Rain Storm - Barry Eisler - 2005. John Rain, an assassin with rules, follows a target to Macau and then to Hong Kong. Along the way he deals with good guys and bad guys but it all keeps the pages turning. Good escape read. 9 Heat Lightning - John Sanford - 2008. This is the second Virgil Flowers mystery. Flowers is trying to solve a string of murders that seem to relate back to the end of the Vietnam war. Very well done - moves right along and is easy to read. It is even better if you have read any of the "Prey" series about Lucas Davenport because Flowers is one of his top investigators and you get a better feel for the character - but the book stands on it's own very well. 10 The Express - The Ernie Davis Story - Robert Gallagher - 2008. This is a simple 175 page softcover that tells the life story of a man who left a huge impact on the country after a brief life that lasted less than 24 years. Ernie Davis was the kind of man that every other man should try to be. Reading this book will explain why that is so. 9 Requiem For An Assassin - Barry Eisler - 2007. John Rain has few friends. When one of them, "Dox", is taken as hostage, Rain is forced to follow orders or cause his death. There is action on every page and the characters are well drawn. 9 Divine Justice - David Baldacci = 2008. The Camel Club follow Oliver Stone to Divine, Virginia to right several wrongs. This is a very good book that will keep you interest until the very end. 10 The Book Of Unholy Mischief - Elle Newmark - 2008. It is the 15th century in Venice and a famous chef takes a young boy off the streets to become his apprentice. This is a well written novel that is easy to read and very enjoyable. 9 Born To Run - James Grippando - 2008. The Vice President dies while on a vacation in Florida. Jack Swytek's father, Harry, is asked to become the new VP. But something strange is going on and we are really not sure what it is until right up to the end of the book. Good, fast reading. Plausible? Maybe not - but still a fun read. 9 Deal Breaker - Harlan Coben - 1995. This is the first novel in the Myron Bolitar series. Myron is starting over as a sports agent and in his attempt to negotiate a contract for a football player he gets caught up in a murder investigation. 9 City of Bones - Michael Connelly - 2002. Harry Bosch is called in to the discovery of what appears to be human bones. The investigation reveals that the bones have been in the ground for over twenty years. Following Harry as he goes about the business of solving this case is not only interesting - but very good reading. 10 Crazy For You - Jennifer Crusie - 1999. Quinn is stuck in an old relationship and it is just not working. Her breakup and the events that follow make for a great vacation novel. 9 The Last Assassin - Barry Eisler - 2008. John Rain is trying to get out of "the life" as a high paid assassin but he finds it more and more difficult. This story takes him from Rio to Spain to Japan and back - a real roller coaster ride. 10 Night and Day - Robert B. Parker - 2009. Jesse Stone leads the police force of Paradise, MA. They are involved in trying to catch a peeping Tom and it gets all wrapped around a number of other interesting issues. These mysteries are not very deep but always entertaining. 9 Final Assault - Barry Eisler - 2009. Alex Trevan is an attorney in San Francisco and his brother Ben is a Special Forces Sgt in the Army. They are not close and have not spoken in years as a result of family problems. When Alex gets into serious trouble and people around him are being killed, he sends a message to Ben for help. This is a good book but nowhere near as good as the John Rain series. Still, I enjoyed it. 9 Oh Johnny - Jim Lehrer - 2009. Johnny Wrigley was a high school baseball player who finished school and joined the Marines in 1944. He spent two years fighting for his country and then tried to go home and recover his life. This is the story of how the war affected him, and all of the young people of that time. It is fiction but in a much broader sense, not fiction at all. 9 Plum Spooky - Janet Evanovich - 2008. Stephanie Plum gets caught up in the search for Martin Munch who failed to appear for a court appointment after he ran over his ex-wife's new husband - don't ask. This is a "between the numbers" book in the series and it is just good fun. 9 Long Lost - Harlen Coben - 2009. A Myron Bolitar mystery. The only negative comment is that because this is a part of a series, a lot of time is spent introducing a character that readers of the series already know. That being said, this is a very good book - well paced and very captivating. I read it in one day - straight through - it's a 10. Still Life - Joy Fielding - 2008. Casey Marshall was having lunch with her friends and while walking back to her car is run over by a hit and run driver in an SUV doing 50 miles per hour. Many bones were broken but fortunately, her spine and brain stem were left intact. After many operations, she was left in a hospital bed in a coma with only time to help her heal. And then her mind became awake - and then she discovered that she could hear everything going on around her but she was unable to respond in any way. Her mind was awake but her body was trapped in the coma. The story becomes a medical mystery from her viewpoint and I found it fascinating. 