introduced to another wonderful character, Renée Ballard, who's really a young female version of Harry. And when they start working together, it's a match made in readers' heaven. Please don't miss it!

The Night Fire by Michael Connelly

eISBN: 9780316457484

Little, Brown and Company © 2019

eBook, 417 pages

Police Procedural, #3 Renée Ballard mystery

Rating: A

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

Lost Dog by Alan Russell

First Line: Angie's growling awakened her.

LAPD Detective Michael Gideon's K-9 partner Sirius rescues a lost dog from a pack of coyotes, but when they try to return the dog to its owner, they discover that the woman is missing.

Heather Moreland has clearly disappeared under suspicious circumstances, and the more Gideon digs into the woman's past, the more convinced he becomes that she's in danger-- that is if she's not already dead.

As he searches for Heather Moreland, Gideon is also troubled by the death of Langston Walker, the leader of a support group for the families of murder victims. The last time they'd spoken, Walker mentioned a cold case he'd reopened, and Gideon can't help wonder if reopening that case had anything to do with his death. Between trying to find the missing woman and his concerns over Walker's death, Gideon certainly has his hands full, so it's a good thing he has Sirius to help.

I continue to enjoy Alan Russell's Gideon & Sirius series, especially since this third book, Lost Dog, avoided something that had annoyed me in the previous two books. In Burning Man and Guardians of the Night, Sirius-- a normally extremely well-behaved dog-- threw a fit about something, and Gideon ignored him. Subsequently, Gideon experienced a great deal of pain for dismissing his partner's concerns. That doesn't happen this time, and that thrilled me to no end. Gideon may be a smart aleck, but he's a smart aleck who can learn.

Although I knew the identity of the killer seconds after the character was introduced, there was still a lot to enjoy in this book. The missing woman, Heather Moreland, had a very small part that still packed a powerful punch. Russell had to be economical with his words, but he delineated Heather's character so well that I actively worried about her safety all the way through the book.

I have to admit that I have a soft spot for Michael Gideon's sort of character. He's a smart aleck, and I love his use of puns and poetry, his references to movies and television, and so much more. If I don't actually laugh out loud, Gideon usually makes me smile as I read his quips.

Russell usually adds to my knowledge as I read these books, and Lost Dog is no exception. I learned about two systems installed in Gideon's patrol car: a special air conditioning system, and something called a Hot-N-Pop. If the temperature inside the car gets too high and the human does not respond, one of the doors will automatically unlock and pop open so the dog can get out. There have been K-9 deaths here in Phoenix due to the animals being in locked patrol cars, so when I read about these systems, I immediately wondered about our police department installing them.

Read a Gideon & Sirius mystery and you will learn things. You will laugh. And you will find yourself on the edge of your seat wondering if man and dog are going to save the day. Bring on book four!

Lost Dog by Alan Russell

ASIN: B018E898Z2

Thomas & Mercer © 2016

eBook, 322 pages

Police Procedural/Working Dog, #3 Gideon & Sirius mystery

Rating: A-

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

Guardians of the Night by Alan Russell

First Line: Wrong Pauley made sure no one was around before he started down the alleyway toward his burrow.

Even by the LAPD's standards, there are cases they consider bizarre, and those are the ones the two members of the Special Cases Unit work. This time around, the case Detective Michael Gideon and his German Shepherd partner Sirius are called on to investigate might even be called out of this world.

Ronald "Wrong" Pauley is a homeless man who is convinced that he witnessed the murder of an angel. Even though Gideon and Sirius are already in the middle of trying to identify the "Reluctant Hero" who braved gunfire and tackled a shooter at an elementary school, the brass wants the angel case looked into. When Pauley turns up dead, Gideon and Sirius have their work cut out for them to make sense of these crimes.

Having enjoyed the first book in this series, Burning Man, I looked forward to reading Guardians of the Night. I am one of those people who are very happy that there are more and more mysteries being written that feature working dogs.

Once again, I was treated to smart-aleck Gideon's ability to turn a phrase, and some of his acronyms are going to come in handy (NBH = Nobody Home; D-SAT = Didn't See a Thing). Readers are also treated to information and opinions on poetry, authors, and movies. I do know that I learned a lot about something important to the storyline, but I'm not going to say what it is so you can figure it out for yourself.

I like Russell's way with a fast pace and how he puts a mystery together. There's plenty of misdirection in Guardians of the Night, and you have to pay attention to almost every little thing because it will be part of the solution to both cases by book's end. I also like Russell's characterizations-- especially those of Wrong Pauley, Elle, and the Reluctant Hero.

There's only one thing that bugs me about this book: Gideon is still not paying attention to Sirius's behavior! You'd think if Gideon wound up in hot water a time or two, he'd learn that Sirius knows what he's barking about and pay attention. Maybe by book three?

