Did You Miss Me? - Karen Rose

Daphne Montgomery in her new position is just finishing up her first big case. Convicting a man for murdering two people in their car. Since this is a race hate crime there is a lot of focus on it. The family have a lot of backing and Daphne has every right to fear for the safety of herself and her loved ones. Whilst in court Daphne's 20 year old son has been discovered to be missing along with his girlfriend. His bodyguard is found dead in an ally. It would be only natural to believe that the current case has something to do with it. But does it or is it because of something that happened to Daphne long ago? FBI agent, Joseph Carter believes there is more to it and is determined to protect Daphne and get her son back.

I said in my review of the book previous to this that I knew who the next couple were going to be. I was wrong but I still see a story for them coming up. This book has me more convinced than ever.The couple that it did focus on just didn't do anything for me. Both seemed completely different from their first appearance. I maybe would have liked them better if they had continued as they were. Instead I found it difficult to like them. Not that they were horrible people but just that they seemed more than a little two dimensional. I found it hard to engage with them and to feel for them or even root for them. In fact I didn't feel anything for them. I nothing them (if that makes sense).

Perhaps I am just bored with the formula of these books. They are all the same it's just the plot that differs each time. Woman is in danger. Man helps save woman. Both have dark secrets which make them two scared to act on the fact that they fancy the pants off each other. They get over it. Solve the case. Live happily ever after. I didn't mind the formula before now. It was after all the only romance I would really go near (classics don't count). Plus the murdery bit was usually enough to keep me going (I am Scottish after all and we do love our murder books). Not this time. This time it was more than a little far fetched or rather tenuous. Sadly I can't really explain that link without spoiling it.

I thought it was just me but the friend who got me reading Karen Rose in the first place didn't like this book either. This is her 14th book so maybe she is bored with he formula too. I haven't had a chance to talk to her about it. For me anyway this is the last one. I don't even want to go back to read the others that I have missed in the middle. I will just have to find another light murdery read for when I am stressed or busy.

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn

It's Nick and Amy's fifth wedding anniversary. Although things haven't been good of late Amy still goes ahead and creates one of her elaborate treasure hunts to celebrate. Nick, however, has still to think of something as he heads out to work at the bar he owns with his sister. In that morning Amy disappears leaving an upturned house and the door wide open. It doesn't look like she left voluntarily and fingers start to point straight at Nick. As the cracks in his marriage begin to show the more everyone thinks Nick murdered Amy. Nick is determined to prove his innocence and decides to finally solve one of Amy's treasure hunts to prove it.

As I was starting to get my reading mojo back a friend recommended this book. Glad she did as it was one that I read in two days which made me feel like I was back to my old reading self.

Nick seemed quite likable at first. Just a lovable rogue who doesn't quite live up to his wife's perfect expectations. As we hear from Amy's point of view though you begin to doubt him. I didn't want to at first. I was determined that because I liked him for the most part that I was going to believe him and wanted to believe him. It was hard to relate Amy's version of Nick to actual Nick. In the end what I realised about this book that it is actually about a pair of psychopaths. They are both nuts. Amy isn't quite what she seems either and I believe they were both welcome to each other. I really can't say any more about the characters without revealing it too much. Suffice it to say that the only one I actually liked in the end was Nick's twin sister.

I thought this book was going to be another one of those usual mysteries. It was similar to another book that I had read by Flynn where it alternates between chapters of Nick proving his innocence and chapters from Amy from the start of their marriage/relationship. The big twist happens somewhere near the middle which I wasn't expecting at all and the book continues to build from there. Don't worry, I'm not spoiling it as there is another one at the end.

If you like a mystery and you don't mind that the characters aren't quite what you expected then you should give this a try. It's a little bit different and whilst the characters may be crazy it just makes the book all the harder to put down.

Be My Enemy - Christopher Brookmyre

Jack Parlabane is a Glasgwegian journalist with a reputation for causing trouble. However, it's his reputation for cynisim that gets him his latest reporting job. He has been invited to take part in a corporate team building exercise at a secluded hotel near Inverness. The company who are organising this hope that if they can concince the cynical Jack Parlabane of their product then it will give their company the kick start they need. Jack agrees to go along and brings his photographer friend who just happened to be a British spy in a previous life. Along with Jack and Vale a group of others ranging from different walks of life have also been invited. Unknown to them though there is a reason this group has been brought together. Although they won't find out that reason until they are already fighting for their lives.

This is only me second Brookmyre book. I bought it years ago but always meant to read the previous books in the series first. I managed one (which I did enjoy). I decided to pick it up because of my determination to get through my tbr pile and this would be sitting there for another 5 years if I waited until I read the others. I'm glad I didn't wait as I think had I gotten into the series I would have been sadly disappointed. This just didn't live up to the first book in the series. Thankfully I had been warned that after the first three books the series goes downhill so my expectations weren't that high to begin with.