9 Metro Girl - Janet Evanovich. Barney's brother, Bill, has a bad habit of getting in trouble and when she gets a strange call from him she has no choice but to leave her job and try to help. Along the way she meets some friends, old and new, and a fun story keeps your interest right up to the end. 9 Liars Anonymous - Louise Ure - 2009. Jessie Dancing works for a call center that responds to automobile emergencies. After hearing a man get beaten, she calls 911 and starts a mystery that drags her into her past life. If this book does not teach you to keep your nose our of other people's business, nothing will. 9 Nothing But A Smile - Steve Amick - 2009. Wink Dutton has a stupid accident and gets sent home from the war. He stops in Chicago to pass on a message to the wife of a friend and gets caught up in a story that turns out to be warm and funny and sad and romantic - just like real life. well written and very real. One of the best books I have read in a long time. 10 Resolution - Robert B. Parker - 2008. Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch wind up in a town called Resolution that is pretty much lawless and pretty much being run by two men who each want to own the entire place. It is a very easy read and very well written. A great sequel to Appaloosa. 10 Plum Lovin' - Janet Evanovich - 2007. Stephanie Plum is trying to find Annie who has failed to appear for her court hearing. Diesel has Annie in hiding as he tries to solve a problem of his own. The two of them team up to help everyone in Trenton, NJ. 9 An American Summer - Frank Deford - 2002. This novel is based on a true story about one young man's summer in 1954. It is beautifully written and it should be mandatory reading for every teenager in this country. 11 Brimstone - Robert B. Parker - 2009. Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch move on to Placido where they find Allie and the three of them ride to Brimstone where they are told there might be some work. It was another excellent Parker novel. 10 Chasing The Bear - Robert B. Parker - 2009. This is called a "Young Spenser Novel". It is a short book about Spenser as a 14 year old boy living with his father and two uncles. It is hard for me to say that it should be read by young adults, but it may be. I enjoyed it and I think that anyone who likes Parker's books will as well. 9 Loitering With Intent - Stuart Woods - 2009. A Stone Barrington novel. Stone goes to Key West to find a person who has to sign a document for a business deal. This leads to a very involved story that is filled with everything that you read this author for. Good Book. 10 The Book Thief - Markus Zusak - 2005. This is a brilliant novel about one orphan German girl and how she survived the second world war. All I can tell you is that every intelligent human being should read this. Incredible. 10 Gone Tomorrow - Lee Child - 2009. The thirteenth Jack Reacher novel finds Reacher in New York City on a subway. He sees a lady who looks out of place and all of a sudden the ball is rolling downhill and it doesn't look like it will be easy to stop. I couldn't put it down. Tough but a great read. 10 A Body To Die For - Kate White - 2003. Bailey is a freelance writer who is invited up to a friends spa for a weekend. One of the massage therapists is murdered and Bailey is trying to help the investigation. Everything gets very involved and it is actually an interesting story. Nothing great but fun none the less. 8 The Scarecrow - Michael Connelly - 2009. Wesley Carver is a genius. He is the lead technical wizard of Western Data. He is also nuts. Jack McEvoy is a reporter for the L.A. Times. Rachel Wallings is an FBI agent. Jack writes the stories and Rachel tracks down the bad guys. This book is cutting edge and very scary. 10 Wicked Prey -John Sanford - 2009. The republican party is holding its nominating convention in St. Paul. There are thousands of people and millions of dollars floating around - and there is a gang who knows how to get the money. It's the kind of book you don't want to put down. 10 The 8th Confession - James Patterson - 2009. Lindsey Boxer and the Women's Murder Club chase down the killer of the cream of high society in San Francisco. With three different stories twisted together this is a crazy ride that reads very fast. 10 High Season -Jon Loomis - 2002. Frank Coffin is the only detective on the Provincetown police force. When a number of important people start turning up dead, he has his hands full. This is a good story with a lot of humor. 9 First Family - David Baldacci - 2009. A very good mystery about a fictional first family and the history that lies in the background and eventually comes back to haunt them. 10 Mating Season - Jon Loomis - 2009. Detective Frank Coffin and Sgt Lola Winters are told to assist the state police investigating the murder of a young woman who appears to have had affairs with just about every married man in the town. And not just an affair. Kinky sex that she managed to record and hold over them. Lots of suspects; lots of humor. A very good read. 10 The Big O - Declan Burke - 2007. This is actually an interesting story about a guy that "snatches" people. It is a kidnapping scheme with no intention of anybody ever getting hurt. This time, however, the people involved are all nuts! The author is Irish and the dialogue has an Irish sound to it but the action appears to take place in the USA. It was interesting but not great. 