With the strength of Russell's characters and storylines, you know I'll be moving on to the third book in the series. Bring on Lost Dog!

Guardians of the Night by Alan Russell

eISBN: 9781477825846

Thomas & Mercer © 2014

eBook, 353 pages

Police Procedural, #2 Gideon & Sirius mystery

Rating: A-

Source: Purchased from Amazon.


 

Fastest Things on Wings: Rescuing Hummingbirds in Hollywood by Terry Masear

First Line: If destiny arrives at times by chance and at other times by choice, for me it came through some of each.

This memoir of rehabber Terry Masear is a must-read for anyone who is fascinated with hummingbirds. I've loved these tiny living jewels since I was quite small, seeing ruby-throated hummingbirds visit my grandmother's flower garden. The day I moved to Arizona was the first time I'd ever seen one perch in a tree and being able to observe them every day in my own desert garden is a delight I never tire of.

Masear includes many facts in her memoir that people with differing levels of expertise will appreciate, but what I enjoyed the most was her account of the day-to-day care involved with rescuing and rehabilitating these little marvels. In four months, she took in 160 hummingbirds in various stages of need. With feedings every thirty minutes during the day and a phone that never stopped ringing, readers can feel Masear's exhaustion. But we can also feel her love and dedication, especially with hummingbirds like Gabriel and Pepper, birds that were gravely injured and not expected to live. Yes, this is a book in which both your mind and your heart will be engaged.

Don't be surprised if you read Fastest Things on Wings and discover that your sense of wonder has been reawakened-- and that if you're lucky enough to have hummingbirds in your neighborhood that you look at them in a brand-new light. These little jewels are enough in and of themselves to make me believe in miracles, and I am so glad I read Masear's book.

Fastest Things on Wings: Rescuing Hummingbirds in Hollywood by Terry Masear

eISBN: 9780544416086

Mariner Books © 2016

eBook, 333 pages

Non-Fiction, Standalone

Rating: A

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

The Burglar by Thomas Perry

First Line: A young blond woman ran along a quiet Bel-Air street at dusk.

With the right combination of intelligence, looks, and skills, Elle Stowell has gone far in her chosen profession: burglary. It's easy for her to stroll through the swanky Bel Air neighborhoods and pick the perfect homes to break into and steal the most valuable items. But when she breaks into the home of a wealthy art dealer and stumbles upon a triple homicide, Elle discovers that someone is searching for her-- and leaving a trail of bodies in their wake as they do so.

Her knowledge of the high-profile murder has made her a target, and her skills as a burglar are going to have to help her uncover the truth before she becomes the next victim.

I am a big fan of Thomas Perry's Jane Whitefield mysteries in which Jane helps people disappear. Reading passages in those books makes readers feel as though they're reading a textbook on how to leave your old life behind and start all over again. You get that same textbook feeling reading The Burglar, but the reading enjoyment was much lower for me.

The repetition is deadly in this book. We are told over and over how pretty Elle is. How smart she is. How good she is at being a burglar. We are told over and over of her wardrobe changes and her rental car trade-ins. Over and over, world without end... This might have worked-- I might not have noticed all the repetition-- if Elle's voice hadn't been so dispassionate. As if everything she says must be taken as fact and it's useless to argue with her because she could care less what you think.

But I do insist on arguing with her. She may be pretty, and she may know how to trade in rental cars and choose just the right outfit for each occasion, but she's not nearly as smart as she likes to think she is. She knows someone is following her, someone who committed a triple homicide. What does she do? Go to a friend's house to stay. In another instance-- having even more proof that she's being followed-- she attends a funeral and is surprised by what happens there. There are even more examples of Elle being Too Stupid To Live, but there's no need to list them all. Seasoned crime fiction readers will know what I mean. This character was driving me insane.

The only thing that kept me going was the fact that I insisted on knowing what was going on, why it was going on, and how it would all be wrapped up. That was interesting, and it helped that the point of view at the end switched from the smug, flat-voiced Elle. My ear needed a rest from her, and the different point of view helps readers see how everything fit together.

At the end of The Burglar, I was happy to know how everything turned out and even more thrilled in the knowledge that I'd never have to spend any more time with Elle Stowell. If you've wanted to read Thomas Perry-- and you should-- it's better to stick to a standalone like The Butcher's Boy or his Jane Whitefield series. This is not one of his better books.

The Burglar by Thomas Perry

ISBN: 9780802129000

Mysterious Press © 2019

Hardcover, 304 pages

Amateur Sleuth, Standalone

Rating: C

Source: Amazon Vine


 

Burning Man by Alan Russell

First Line: Even before I pressed down hard on the gas, Sirius was aware that something was up.