Reading it I didn't feel that I was missing out on too much from not reading the others. I remembered a few of the recurring characters in Parlabane's life from book one and anything else in his life was briefly mentioned and didn't have much in the way to do with the plot. On the other hand it just wasn't as funny as that first book. I remember laughing out loud from the first line. With this one, while Parlabane had his amusing moments, there was nothing to make me laugh out loud. Parlabane's attempt at humour came across as 'trying too hard'.

The plot itself I did enjoy although from what I hear he had done this sort of thing before but with an oil rig. Another reason for me to be glad I stopped waiting. The fun didn't start until half way through the book which was a little annoying but I could sort of understand it. It gave us background information to each of the characters involved which turned out to be important in the end. There are hints as to why each of the characters were invited in this first half. Once I got to the second half I got right into it and I wasn't so bothered that it wasn't as funny. It did end a little quickly but that's the price you pay when all the action is stored up for one half of the book.

I do still want to read his earlier books. This hasn't put me off and in truth I did like it. It just wasn't to the standard of that first book.

His Last Bow & The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle

More short stories featuring the famous Sherlock Holmes. In this case the stories are two volumes brought together. Once again Watson has been diligently recording his friends most famous cases, including some that had previously been banned by Holmes from public viewing. We hear of Holmes' last case and what he does after he leaves London for the country. As it is approaching WWI when Watson publishes these there are a few that involved Holmes' protecting State secrets. He even heads into the world of the supernatural and uncovers the truth about a vampire. Lastly, after years of berating Watson, Holmes has a go at writing up one of his cases himself.

I am actually quite sad that I have now finished all these tales. True there is a new one out written by Anthony Horrowitz but somehow it won't be the same (that's not to say I won't try it). I feel like I am saying goodbye to am old friend here and yet I read the vast majority of these books this year.

I am more pleased with the way Holmes left his career this time than I would have been had Final Solution been the last story. Better to have Holmes still out there somewhere. In this case he is in the country bee-keeping. In fact there is one story in there after his so called retirement. Holmes has to write this one out himself since Watson isn't on hand to do it for him.

I think I enjoyed these short stories slightly more than all the others. Possibly because I knew they were the last and so prized them more. However, I think it's also because they were slightly darker. The tales always did have a dark edge to them but with the approaching war Doyle was able to move away from trivial problems to ones that put the country in danger. Only Holmes stood between Britain and disaster. I quite liked that edge to them.

Now that I have finished them all I can go on to the films and tv adaptations. I have been looking forward to those but wanted to hold off. It will be interesting to see how they compare. If you haven't read any of these books I recommend that you do. Especially, the short stories. Don't be put off if you aren't a fan of classics or crime. I think most readers would get something out of them. I dare you not to pick it up and fall in love with Holmes.

The Valley of Fear - Arthur Conan Doyle

Sherlock is at home when he receives a letter from someone who works for Professor Moriarty. The letter is in code but it's not long before Sherlock has it all worked out. It's a warning that a Mr John Douglas is about to be murdered. He then receives a visit from Scotland Yard who come to deliver the news of John Douglas's death and ask him to come and unfold the mystery surrounding it. Holmes quickly agrees and travels to the Douglas home along with his good friend Watson. There they hear the stories of the dead mans wife, servant and friend. All the stories are the same and yet something doesn't quite add up. Of course it doesn't take Sherlock long to work out what exactly has gone on.

Supposedly not the best of the Holmes books. It's the last one that takes the form of a novella. However, it is criticised because Holmes is only in the first half of the book. Like the first two novella's Holmes uncovers the truth and then we get the back ground story of the individuals involved. In this case was travel back to America and a small town which is held in fear by a group belonging to the order, The Freemen (a play on the Freemasons).

Like in the previous two books I liked this division. It had a different style to it as we learn of John Douglas and how he became a hunted man. It was almost like reading a different book but at the same time you are constantly aware that it's about to reveal more of Holmes's initial mystery. I can agree that there wasn't enough of Holmes but at the same time I think the story would have lost something if this second section had been cut. It was very much part of the intrigue.

The parts of the book that did annoy me (very mildly) was when Moriarty was mentioned. The mystery must have been set before The Final Problem as the stand off between Moriarty and Holmes wasn't mentioned. Plus, according to Watson, this is the first he himself has heard of Moriarty. Yet, Watson was also first introduced to Moriarty in that short story. It was something I could live with and maybe my memory isn't as good and Watson had heard of Moriarty before the final stand off.

I still prefer the short stories but the novellas are still worth reading. It's an opportunity to see what else the author could do.

