MY Halloween Treat!

I didn't even get dressed up today, but I received the BEST treat EVER in my Halloween bag...actually I guess I received it in my Halloween mailbox. This is what I came home to today:

And what makes it the BEST treat EVER, you ask? Well of course this does:

Yes, indeed it does. My very own, personalized, signed copy of K.I.A. It has already taken its coveted spot on the Shelf of Honor. I'm giddy again!!

I was just looking over my list of books that I've read so far this year because it's getting close to time to narrow down my top 10 of 2008; K.I.A. is still very high on that list. The ending is still THE best ending of any book I've read this year. If you didn't have a chance to see my review of K.I.A., you can see it here. And if you didn't see my interview with Tom Holland, what the heck is wrong with you?? Just kidding; you can see that here - it's one NOT to be missed.

Tom and Mary, thank you so much. This book really means a lot to me. Mary, I lied! It didn't make my whole week, it made my whole October! And Tom, giddy won't even begin to describe me when I have the opportunity to meet you in person. It's wonderful. Thank you both! I'm over the moon!

A PSA....

Who you vote for is completely up to you; that's the great thing about a Democracy. But whatever you do, please VOTE:

A Bookclub and A Recommendation from Tyson

I have to share with you that last night I was invited to a book club meeting. At my new company - well, the company doesn't belong to me, I just work there...anyway, there is a group of women that meet for a regular book club. Can I just tell you that I was in heaven? I hope I wasn't overbearing, but having the chance to talk books with people who love reading like me? It's wonderful! I'm already looking forward to the next meeting. I'll try to remember to take pictures and share my new book friends with my faithful book friends here!

Tyson is my nephew. This is Tyson:

And he has a book recommendation for you. I loaned my copy of Dead Connection (Alafair Burke) to my sister, and Tyson thought the book was SO good he had to devour it...literally! Do you remember about a month ago? I drove to Pittsburgh to see Alafair? And she signed all my books? Yeah, well...these things happen. Our "best friends" don't always behave the way we want them to...I know that from first-hand experience. It's simply given me a reason (not that I really needed one) to make a special effort to see her again in the future.

Precious Blood - Jonathan Hayes

Edward Jenner is a former medical examiner living in New York City. He is pulled back into his craft when his good friend, Douggie's niece, Ana, witnesses the gruesome murder of her roommate, Andy. Andy's father hires Jenner to examine his daughter's case alongside the New York City medical examiner, Steve Whittaker. When Whittaker overlooks a vital piece of evidence left on the body, Jenner doesn't. The murderer left markings on the body, markings that resemble Greek writing. The case turns out to be more than Jenner bargained for when a string of similar murders, also with the strange writing, are discovered and the monster comes after Ana.

Several days ago, Oline Cogdill had a post on her Off the Page: On Books and Culture blog that linked to old rules for writing detective stories. You can see them here or here. I had to laugh reading them. Most writers at some point or another have "broken" these "rules." Jonathan Hayes definitely did with Precious Blood, but one rule he nailed - "It must be a murder mystery ('the deader the corpse the better')." You can't get much deader than Hayes' victims in this novel. And Precious Blood is not for the squeamish reader either. Hayes is a medical examiner himself, and he didn't hold back on the graphic details involved in the deaths at the hands of his psycho killer. Hopefully that statement doesn't sound like a negative point against the novel because it isn't. The detail was very realistic; the kind of detail that makes you double check your door locks at night.

Edward Jenner is a character that intrigues me. He comes into this story with baggage from his experiences through the 9/11 tragedy. His foil is Steve Whittaker. Jenner is a character who is capable of compassion and emotion. Whittaker is cold and unrelenting. Jenner is driven by his relationships with others, even the dead bodies. Whitaker is driven only by his ambition and his desire to be recognized. But Jenner isn't predictable. Often when we have a character who is compassionate and kind and whatnot, we can predict everything that person is going to do, or we know HOW that person is "supposed" to behave in accordance with the stereotype. Jenner doesn't always follow that pattern, and that can be unsettling. Even now having finished the book, I'm still trying to figure out little nuances about Jenner's character. I think Hayes wants Jenner to maintain that little bit of mystery but still be a dependable character. And let's face it, how often are "real" beings truly predictable 100% of the time?

