Night Fall - 2004 - Nelson DeMille. John Corey, the main character of Plum Island and Lion's Gate, is drawn into an investigation of the cause of the crash of TWA 800 five years after the event and after the case had been closed by the FBI and the NTSB. This is an excellently written book which presents a great deal of information about the tragedy and the investigation surrounding it. I was not completely pleased by the ending of the book but you will have to make your own determination. 9.5 The Amber Room - 2003 - Steve Berry. Over 250 years ago, panels were crafted of pure amber to line the walls of a room. The panels were given to Peter the Great of Russia as a gift. They were located in Catherine Palace for years - and then, during the second world war, the panels were removed, never to be seen again. All of this is fact - the book is a fictional account of what could have happened - and of the people who were involved. 9 A Thread Of Grace - 2004 - Mary Doria Russell. A novel of historical fiction about the last three years of the second world war in Northern Italy and how the citizens of Italy tried to protect their Jewish neighbors. This is maybe one ot the best written books I have ever read. 10 The Last Goodbye - Reed Arvin. Lawyer Jack Hammond of Atlanta gets caught up in a power struggle between two bio-chemical research companies the players in a life or death game. 8 The Killing Game - Iris Johansen. Eve Duncan lost her daughter, Bonnie, to a serial killer. In this mystery she chases the killer, ten years later, all over the country. It is well written and very riviting - the bad part is that the killer hurts children and that is disturbing - be cautious. 9 Bet Me - Jennifer Crusie. Cal Morrisey and Min DObbs get together because of a stupid bet and their relationship develops from that point. Along the way you get to meet their very interesting circle of friends and their not so interesting family. It is not a mystery and it has little social value but I just had a very good time reading it. Someday it will be a real "chick flick" starring Minnie Driver - at least, that is who I would cast in it.9 A Private Hotel for Gentle Ladies - Ellen Cooney - 2005. This book is advertised as being about a male brothel in Boston at the turn of the last century - around 1900. Actually, it is a period book about a woman who is married to a member of a wealthy New England family and how she manages to exist within the framework of that family. Eventually, she escapes and runs to Boston where her husband's aunt, a doctor who happens to frequent said hotel, offers her some degree of safe harbor until she gets her life worked out. The book is well written and does provide a good look at the upper crust of New England society, and I enjoyed it, but it was nowhere near as "exciting" as it was thought to have been. 7 Sea Change - Robert B. Parker - 2006. A Jesse Stone Mystery set in Paradise, MA. A body washes up during "race week" and Jesse has to investigate the situation. The book is a good mystery and as always, filled with very good Parker dialogue. 9 Dying to Please - Linda Howard. Sarah Stevens is a butler/bodyguard for a retired judge. When he is murdered the policw think that she is a suspect and her life starts to unravel. The cop investigating the case saves her and it makes for a good story. 8 The Quiet Game - Greg Ilse. Penn Cage returns to his childhood home of Natchez after the death of his wife only to get caught up in a 30 year old murder. This is an absolute page turner that will keep you up late at night. 9 Invasion of Privacy - Perri O'Shaugnessy. Nina Reilly, an attorney who has decided to limit her practice to civil litigation after being shot during her last criminal case, gets caught up in a murder case that involves many people close to her past. It is not a bad book but I would not recommend it. 7 Lost - Michael Robotham - 2005. Set in England, this novel is about a young girl who is kidnapped and presumed dead, and an aging police inspector who has amnesia. It is well written and has good characters but it was frustrating as well. 8 Odd Thomas - Dean Koontz. This is a strange but fascinating novel about a very lovable character who can see those people who have passed away but who have not passed on. He also has the ability to sense trouble before it happens. The book starts slow but it is a down hill ride. 8 Under My Skin - Sarah Dunant - 1995. Hannah is a private detective in England who is given an assignment to find out who his terrorizing a health spa. She has a sister who is having trouble with her husband and she is having trouble with men in general. This is a fast reading mystery, light and interesting. 8 The Eighth Day - John Case - 2002. Denny Cray is an artist who works as a part time investigator to support his true calling - sculpture. When he accepts an assignment to do some research for a man from Italy, people start dying at an alarming rate. This is a well developed novel that will keep the reader turning pages. 8 Welcome To Temptation - Jennifer Crusie - 2000. Amy and Sophie Dempsey own a video business in Cinncinati - they do weddings and other family events. Tired of the grind of the business, they go to Temptation, a small, Southern Ohio city, to make a short movie as an attempt to help Amy work her way into the movie business. Along the way, the girls fall in lust and love and mischief. This may be one of the hottest novels I have ever read - it's dirty so be forewarned. 8 Faking It - Jennifer Crusie. Davy Dempsey gets involved with the Goodnight family in Columbus, Ohio. The Goodnights own an art gallery that has gone down hill since the death of Gwen's husband, Tony. The characters are fun and the plot is easy. Good beach book. 8 Fast Women - Jennifer Crusie. Nell gets a job as a secretary at a private detectives office and falls in love with the boss. Meanwhile, a mystery crops up and involves everyone. Not a bad read - maybe not as good as her other books but decent. 