The Return of Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle

In the last set of stories by Conan Doyle Sherlock had met his bitter end at the hands of his genius nemesis, Moriarty. Or so we thought. The first of these short stories brings the return of Sherlock Holmes as he tells Watson how he managed to escape his enemy whilst solving the seemingly unsolvable. As a result we are treated to more tales of the wonderful Sherlock by the pen of his trusted friend, Watson.

Yay! Sherlock is back. Although I wasn't quite sure how that was going to happen. The first of these three short stories is set three years after the events of the last one in the previous collection. We hear all about Holmes and his adventures. What we don't hear is what happened to Watson in all that time. The reason I am curious is that the tales that follow Watson seems to be again living with his friend. There is no mention of his wife or of his practice. Did he leave both for Holmes? Not that I could blame him but I would like to know.

The next 12 stories follows the same style as the rest. Not that I am complaining as I could never be bored of them. There is no puzzle too small or too large so long as Holmes finds it interesting. He saves the country from war, saves a man from hanging, discovers who stole and exam paper and saves a lady from being forced into a marriage.

Holmes himself seems a bit more human in these tales. His three years away seem to have mellowed him somewhat. He no longer takes drugs to save him from boredom (although that threat is always there) and he is more tolerant of people. He even seems to like Lestrade although is amused by his deductions.

I read this as part of the classics challenge hosted by Katherine of November's Autumn. This months prompt is to look back over the last year. I am supposed to pick my favourite from among the classics I have read but I am finding that difficult. I enjoyed most of them. Virginia Woolf is probably the author I am most likely to go back and visit again as I loved Mrs Dalloway. I would also read more by Elizabeth Gaskell. I loved Villette too and I was reminded of how much I enjoy the Bronte sisters. Muriel Spark is another author I am determined to go back to. I am glad I chose The Bell as my first Iris Murdoch as I loved it but didn't so much love The Sea, The Sea which I read later. A Connecticut Yankee In New York by Mark Twain is the only one that I struggled with. That's more because of my mood at the time rather than the book itself.

Best character would have to be Sherlock Holmes. I have said it many times already but I am going to say it again. I'm a little bit in love with him. I am going to be sad when I finished all those books. Mind you, I plan on the films and tv show next. I am afraid I have been poor at visiting other participants. I haven't really got a plan from others posts as to what I am going to read next year. I did visit at the start of the year but things got on top of me.

Books To Die For - John Connolly

This book is an anthology of essays collected and edited by John Connolly and Declan Burke. They have brought together a collection from some of the most current and famous crime writers. The subject of these essays is their favourite crime story. Basically this is a collection about crime writing by crime authors.

This was the book that I wanted to have it's own review. What attracted me to it in the first place was the cover. This image really doesn't do it justice. It's a beautiful clothe bound edition and it stood out from all the other new books around it in the library. I couldn't leave without it. The second thing that attracted me was that John Connolly was one of the editors and, once I read the blurb, the subject intrigued me.

I have been reading crime a couple of years now. Probably just slightly longer than this blog has been running. So I can't really call myself a newbie to the genre anymore. However, reading this book made me realise just how little I have read in regards to crime. There were authors I had heard of but never read and then a good number of authors and stories I had never heard of. Then there were books described that I probably wouldn't have considered trying if it weren't for this book. What it comes down to is that this book is a great guide for people who enjoy the genre and maybe want to read a bit more or try new authors.

As I said, each of the essays is written by a different author and the are relatively short. They all have their own style too. For the most part I enjoyed them all. It was interesting reading another crime writers insight into the genre. A few mentioned that their favourite book was their first foray into crime and probably wouldn't have been inspired to write it if they hadn't read it. Most of them has me wanting to read the books that they describe. I confess that I got a little excited when I came across a book that I had read myself. It was interesting to read what someone else thought of it.

Each essay begins with a small piece about the author of the book that's about to be describe. And each ends with a short piece about the author who wrote the essay. This just added to my interest and meant that I got to learn a lot more about the writers than I thought I would have to begin with. I read this from cover to cover but I don't think you have to read it that way. It's the type of book that you can dip in and out of. Particularly if you are looking for inspiration.

I was a little sad when I returned it to the library and I think I will have to eventually buy a copy of it so I can refer back to it.

No One Left To Tell - Karen Rose

Paige is training to be a PI. Not long after her training begins she is asked by a woman to look into the imprisonment of her son. Along with her daughter in law, she believes that he was set up to take the blame for the murder of a young girl five years before. Paige has her doubts but agrees to take the case. When the son's wife is murdered trying to bring back information Paige loses her doubts and decides to do her best to clear his name. This puts her in danger as someone doesn't want anyone revealing the real murderer or the sordid reasons behind it.

First of all I had intended on more mini reviews but I have one or two books in that list that I need to review independently because they are part of a challenge or because they deserve their own reviews. So I will have to catch up without cheating.

This is one of the latest (if not the latest) book by Karen Rose. I had started to read them in order but this was one of those books I picked up on a whim. To be honest it's not the best of her books but it was perfect for what I needed at the time.