Los Angeles police officer Michael Gideon and his K-9 partner Sirius are heroes and celebrities after capturing a serial killer in the midst of a roaring inferno. After months of rehab, Sirius may not be able to resume his official duties as a member of the LAPD, but with Gideon heading up the new Special Cases Unit, wherever Gideon goes, Sirius is going to be right by his side. With the official case of a crucified teenager in a city park and the personal case of an abandoned dead baby at the foot of Angel's Flight, the two are not going to have any spare time, and that suits them both just fine.

2018 seems to be my year of reading mysteries that have detectives with canine partners. Most of these books have been excellent reads, and Burning Man continues the trend. Reminiscent of Michael Connelly, Alan Russell's first Gideon and Sirius mystery makes the setting one of the strongest characters in the book. Readers learn interesting bits of Los Angeles history along the way, and the fierce Santa Ana winds and fire add a great deal of tension.

I loved the voice of Michael Gideon as well as his sense of humor. When told that he's going to head up the Special Cases Unit, he asks, "What would I tell people? That I work in the Defense Against the Dark Arts Division?" This is a man who is still suffering from PTSD. His burns may have healed, but his mind hasn't, and being on the job is helping to keep him sane. The only thing that bugged me about Gideon was his TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) moment when he completely disregarded Sirius's behavior in a parking lot.

My annoyance was short-lived, however, because the cases he was trying to solve were too interesting. The crucified teenager put a lot of miles on Gideon's car because the dead boy wasn't who he appeared to be, and since he was popular, he had a very wide circle of acquaintances. The investigation into the death of the abandoned baby was very personal to Gideon, and it allowed readers to look more deeply into his backstory. His handling of this second case said a lot about him as a person.

Burning Man is a book in which I learned quite a few things about weather, fire, Los Angeles history, skin grafts, and the Safely Surrendered Baby Law. This fast-paced book's two investigations also kept me guessing. But it's the smart-alecky character of Michael Gideon and his dog Sirius that are going to make me reach for the other books in the series. Good stuff!

Burning Man by Alan Russell

eISBN: 9781612186092

Thomas & Mercer © 2012

eBook, 328 pages

Police Procedural, #1 Gideon & Sirius mystery

Rating: A-

Source: Purchased from Amazon.


 

Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly

First Line: The patrol officers had left the front door open.

Detective Renée Ballard's partner is on bereavement leave, and since no one on the late show (night shift) is replaced, she's working alone. During the wee hours one morning, she returns to Hollywood Station to find a stranger rifling through the old file cabinets. The intruder is Harry Bosch who's working a cold case that's gotten under his skin.

Ballard won't let him go through the department records, but after Bosch leaves, she takes a look at the case herself and feels an instant, empathetic connection to it. She wants in. Now Ballard and Bosch are working together to find out what happened to Daisy Clayton, a teenage runaway who was brutally murdered and thrown away like a piece of trash. During the course of their investigation, they form a fragile trust which is going to be tested when the case takes an unexpected-- and dangerous-- turn.

I loved Connelly's first Renée Ballard novel, The Late Show, and had no doubt that she and Harry Bosch would get along well after a bit of introductory posturing (mostly on Renée's part). After all, Ballard is a younger, female version of Bosch. All she needs is his experience, and if the two of them work together very much, she's going to get it.

It's fun watching these two get to know each other. Bosch takes one look at Ballard's deep tan and knows she's not the typical detective who works the late show. He even makes Ballard laugh-- and it's so unusual for her to do that that it startled me. When Ballard is around Harry, she pays attention and soaks up how he does things like a sponge. Once again, as I read Dark Sacred Night, I loved watching how Renée sees things, how she interacts with people. There's no such thing as a throwaway human being to Renée or to Harry, so I predict some interesting cases ahead for the two of them to work.

Connelly's pacing is swift and sure. He knows how to deliver fascinating cases and action sequences that have readers biting their fingernails. Moreover, Connelly doesn't believe in throwaway characters either. Readers never see a police officer named Tim Farmer during the course of Dark Sacred Night even though he plays an important role. We only get to read his descriptions of people on his field interview cards, but outside of Ballard and Bosch, Farmer is the most memorable character in the book to me.

There's little else for me to say other than I hope it's not long before these two detectives are working together again. Renée, send up that signal!

Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly

eISBN: 9780316486675

Little, Brown and Company © 2018

eBook, 448 pages

Police Procedural, #1 Ballard & Bosch mystery

Rating: A

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

Nighttown by Timothy Hallinan

First Line: By way of a prelude, a few words about the dark.

If Junior Bender and his girlfriend Ronnie weren't so desperate for cash, Junior would never have broken one of his cardinal rules: Never take a job that pays too well.