7 People of the Book - Geraldine Brooks - 2008. I think that I read all of the other mysteries and such just waiting for a book like this. While it is a work of fiction, it is so well researched and so well written that it transcends fiction and makes you feel as if you are a part of the time that is being documented. Wonderful. 11 Fresh Kills - Bill Loehfelm - 2008. The police come to an apartment to tell a man that his father has been killed. From this event the story unfolds and the reader is shown a brutal life that ended in a horrible way. While the ending very well done, the journey is very hard to get through. Not for the faint of heart. 7 Guilty - Karen Robards - 2008. Kate White is a brand new prosecutor who has just passed the bar exam and is getting ready to take cases to trial on her own when a courtroom becomes the central point in an escape plot. A judge is murdered and she is taken hostage. What happens after that makes up the bulk of the story. It is somewhat bizarre to think that this could take place. And the book becomes very frustrating as the story gets drawn out way beyond its normal end. 6 Detour - James Siegel - 2005. Paul and Joanne are trying to have a baby and finally decide that it would be best to adopt a child. They go to a lawyer who specializes in adoptions from Central America. This starts a story that gets very rough. It is not an easy read but it is well written and has a good ending. 8 Hooked - Matt Richtel - 2007. This is a suspense novel about love in the 21st century and how computers will affect our lives. Nat Idle is a freelance writer who specializes in medicine and technology. He finished medical school but decided that he could not be a doctor. The story of how his lifes story unfolds is worth reading. 9 Death By Rodrigo - Ron Liebman - 2007. Mickey and Junne are lawyers who both used to be policemen. They now represent the same jerks that they used to be trying to arrest. The story is ok but the writing is horrible. How this book got published is beyond me. 3 Back to the Bedroom - Janet Evanovich - 1989. One of the books that were written before the popular Plum series. Great summer vacation book. 10. Finger Lickin' Fifteen - Janet Evanovich - 2009. Not the best Plum book she has written - too much Lula - but a fun read. 9 Deep Lie - Stuart Woods - 1986. This is the first book in the series that features Will Lee who will eventually become President. In this book he is an assistant to the U. S. Senator from Georgia and he gets involved in a high level struggle within the CIA. Good book. 10 Made To Be Broken - Kelley Armstrong - 2009. Nadia Stafford owns a back woods bed and breakfast in Canada and has a side job that may not be considered suitable for an ex-policewoman. It does, however, make for very interesting reading. I am going to try to find the other books is this series. 9 Bad Things Happen - Harry Dolan - 2009. David Loogan has moved to Ann Arbor and is working as an editor at Gray Streets, a literary magazine. Strange things start to happen and before you know it, there are dead people all over this normally quiet town. This is a well written mystery that is easy to read. 9 Chiefs - Stuart Woods - 1981. This book covers the lives of three men who were all the Chief of Police of Delano, Georgia. The timeline is around 1920 to 1963 and the South may have never been uncovered so graphically. While it is a good book, it is not for the squeamish or weak of heart. 9 Vapors - Wes DeMott - 1999. A mystery that shows us a government that we are all afraid could really happen. Peter Jamison is a VietNam vet who now works as a project manager at a company that does work for the military. His project is stopped and in the process of finding out why he discovers that money has been paid out to a lot of people in power. You won't figure it out - too many twists and turns - but it will keep your interest. 8 Everything Hurts - Bill Scheft - 2009. Phil Camp wrote a book using the name Marty Fleck. He wrote it as a joke and everyone took it seriously. As a result, he was asked to write a syndicated column. This then is the story of his life before and after the creation of Marty Fleck. The book is full of wisdom and humor. I loved it, but then, I am pretty strange myself. Others my not enjoy it as much - their loss. 10 Fugitive - Phillip Margolin - 2009. Charlie Marsh has fled the country to evade prosecution for a crime he did not commit. Like so many other things in life, he finds that the cure is worse than the illness. An ok read. 8 Irreplaceable - Stephen Lovely - 2009. This is the story of a heart. Transplanted from one person who passed in a terrible accident, to another who was vital and productive until her own heart gave out. The dynamics of the event and the way that so many people were affected make up the bulk of the story. Slow in parts but very tender. 