I was able to guess early on who was behind the real murder and some of the reasons behind it. Although I didn't guess the full extent of the crime. Guessing that early on didn't matter though. It's how Paige and Grayson got there that mattered. As they uncovered the mystery they also broke down their barriers and fell in love. Atypical of Rose's formula for her books with an obvious set up for a future book on another tortured couple.

Again that didn't bother me because, as I said, it was what I needed at the time. I needed something light (take out some of the violent content and you get light). I needed something that I didn't need to think about. Most importantly I needed something with characters I could engage in that would allow me to escape from exams and starting a new placement. That is exactly what I got and as a result I enjoyed it. I looked forward to heading home and picking this up.

If you like a wee bit of crime with a bit of romance  thrown in then this is ideal. If you haven't read Karen Rose before though start with her earlier books. I'll be going back to where I left off with those next time.

Mini Reviews

Almost two weeks into November and I have still to do any posts (other than October's overview). Even more shocking is the lack of opportunity I've had to visit some of my favourite book blogs. I managed to do that a little this afternoon and as a result came across a fab post by Ellie of Curiosity Killed the Bookworm. If you like book covers as much as I do then check out this post about book covers matching her blogs colour scheme. Ooh and ahh over the pretty!

Onwards to some mini-reviews, finally! Most of these were from the readathon which was over a month ago now. Serve me right for deciding not to post them on the night this time. We live and learn.

 A Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler

Barnaby is the loser of the family. Having been sent to military school after being caught stealing from the neighbours he takes on the black sheep role and does it well. His parents no longer have expectations of him and instead nag him to do something better with his life. Barnaby however, insists on embarrassing the family by living in a basement, having almost no relationship with his daughter and working as a manual laborer.

I quite liked Barnaby from the first page. He might revel a little in being the black sheep but really he is a nice guy. His job involves helping elderly neighbours and we learn through out the book he goes above and beyond the call of duty. His family might not think much of him but he later learns that his friends, colleagues and clients do. A nice read and a reminder of why I should read more of Anne Tyler. It's not too taxing but the characters have depth and colour.

 Monday Mourning by Kathy Reichs

Temperance has been called out to investigate some bones found in the basement of a pizza parlour. Hoping that it's just the bones of some animals she instead discovers the remains of three young girls. Local police see it as a cold case and show no interest. Temperance however, is convinced that the bones are more recent and that the girls deserve to be identified. Tempe decides to investigate on her own and discovers that the girls may have been kept captive and tortured for a long time before death. As she continues to investigate her own life and the life of her friend is put in danger.

Another good read from Kathy Reichs. I have to be honest though. I am more than a little bored of the 'will they, won't they' story line between Tempe and Andrew Ryan. Also in the last few books Tempe has mentioned her worries about her daughter. You expect her (or at least I did) to go into a bit more detail but she never does. That aside the investigation and the main plot line is interesting enough to keep me going. Still not bored of this series.

 Skulduggery Pleasant: Kingdom of the Wicked by Derek Landy

Mortals are all of a sudden developing magical abilities. Abilities that they shouldn't have and have no idea how to control it. People are being hurt as a result. To make matters worse the Irish sanctuary is now under scrutiny from sanctuaries across the world. They have little faith in their ability to control the situation due to recent events. Skulduggery and Valkyrie must find out who is behind this, stop it and prevent mortals from discovering their existence.

Although this is part of one series the series can actually be split up into trilogies. This one is the first part of the final trilogy which means there is only two books in the series left. I have to say that this wasn't my favourite book. I found that it dragged on a bit and was maybe a little longer than it needed to be. It's still worth reading though for the action and the banter between Valkyrie and Skulduggery. The ending though was fantastic and has meant that I am now excited about the next one which I can't wait for. I can't tell you about it without spoiling it but it's a story line that's been on the cards for a number of books now and one I have been waiting for.

Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler

Delia is fed up. For years her family have taken her for granted. She hadn't noticed it before but recently she discovers that she isn't really heard. Her feelings build up until one day on holiday she gets up and walks away thinking no one will notice. She finds a small town and is surprised by how easy it is to start a new life with a new identity. With out meaning to she develops new friendships and discovers something about herself.

Unlike the first Anne Tyler book among these reviews this one was a little slow at starting. We know from the piece on the back that Delia walks away from her family but it takes time before that happens. To the point that I was thinking *just hurry up and do it already*. As soon as she does though I began to enjoy the slow pace of the book. Reading it from Delia's point of view it doesn't seem selfish of her to abandon her family and children. In fact it seems that her children don't need her anymore which is one of her reasons for leaving. She needs to feel needed and in this new town she has that. In the end I probably enjoyed this one a little more. Will definitely not be leaving it years before I pick up another Anne Tyler.