Jun is probably my favorite character in the book. He brings a touch of comic relief to the extremely dark plot. And the idea of the leather pants, the orange fur coat...he definitely stands out.

I'm often critical of female characters, especially if they fall too closely to the "stereotypical" damsel in distress. Ana was too much of a "damsel in distress" for me to really like her. But I regularly reminded myself that she was supposed to be a typical, college-age, party girl. That was supposed to be her role. And she fit that role well.

The plot of Precious Blood was a complex series of events. I listened to this book on audio and I'm not sure if I maybe missed some points at the end, but there were some elements that I thought were left hanging; they didn't quite end up all neatly knitted into the design of the plot. And the other possibility is that Hayes is impressing on the reader that a psychopath can't be explained. There will always be questions left hanging; it's the nature of the beast.

The questions that obviously were not answered for a reason are the ones that I am confident will appear in the sequel to this novel. I don't see Whittaker going away. Hayes left the door wide open for Jenner to return.

The reader for this audio book was Kirby Heyborne. I believe this is the first audio I've heard of his reading, and I think he did an outstanding job. I'm not an expert on dialects, but I was impressed with his changing between Asian, Hispanic and Irish throughout the novel. Heyborne provided each character with a distinct sound. And he infused a very darkly dramatic tone befitting the novel.

Playing With the Enemy - Gary Moore

Playing With the Enemy is a true story about Gary Moore's father, Warren Eugene "Gene" Moore. Gene was a boy from small-town Illinois who had an amazing talent for baseball. He was an incredible catcher, could hit the ball out of the park, and he was a born leader. As one of the youngest on his baseball team at The Lumberyard, he encouraged and motivated his older teammates to work together.

Gene didn't go unnoticed. The Brooklyn Dodgers stood up and took notice before Gene was old enough to play in their professional league. They signed him and put him in a farm team where he could hone his skills until he was old enough to be moved up. However, World War II came along and threw a wrench in THOSE plans.

This book is the story of Gene's experiences in baseball, in war, and beyond. He kept these experiences a secret from his children until the day before his unexpected death. Gary retells the story of his father's life as his father told it to him. Probably his very last gift to Gary.

Jim Morris writes the Forward to this book and he says, "Playing With the Enemy is a book about many things on many levels, but to me, it is a heartwarming story about what we do with second changes." While I agree with this, for me the book was also about the power of a love. In this case it was a love for baseball. This love has the power to bond, the power to overcome, and the power to scar.

When you connect with a book, the results are so amazing. You come away feeling changed. I had a personal connection with this book on a number of levels. The first level being my own father. He played and loved baseball. I don't think he was quite the caliber Gene Moore was, but he was being scouted by the major leagues when he was drafted for Vietnam; he also went on to play softball during his time in the Air Force.

The other level on which I connected with this book was even closer to me, personally. As a high school student one of my greatest loves was working as the team statistician. And while I still enjoy statting a good game, the love came from the team element - being a part of that - few outside the team comprehend the power. The team becomes very much like a family; no matter how far apart you are from the members of that family, a bond will always exist. And when any part of that is lost, a part of yourself is lost as well. Gary Moore illustrates that exceptionally well in this book.

Playing With the Enemy is about a LOVE of baseball. And I'm not talking about what you see in the Major Leagues. Unfortunately I think the love is lost there - players/coaches/owners/managers are too in love with themselves and with money to remember the love they had for the game. This is about a true, unadulterated love of the institution of baseball. As Gene says,

"...and that's what I love about baseball. When you step onto that field, the size of the man is determined by his heart, not his height."

When that love is present, the members of the team DO come together and form a family bond. As with any family, there's often a member that functions like the glue...keeping all the pieces together when times turn rough. Gene was that glue for his teams. I admired that quality above all else in him. Every team needs a Gene Moore. What's more, Sesser, Illinois, needed Gene Moore. Gene was growing up at the tail end of the Depression. Sesser was a very poor town and they had very little, but Gene was able to motivate and inspire them as well as his teammates.