9 In The Wood - Tana French - 2007. The story takes place in Ireland and it takes a while to get used to the way the language is used. A body is found and the Murder Squad takes over. The book is slow and clumsy but the story is ok. I did not like the ending - it could have been much better - but that is the author's choice. 7 Rough Country - John Sanford - 2009. Another Virgil Flowers mystery. One of the best I have read this year. Flowers is called in when a very wealthy woman is shot to death at a resort. The clues are very thin and there is a lot of crazy stuff going on - you just have to read it - it is too good to miss. 10 The Blade Itself - Marcus Sakey - 2007. Danny Carter grew up in a poor Irish neighborhood in Chicago. The friends he had growing up became criminals and he was on the brink of that life as well when he managed to pull himself out of it and become a civilian. Then, an old friend gets released from prison and promptly screws up Danny's life. This is a tough story and probably more like real than any of us would like it to be. 8 The Professional - Robert B. Parker - 2009. Spenser is on the job and it is another wonderful read. In the newest book, Spenser is trying to figure out who is blackmailing a group of beautiful, sexy women. Set aside five hours and find out for yourself. 10 Panic - Jeff Abbott - 2005. Evan Casher is a documentary film maker who wakes up one morning to find his life in chaos. The book is a mystery/thriller that does not let up. The story does not let up and it will keep you guessing until the very end. 8 No Colder Place - S. J. Rozan - 1997. Bill Smith is a Private Investigator in New York City. His assignment is going to work on a construction site to try and determine what is wrong with the construction. It's a good mystery with interesting characters and plenty of reality. 9 Crash Into Me - Jill Sorenson - 2009. This is a vacation book - something to read on the airplane or beach. Sonny Vasquez is an FBI agent working undercover in order to find a serial killer. In the process she meets Ben Fortune and his daughter, Carly. Ben is a single father and the relationship with Sonny gets in the way of her investigation - in a very hot way. 9 The English Major - Jim Harrison - 2008. Cliff was doing fine. He started out teaching English and then, after ten years, took over his father-in-law's farm and for twenty-five years was a farmer in central Michigan. His wife, Vivian, wanted to go to her 40th high school reunion and when they went, she met a high school flame and dumped Cliff. The book is a story of his life immediately after the end of their marriage. While I did not feel that it was the most well written book I have read, I did enjoy reading it a great deal. 10 The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows - 2008. This book is a collection of fictional letters that tell the story of the Channel Island of Guernsey that was invaded by the Nazi's and occupied during the second world war. It is a beautiful book that is easy to read and should be at the top of every reader's list. 10 Hothouse Orchid - Stuart Woods - 2009. Holly Barker is sent on vacation and goes to her second home in Orchid Beach, FL. While there she finds herself involved in the case of a serial killer that has many other connections. A very good, fast, read. 10 9 Dragons - Michael Connelly - 2009. Harry Bosch attempts to solve the murder of a Chinese man who owns a convenience store. The case leads to connections to the Chinese Triads and some very difficult people who will go to any lengths to get Bosch off the case. Very intense but one of the best Bosch novels. 10 Vicious Circle - Robert Littell - 2006. A fictional account of the struggle between Israel and Palestine and the politics of the world. The author has caught the insanity of the fanatics who continue to fight over the smallest piece of land in the entire arab world. 9 The Year Of The Flood - Margaret Atwood - 2009. Oryx and Crake told us of a future world that was populated by the creatures that came from the unintended consequence of trying to improve on the natural order of the world as we know it. This book covers the 25 years that came before the end of the greatest majority of what life was left after the governments fell and chaos took over. It is frightful on a level that is difficult to comprehend. Not an easy book to read but very powerful. 8 Sullivan's Justice - Nancy Taylor Rosenberg - 2005. The first half of this novel is slow and plodding but if you can get past that it picks up pretty well and becomes a compelling mystery. You will not figure out what is happening until deep into the story and maybe that is the problem. 8 Heat Wave - Richard Castle - 2009. ABC has a television show that appears on Monday evenings at 10. It is called Castle and is about a writer who uses his friendship with the mayor to gain access to the police department where he tags along doing research for his next book. To complement that show, a book was actually published as written by Castle. The rumor on the internet is that it was written by Steven J. Cannell - but I don't know. The fact is that it is not a bad book and I enjoyed it. Nothing deep or heavy but fun. 9