The Sign of Four - Arthur Conan Doyle

Sherlock Holmes is bored for lack of a case and poor Watson is worried about him and his drug use. However, just when Watson is confronting him about it a case worthy of his attention lands on his lap. A young lady has been receiving pearls annually since the death of her poor father. A note then arrives at her door to say that if she were to meet the stranger he would tell her of the injustice done by her. Sherlock and Watson volunteer to go with her. There they discover that the brother of the note writer has been murdered with a card left behind revealing the sign of the four. Believed to be the victim of a uncouth looking man from his days in India that somehow involves the girls father. Sherlock is on the case meanwhile poor Watson is smitten.

When I gave my month overview this book completely slipped my mind. This is what happens when I let myself get so far behind in my book reviews. How could I have forgotten this wonderful book? I was a little shocked by the start of it. Sherlock's drug habit out of boredom surprised me. I haven't seen any of the television series or films so you will have to forgive my ignorance. Supposedly it humanises him, gives him a flaw but it didn't do that for me.

Anyways, despite that it was another fantastic tale. By now Sherlock and Watson are now used to each others ways. Watson no longer has any doubt as to the brilliance of Sherlock and is entirely trusting of his ability to solve any case. There wasn't really much to solve in terms of who did it since that is revealed to us quite quickly. It's the why that is the real problem solver. Like the last book once Sherlock has his man it reflects to the time when the problems between murderer and victim first began. In this case during the days where the victim was am officer in India.

Very well done and the reflection in India kept it interesting. There was even a touch of romance in there (just to prove I am not a complete cynic). I have the third book sitting waiting on me which I will hopefully get to soon.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - John LeCarre

George Smiley was once a spy for a the British. A man who did his job well despite personal problems with his wife and one was trusted by the boss, control. Control became obsessed with flushing out a spy and his obsession ended with a good man being shot. On his downfall George Smiley was taken out with him and now he spends his retired life worrying about his estranged wife and avoiding the people he once worked with. The old life is dragging him back in however. That spy may very well not have been part of Control's imagination after all. Behind the backs of the upper echelons, George is called back to duty to get all the information he can and entrap the traitor once and for all.

I actually read this a good few weeks ago now so I apologise if I am vague on the details. My dad is a huge fan of John Le Carre but I could never quite understand the appeal of spy novels. I can now thankfully. This one was very well done. I got the impression that this isn't the first novel starring George Smiley but I wasn't made to feel that I was missing out on an important tale or details. For me it came across as a stand alone story. Although, we don't get my information on George. He has marital problems which in the end is a big part of the story otherwise I don't think we would have learned about it. George comes across as a man who likes to keep thing close to his chest. Which works since he is investigating on the sly.

The writing is done well too. It draws you into the story and enough is happening to keep you interested. It flashes between present and past scenes in order to give the bigger picture. Nothing to do with the writing but there were times that I found that I wasn't sure what was going on. I don't know if that was deliberate or if it was just me. Despite being lost I was still enjoying it which is new for me. It did all come together at various points and obviously tied up at the end. Glad I picked it up and I am sure I will try more of the authors books another time.

I read this as part of the mixing it up challenge for the crime category. This challenge is organised by Ellie of Musings of a Bookshop Girl. You can see the list of categories here and the list I am doing here. My dad is a huge fan of Le Carre and we have had a few arguments as to whether it should be classed as crime or not. In my bookshop days we shelved them in crime. Plus it has guns, people being shot and countries betrayed. To me that's crime. I will watch the film when I have the chance as it would be interesting to see how it translates onto the big screen.

Virals - Kathy Reichs

Tory Brennan is the great niece of the famous Tempe Brennan. She's not long in being united with her father, Kit, and finds herself living with him on a deserted research island. She's clever like her aunt and soon has the small group of kids near her age following her lead. Having a soft spot for dogs she frees a wolf being held in the lab and nurses him back to health with some strange side effects for her and her friends. They then discover the remains of a missing girl from the 60's. However, someone is determined that they don't dig any deeper. Even going as far as shooting at them. That doesn't stop Tory though who convinces her friends to continue looking into it. Her aunt wouldn't give up in her shoes.

I like the Tempe Brennan books. They have a lot of things wrong with them in regards to writing but they are entertaining. Even the obvious story lines and coincidences amuse me. This one though managed to irritate me within the first page or so. Almost every thought from Tory's mind is in done in a one word sentence. Probably to highlight the heavy sarcasm but it's still annoyingly frustrating. Plus, while Tory is meant to be an intelligent 14 year old she somehow manages to sound like a genius with great social skills. She has those island boys, who are a few years older, doing exactly what she wants. Yet she can't fit in to her school.

I read in another review before I picked it up that this is really just a set up for a series. It certainly comes across this way. The plot of the cold case is drowned out by the supernatural element which is clearly going to be the theme through the series. Seems a shame that it overshadowed the mystery as I think it would have stood better as a teen crime novel.