Playing with the Enemy is a non-fiction work written like a fiction work. I often found myself thinking, "Wow! I don't think a professional fiction writer could have come up with the likes of this man's story." Isn't it amazing how sometimes life can create irony and suspense better than our own imaginations?

Gene Moore touched the lives of many. And his inspiration continues to be passed along to others through this book. He has inspired me!

The One...The Only...

CHRIS GRABENSTEIN!!! Oh come on now, you can't possibly be surprised that I pursued him to do a blog interview, are you? After all the raving I did over Tilt-A-Whirl and Mad Mouse? You had to know it was coming - or at least that I'd TRY to get it! And I'm so excited that he agreed. And not only did Chris agree, but he answered EVERY question I sent him. Now ordinarily, this wouldn't be a big deal - I tend to send about 10 questions to an author. But I started jotting down my questions and they just kept coming! He's such an intriguing guy that I couldn't help myself. So, when I sent the questions I told him he didn't have to answer every one, but he did. How wonderful of him to take the time out for us!

O.k., so let me first tell you that Chris released Hell Hole this year, which is the fourth book in the John Ceepak series. Tilt-A-Whirl, Mad Mouse and Whack-A-Mole are the first three. He also released a book for young(er) readers called The Crossroads this year. The target audience is middle grade children. AND he has another series featuring Christopher Miller; the two in that series are Slay Ride and Hell for the Holidays.

I usually share with you how I got started reading each of my interviewees, so I will tell you that I won Hell for the Holidays over at Lesa's Book Critiques. She has weekly giveaways and when Chris was at Poison Pen in Arizona, she had him sign a copy for her to giveaway; I was the lucky winner. THEN I won a copy of Hell Hole from Chris himself on a giveaway he did through the DorothyL list serve. Hopefully, they aren't trying to tell me something...ANYWAY, you know me by now (if you read regularly); I'm obsessive about starting series books at the beginning of the series, so off I went to get my copy of Tilt-A-Whirl. Yep, Chris had his marketing cap on when he (or rather Fred) pulled my name for Hell Hole. I bought all three books leading up to Hell Hole. And incidentally, I bought Slay Ride, too, because I can't read Hell for the Holidays before Slay Ride!

I know at this point you're all saying, "Jen, enough with the yakkin'; we want to hear what Chris has to say." And I will be most happy to oblige ... Friends, here is Anthony-Award winning author, Chris Grabenstein:

Q. You worked for awhile with a comedy troupe. That comedic talent definitely comes through in your writing. And some other famous people (Bruce Willis/Robin Williams) had the honor of working with you. Can you share an especially memorable experience from that time?

Chris: Well, one of the most exciting nights was the time when Robin Williams was in town filming Moscow on the Hudson and dropped by to do our show with us. What was fascinating was how shy he was off stage. Much like me! In fact, people often expect performers to be as wild and crazy off stage as they are on. They seldom are!

Q: Did you have any experiences with the comedy troupe that influenced your writing? Do you ever do any "guest appearances" in the comedy clubs now?

Chris: I work a spirit of improv into my daily writing. The secret to doing comedy improvisation is a willingness to say "yes, and..." You always strive to work forward, never negate what the other performers have already established. I write without a detailed outline, just a series of mile markers I'm aiming for. So, just like on stage, I'm making it up as I go along.

I don't really appear in comedy clubs any more. Every now and then, some pals from back in the day and I will get together to raise money for charity. However, if you ever see me on a convention panel or doing the Bouchercon Auction, you will see that I still enjoy getting a chance to act like an idiot in public.

Q: You also worked, quite successfully, in advertising. What motivated you to leave your advertising career behind?

Chris: My first wife died at a very young age (everybody: quit smoking, please!). About a year later, my ad agency was swallowed up by the same conglomerate that swallowed up my first agency back when I was a junior copywriter making two cents a week. I knew what would be coming next: downsizing, layoffs, misery. Realizing life is, indeed, short, I turned in my fancy business cards, gave up my Executive Vice President and Group Creative Director titles to stay home and sit in a spare bedroom typing out my own stories instead of ones for Dr. Pepper and Crystal Light.