Junior has been hired to break into the abandoned house of a recently deceased 97-year-old recluse, Daisy Horton, and steal a doll from her collection. Junior thinks this job has nothing to do with the doll itself and everything to do with something that's hidden inside it-- and that something could get him into a boatload of trouble.

It doesn't take Junior long to discover that he's not the only one looking for the doll, and when one of his friends is murdered, he decides he will stop at nothing to find out who hired him and why that doll is important enough to leave a trail of bodies in its wake.

After spending time with Junior Bender through the course of seven books, he has me well-trained. When he and I break into a house, I, too, stop breathing and listen. I, too, take a close look at the objects in the room. Is anything missing? Is something there that shouldn't be? There's never been a better time for extreme caution than in Nighttown because Junior is breaking into Horton House-- Tim Hallinan's response to Shirley Jackson's Hill House. How does Horton House compare? I wouldn't want to step foot in it, that's for sure.

There's a lot of action packed into a couple of days here. Junior needs to find out what's in that doll, how to keep his loved ones safe, and how to keep himself from being added to the body count. Junior needs all the help he can get, whether it's from fellow crook Louie the Lost or from a tattooed waitress at a local diner or even from an old manuscript.

Hallinan's tightly plotted and fast-paced book kept me anxious for Junior's safety. After all, Junior Bender is my favorite fictional felon-- and Hallinan is one of my favorite writers. The death of Junior's friend at the beginning of the book hit me particularly hard and not because the scene was gruesome. No, not a spec of gore was to be seen, merely the sight of a person getting into a car, the car driving away, and a specific noise. That's all. A very simple scene, but its violence chilled me to the bone. Hallinan knows to let a reader's mind do its own work.

I also appreciate Hallinan's cynicism and his humor. I welcomed those flashes of humor while I worried about Junior. And it's always good to learn something new... like how to shower with a baby alligator. Nighttown is the real deal, the complete package, and if you haven't had the pleasure of reading one of these books, what are you waiting for?

Nighttown by Timothy Hallinan

ISBN: 9781616957483

Soho Crime © 2018

Hardcover, 384 pages

Private Investigator, #7 Junior Bender

Rating: A+

Source: the publisher 

Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz

First Line: Evan's twelve-year-old body is stiff in the cushy passenger seat of the black sedan as he is driven in silence.

If you are truly desperate and deserving, someone may give you the phone number of the Nowhere Man. He's a legendary figure who can and will do anything to protect and save you. But the legend has a name: Evan Smoak, a man with an extraordinary skill set and a stockpile of resources that he uses on his personal mission to help those with nowhere else to turn. But his dangerous past is catching up with him.

As a child, he was raised and trained as an Orphan-- a member of a government off-the-books program designed to create the perfect deniable intelligence asset: assassins. Evan was Orphan X until he broke with the program and used his skills to disappear. But now there is someone with similar skills and training who is out to get him... and this shadow always seems to be two steps ahead.

I was in the mood for a good thriller and liked the synopsis of Hurwitz's Orphan X. This fast-paced story did deliver, but not quite as much as I'd expected. Hurwitz doles out Evan's backstory sparingly, which only makes readers want more. However, it is enough to wow you with the character's abilities and to make you want to hug the little boy he once was. As a result of his training, Evan really doesn't know how to play well with others. Actually, he doesn't know how to play with others at all, and we see this during his interactions with the other residents of the building in which he lives. There's the grumpy old lady who seems to lay in wait for him at the elevator so she can complain non-stop, but we normal folk would have problems with her, too. No, it's when Evan becomes acquainted with divorced lawyer Mia and her inquisitive eight-year-old son Peter that we see how much he has to fight against that long-ago training of his.

Where the soufflé fell for me was in the too-numerous-to-count fight scenes. Hurwitz wants us to know exactly how extensive Evan's hand-to-hand combat skills are, and each fight scene is laced with mixed martial art terms like "wing chan oblique kick." Over and over and over again. This is all well and good if you are a fan and want to be able to picture the fight in your mind, but I definitely do not fit that category. One movie scene comes to mind. Raiders of the Lost Ark. Indiana Jones is cornered in a bazaar by a sword-wielding showoff. Jones doesn't have time to wait for the nitwit to stop strutting his stuff, so he pulls out his gun and shoots him. Problem solved. Since this is the fight scene category I belong in, you can see where these minutely-described scenes in Orphan X made my eyes cross in boredom.

Since I have a feeling that these fight scenes will continue as the series progresses, I will leave Evan Smoak here in book one. But I am certainly glad that I made his acquaintance, and I wish him well.

Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz

eISBN: 9781466876514 

Minotaur Books © 2016

eBook, 367 pages

Thriller, #1 Evan Smoak mystery

Rating: B

Source: Purchased from Amazon.