The one worded sentences don't go away but eventually I was able to forget about it (or ignore it). I did find myself caught up in the story. A little against my better judgement since I still found the writing style to be annoying. Not the worst book I have ever read but I do think that Reichs would be better sticking to her usual crime books.

Blindsighted - Karin Slaughter

Sara Linton is the towns pediatrician and coroner. Needless to say she leads a busy life and most of that is spent avoiding ex husband, Jeffrey Tolliver, who happens to be the towns chief of police. She is late for lunch with her sister and after placating her she heads to the bathroom. There she finds Sibyl Adams, a local college professor, on the toilet bleeding to death from deep knife wounds. Poor Sibyl doesn't survive and when a few days later another girl disappears Sara and Jeffrey believe they may have a serial killer on their hands.

So before Christmas I read the last book in the Grant County series (mistakenly). I enjoyed it and was glad that I had read the last one because of the ending. So this is me now starting at the beginning. I have to say that after the first few pages I had to double check that this was actually the first. Thanks to reading the last book first I got the impression that the divorce of Sara and Jeffrey occurred during the series. Actually they were divorced two years at the start. That's what I get for being smart I guess.

I said in the last review that I didn't particularly like Sara. I still don't. Despite the fact that she tries not to be condescending she still is and that's not exactly a likeable trait in a character. Although possibly a trait Doctors are well known for (I'm lucky that I have yet to come across that myself). She also is still very cold. There are reasons for it which we learn about during the book. However, in the last book she was cold too so I don't think she changes much through out the series. I have my doubts as to whether she will grow on me. I don't completely dislike her though and I do like her ex, Jeffrey so there are enough good main characters in there to keep me going. Besides, life would be boring if I did like all the characters.

It was well written too. Probably one of the better written crime books I have read. Despite all the background information we are given we are also kept going by the investigation which we discover is somehow linked to Sara's past. Enough is going on with that to make it an exciting read. Especially with events that occur about half way through the book. Most authors, I think, would leave this particular incident to somewhere near the end for the main character to come along and save the day not long after. It was refreshing that it wasn't done this way. There was also no way I would have guessed who the culprit was before I was supposed to. I don't think there were any real hints other than one which wasn't really enough for me to guess. It's always nice to be surprised so I see that as a good thing.

Martin Misunderstood - Karin Slaughter

Martin Reed is one of life's loosers. He was a nerd at school and picked on as a result. He is now 36 and still lives with his mum. He thought that things would change since he is now an accountant but alas no. The popular people are still there ignoring him or picking on him. His office is next to the toilets and his assistant bosses him around. Still, he has his crime books and he loves them. One day he goes into work to discover that one of his bullies has been mowed down in the street and all the fingers are pointing at Martin. Martin didn't do it but he can't actually tell anyone where he was that night.

Another library book I read in a couple of hours. This one was actually picked out by my mum but I ended up reading it first. It's supposed to be a funny read but to be honest I was a little bored by it and didn't find it funny at all. The only good thing about it was the constant references to other crime books and shows generally made by Martin.

Despite that I did actually feel sorry for Martin. For a looser he is actually quite eloquent in his speech but then that's probably further fodder for the bullies. Most of the time though I found the other characters rather annoying. Such as the detective on the case, Martin's mother and his assistant. Then of course Martin doesn't really help himself in the end all because he finally is someone.

I have read one other book by the author before and I liked it. In fact I am reading another just now. This one I think she must have wrote just for a bit of fun. We aren't meant to take it seriously. I just didn't enjoy it all that much.

Revenge of the Tide - Elizabeth Haynes

Genevieve is living the dream that she and her father always wanted. She is taking a year out of her hectic life in London to live on a large canal boat and renovate it. After five months and a lot of the work done she decides to have a  party to celebrate figuring it would be a good way to get her London friends and boat friends to get together. All goes well until later that night when she finds the body of her best friend floating in the water next to her boat. She has an inkling as to who did it but can't tell anyone. As more threats appear the man who is supposed to be protecting her is out of touch. She has no choice but to rely on Detective Jim Carling to help her without telling him everything.

Sorry, but I couldn't help make comparisons to her first book Into The Darkest Corner. She uses the same writing techniques so it's hard not to. Basically it's the flashbacks she is using. Like the protagonist in the first book we don't really know that much about Genevieve's past life but the flashbacks reveal it as the plot moves forward. With the first one I didn't particularly like the character in her past but those events changed her and she grew up quite a bit making her someone I liked and felt for. With Genevieve I didn't particularly like her from these flashbacks too but since they went back less than a year the more I learned the more I hated the character. She was selfish, manipulative and willing to do just about anything to get what she wants. Plus she put everyone around her in danger. I went from liking her at the start and enjoying her pet project to thoroughly disliking her by the end. If she had been killed off I wouldn't have been upset about it.