7 Missing Persons - Stephen White. Alan Gregory is a psychologist in Boulder, CO and his wife is an assistant district attorney. When a fourteen year old girl goes missing right before Christmas, a lot of people are affected and Alan is one of them. This is a well written mystery that is very easy to read. 8 Heat - Mike Lupica - 2006. A story about little league baseball in New York City - really written for teenagers but well written and a good story. 8 Dean and Me - Jerry Lewis - 2005. The story of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis and the ten years that they were on top of the entertainment world - what caused the breakup and how it affected both of them. 8 Immoral - Brian Freeman. A teenage girl goes missing and the police follow clues back to the step father, who they arrest and try. The story goes on from there and the twists and turns will keep you involved in the story. 8 Retribution - Jilliane Hoffman. Chloe Larson is studying to take the New York bar exam when a man breaks into her home and brutally rapes and tortures her. Her life, as she knew it, is over. Twelve years later, as a prosecuting attorney in Florida, she blunders across the man who ruined her life - only know, he is the accused and she has the power. This is a difficult book to read but it reads real fast - it is difficult because the terror is so real. 8 Blue Screen - Robert Parker - 2006. Sunny Randall gets involved in a case in Paradise, MA and meets Jesse Stone - and as they work together they find each other very attractive. Good story - fast read - classic Parker. 9 Dead Watch - John Sanford - 2006. Sanford has a new hero - Jake Winter. An ex-senator has been abducted and murdered and the political powers want answers. 10 Promise Me - Harlan Coben - 2006. Myron Bolitar gets involved with a missing girl and as a result a lot of people are placed in a very difficult position. It is an excellent mystery. 9 Memorial Day - Vince Flynn - 2004. Mitch Rapp is a special consultant with the CIA - he works on uncovering terrorist activity around the world. It is a week before memorial day and the evidence points to a high level of activity leading up to an attack on the United States. The chase is on and Rapp is leading the pack. 9 The Face - Dean Koontz. This is a story about a man who is intent on spreading chaos through the world. It just so happens that Ethan Truman, ex-detective, has been hired as the director of security for a famous actor. That actors son is one of the targets of our "chaos" man. The tale is filled with spirits and super natural incidents, which makes for a very compelling read - a little different but very well done. 9 Big Russ and Me - Tim Russert - 2004. The story of Tim Russerts relationship with his father and the lessons that he has learned and has tried to pass on to his son. Just excellent. 10 Barbra - The way she is. - Christopher Andersen. The unauthorized biography of Barbra Streisand. This book manages to pretty much suck the air out of any fantasies one might have had about the diva. She had a miserable childhood and managed to make everyone she came in contact with during her professional career miserable as well. 8 The Hadassah Covenent (CD). A story about a family that has a direct link to Queen Esther and the Jews of the Diaspora. 8 Whispers at midnight (CD). A young lady returns to her home town to turn her grandmothers home into a bed and breakfast only to find herself thrust into a mystery that dates back to your childhood. Very hot - rated mature. 8 Lying With Strangers - James Grippando. Peyton and Kevin are having marital problems and all of a sudden, a dead body is found in the trunk of Peyton's car. This story of love and deceit makes for a decent mystery. 7 The Apocalypse Stone - Pete Earley. A very well done mystery about a stone that had an incredible history. Kind of a DaVinci Code book - if you did not like that one - you probably won't like this one. 8 The Highly Effective Detective - Richard Yancey. Not the best I have read but the good news is that it was quick. 6 Twelve Sharp - Janet Evanovich. Stephanie Plum is at it again - a crazy guy is pretending to be Ranger and causing a lot of trouble in New Jersey. Stephanie is the bait in a very good light mystery. 9 Wild Justice - Philip Margolin - CD - A doctor is accused of the serial deaths of a number of women and the stealing of body parts. Pretty good mystery that held our interest. 7 Parallel Lies - Ridley Pearson - CD. A man blames a railroad for the death of his family and set out on a crusade to ruin the railroad but causing train wrecks. Not a bad mystery. 7 Consent To Kill - Vince Flynn. CIA super agent, Mitch Rabb, is caught in the cross hairs and has to make things right. This was a good read but I think the author left some loose ends hanging at the end that should have been tied up. 8 Hundred Dollar Baby - Robert P. Parker - 2006. Spenser gets involved with a young lady that he has helped a couple of times in the past. A very fast read that is "OK" for a Spenser novel but not great. 9 Wildfire - Nelson DeMille - 2006. Retired NYPD Homicide Detective John Corey (from Night Fall and other DeMille books gets caught investigating a plot to detonate nuclear devices in two American cities in an attempt to cause the president to launch a nuclear attack on the world of Islam. So bleeding edge that it is scary as hell. 10 Cross - James Patterson - 2006. Alex Cross is an ex police detective and starts out in this book as an FBI detective. Over a period of ten years or so he has a number of encounters with a criminal known as "The Butcher". This is the very well written story of their relationship and all of the results of that. A very good mystery and a very good read. 9.5 The Holy - Daniel Quinn - 2002. Quinn, the author of Ishmael and After Dachau offers this novel in an attempt to make sense of the concept of the entity that we refer to as Lord. This is not a bad novel - but I think it is more "science fiction" than it is fiction. It did provide me with a lot to think about - but I also think that many will just abandon it halfway through. I guess the best I can say is "Not bad but not for everyone." 7