I was intrigued enough by the story line to keep going with it though. It was easy to guess what she was hiding but there must have been something more to it than that. When the truth was finally revealed it was a bit disappointing. I was expecting something more imaginative than what it was. The red herring would have been far more exciting in the end.

If the author hadn't used the exact same techniques I don't think I would have been so quick to compare. I might have been a little less disappointed than I was despite very much liking her first book. However, it doesn't take away the fact that by the end I didn't care what happened to her character. I cared more about the others living on boats and that might have been the main reason I kept going. It won't stop me from reading any other books that she writes in the future but I might be a little less excited about their release.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter - Jeff Lindsay

Dexter is a blood splatter specialist working for the Miami police department. His adopted father was a cop and his sister is a cop. A serial killer has begun chopping up prostitutes and dumping them in a particular way. Sister, Debora, is determined to find the killer so that she can finally get that transfer to Homicide she has always wanted. She calls on Dex to help as he seems to have a knack for solving these things. What she doesn't know is why. Dexter is able to put himself so perfectly into the mind of a killer because he is the same. Only his father taught him to go for the bad guys. If he has to kill then kill those who deserve it. This new killer on the seen though is an artist. Dexter can appreciate him and he isn't sure if he wants him to be caught.

I am probably the only person in the world who hasn't seen the tv show. I have heard of it though and knew what it was about. I am one of these sad folk that would rather try out the books first. It may just be the tiredness talking at this point but it annoyed me quite a bit. First of all Dexter doesn't just come across as your cold serial killer. He is supposed to be soulless and dead inside. Instead he comes across as smug and arrogant. There is a very tiny part of him that worries about what his father would have thought. Without that he probably would go ahead and kill everyone. Then there is his sister Deborah who relies so heavily on Dexter to help her. Surely at some point she would have to stand on her two feet? She just doesn't seem to have what it takes to get very far in her chosen career other than ambition. In all honesty she doesn't seem all to bright.

Having said that I did enjoy the story for the most part. It has an interesting premise. I would be tempted to read others in the series but more so watch the tv show. I somehow think they might have done it a tiny bit better (unusual, I know).

Oh, one thing I do recommend. When you are sleep deprived and the only person awake don't read about serial killers. My over active imagination interpreted every creek to be a serial killer coming out to get me.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - Agatha Christie

Dr Shepperd is the dear friend of Roger Ackroyd. Poor Ackroyd is going through some troubles and as a Doctor and a friend he feels he must hear them out. He confesses to proposing to a woman who refused him as she had murdered her husband and she couldn't take the guilt. It's only after her suicide that Ackroyd discovers that she is being blackmailed and by whom. Before he can tell anyone who the blackmailer is he is murdered himself. Luckily Hercule Poirot is living next door to the good Dr and the niece of Ackroyd convinces him to find out who the murderer is. His stepson is the main suspect but he is in hiding and the niece is convinced of his innocence. Poirot agrees to take on the job and the good Dr takes the place of his old friend Hastings.

I love Agatha Christie. This is the book I was most looking forward to and it didn't let me down in any way. I was a little put out at first that good old Hastings wasn't in this one. His character whilst irritating at first grew on me and amuses me quite a bit. I thought I was going to miss him but he was replaced by the Doctor who just so happened to live next door to Poirot. He wasn't as amusing as Hastings but he still did the job. In fact he was a little brighter than Hastings, truth be told.

Well with out going into detail, as I don't want to spoil it, I guessed one or two of the mysteries involved. You know Christie, she likes all her characters to look guilty and one by one those guilts are explained away. This book is no different. As I said I guessed on or two of them. I did have an inkling early on as to who the murderer might be but I dismissed the idea thinking there was no way. Turns out if I had stuck to this inkling I would have been right. As it was I was completely surprised and it made a fantastic ending. I will say on thing that surprised me though. Poirot gives the murderer a way out which I wasn't expecting. I'm afraid if you want to know more on that though you will have to read it.

This is my second book of the readathon and I have to confess I am beginning to flag a bit. After my next update in 15 minutes I am away to sit in a cool room drinking tea.

The Black Angel - John Connolly.

Louis' aunt is worried about her daughter, Alice. Alice is an addict and a prostitute but Martha has a touch of the sight and just knows that something has happened to her. She doesn't like to but she has no choice but to ask Louis for help. Alice is blood to him and he will do everything that he can to rescue or avenge her. Charlie Parker feels he has to help even if it does mean that his relationship with Rachel is further damaged. It seems that two men have abducted her. There is something strange about those men though. They aren't after Alice but after a legend. Parker must track them down to save other women and possibly himself.

The one thing I like about the Charlie Parker novels is that they aren't just crime but they have a touch of the supernatural. Sometimes Parker's dead wife and child will make an appearance which is a hint to him that he has to help someone. They made an appearance again in this one but for different reasons. Which is fine but there was more supernatural occurrences in this book and I felt that it went just a little too far. Men who believe that they are the immortal souls of fallen angels are hunting down the twin of one angel before they can devastate the world. Now, most of the characters in the book believed that these men were lunatics obsessed by an old legend. Parker on the other hand believed them and there were passages in the book which indicated that we were also meant to believe that it was real. It was just a little too much for me even though I do like my supernatural. For that reason it wasn't my favourite Parker novel.

Another aspect of the book has put me on the fence. In a very short space of time Parker's relationship with Rachel isn't working even though they have just had a child. She doesn't want to fear for his life and she knows that he can't give up his job saving people. It felt a little sudden to me. At the same time though Rachel wasn't really pulling her weight in these tales. In the first few books she used her job as a psychologist to help profile serial killers. She hasn't done that for a while though. Instead she stays at home and worries about Parker and her own safety. Perhaps, if the relationship ends, this will free up Parker somewhat.

If you take out the supernatural it's still a good read. The person who turned out to be the leader was completely unexpected although I wasn't really trying to work that part out (I wouldn't have worked it out if I had anyway). I was warned by friends that this was the weaker book in the series which makes me hope that the next one will be better. I still enjoyed it though. I was just mildly disappointed despite the warning.

Grave Secrets - Kathy Reichs

Temperance Brennan is working in Guatamala helping to uncover the victims of a massacre 20 years before. Whilst there she is asked by local police to look into the disappearance of four young girls. All have mysteriously disappeared in the last year. The local policeman who is working alongside Tempe believes that it is the work of one person. When remains are found it is feared that it is one of the missing girls. However, before Tempe can determine who the victim is a higher authority has them taken away from her and she is refused access. Tempe has no choice but to continue to investigating without them and hope that she can discover exactly what happened to these missing girls.

I have to be honest that I was unsure of this one at first. I wasn't sure I liked the complete change of setting. It just didn't feel right. That quickly changed however and this became one of my favourites. It made a nice change that Tempe was working with a different group of people. Although that didn't last long as her investigation soon headed back to her home in Canada (what are the chances right? Mind you one of the girls was the daughter of the Canadian Ambassador). Of course this also means that detective Ryan is involved. I know I said in the last review that I wasn't really interested in Tempe's personal life but more in her work. This is still true but it filled in the gaps that reading book 6 ahead of time created. It didn't quite fill in the gaps in regards to her daughter so I must be missing something there.

I did like the plot and again I wasn't really expecting the ending. I should have guessed though as everything tied in together. Not unusual you say but in a Reichs book even something that seems unrelated somehow ties in. This was definitely the case here. What I love about these books though is that Tempe's other work still continues even if she is helping a murder investigation. She goes home for two days and is back in the office working on some other projects. For that reason it has a touch of reality. In real life everything else doesn't just stop.

That's me read all my Tempe Brennan books. Will be a while before I pick up more but I definitely will. I'm not bored of them yet.

Fatal Voyage - Kathy Reichs

Temperence Brennan is sent in to help identify victims of a commercial plane crash. The cause of the crash is unknown and many are speculating that it could have been deliberate. The remains are scattered over the mountains of North Carolina which makes Temp's job that little bit more difficult. She does manage to find a foot that somehow doesn't fit in with any of the passengers on the flight manifest. It also seems to be older too. However, someone doesn't want her investigating where it came from. No sooner has she made inquiries when she is kicked off the team and her reputation is called in to question. The people she has worked with the longest are no longer supporting her so Temp is on her own. She has to find out what happened to this person and clear her name.

This is the book I should have read when I read book six a while back (stupid boxset listing them in the wrong order). I didn't feel like it filled in any gaps though. Temp's personally life is still up in the air with her daughter gone awol and her not knowing where she stands with Ryan. I have to admit that for once the personal life of the main character doesn't really interest me all that much. In these books, for me anyway, it's all an aside. I could live without it although it does of course add to the main characters personality. It did amuse me how Ryan, a Canadian detective, was worked into the story.

I enjoyed the plot itself and felt Temp's frustrations as so many people were willing to believe that she would do a bad job and tarnish her reputation. At the same time though it was a little unbelievable how quickly it happened. She was frozen out straight away and not a single person above her was willing to question it or stand up for her. I think in reality it wouldn't have happened quite like that. For the purpose of the book though it had too. I also wouldn't want to be a friend of Temp's. They all seem to appear in each book, Temp is close to them and then they are murdered or badly hurt.

A good ending too. Wasn't quite expecting it. I never really do expect it with her books mind you. There is usually always some big conspiracy theory going on and this one was no different. It certainly makes them different.