Q: Writing has obviously been a big part of your career, regardless of what job you've had. Did you always have aspirations to write novels?

Chris: It's true - I have made my living as a writer since 1984. However, I never thought I could write a WHOLE novel. Don't forget - I'd spent seventeen years writing TV commercials. Thirty second ditties. About 70 words long. I thought I might write more screenplays, which are, basically, longer versions of the scripts I had been writing for TV spots. However, it was Stephen King's book ON WRITING that convinced me I might actually be able to write a story nearing 70 thousand words instead of the 70 I was use to.

Q: Was John Ceepak modeled after anyone you know?

Chris: Ceepak is modeled on several people. My nephew who fought in the first gulf war. And FDNY captain who is a close friend of mine. Some former MPs I met at a wedding. I wanted to create the polar opposite of the bitter, divorced, cynical, I-have-my-own-code sleuth since the world already seemed to have enough of those.

Q: Did the idea of Sea Haven or Ceepak come first?

Chris: I had Ceepak first. I thought Sea Haven, a tacky tourist town where everything is more or less a lie or fake would be a great place to plop a character who will not lie, cheat, steal nor tolerate those who do.

Q: How about Christopher Miller? Where did the idea for his series come from?

Chris: He is actually based on a character named Christopher Morgan, an FBI agent who shows up in the first Ceepak book TILT-A-WHIRL. I just really liked the character. I had turned 50 when I first started writing SLAY RIDE so I made him into a better version of me: a guy who thinks his best days are over who soon learns the world still needs him!

Q: Were John's initials intentional or did that turn out to be a coincidence?

Chris: Total coincidence. In fact, I didn't realize he was a JC until, I think, the third book.

Q: I know you use the WWCD slogan on your souvenirs and on the link for the Visitation Hospital Foundation...

Chris: Several of our friends started asking themselves What Would Ceepak Do? when faced with small moral dilemmas. In fact, I think we made our fire captain friend a WWCD? T-shirt of his own before we did them on Cafe Press to promote the books.

Q: Do you still type your work on the Smith-Corona typewriter or have you transitioned to a computer? Do you have any kind of process for your writing?

Chris: I sometimes wish I still had a typewriter. Especially an IBM Selectric! There was a good feeling to those machines. I now work with Microsoft Word on a Mac computer. I can't write by hand anymore. I have been typing (it's how I supported myself in my acting days - as a temp secretary at a bank) for so long, I think faster than my hand will move the pen. I write every day with a target of creating two thousand new words. I think while I walk my dog and jog around Central Park and keep note cards and Sharpies in every pocket of every jacket and coat that I own.

Q: You write the Ceepak novels in the present tense, which is unusual. Although I have to admit that when I started reading Tilt-A-Whirl, I was so caught up in the book and characters I didn't notice it at all. What I did notice in Mad Mouse, though, was how much I felt like an actual part of the car chase scene. And these books are also written in first person. The Christopher Miller Thriller novels differ, though. Do you prefer one style over the other? What are the aspects you like about each style?

Chris: I think first person present tense gives the Ceepak stories a sense of relentless drive. It's also how cops talk, it seems. "This guy comes up the alley, pulls out a pistol..." I like the Miller books because I get to play with multiple points of view, something that, I think thrillers need to do, so the reader actually knows more than the poor protagonist. Third person also works well in my Middle Grades ghost stories. In fact, a lot of the reviews for THE CROSSROADS complimented me on my adept use of POV - with chapters told from the POV of my hero, the villains, even a tree!

Q: You have some double meanings going on in our titles. I especially liked the double meaning in Mad Mouse. Do the titles come easily for you or is that a challenging part of the process?

Chris: The titles for the Ceepak books come easily but, as you noticed, they are extremely important. They become the metaphor I intend to play with for the entire 70 thousand words. The next book will be called MIND SCRAMBLER and has to do with perceptions, reality, and deception!

Q: So, not only do you have the Ceepak novels and the Christopher Miller novels, but you have also written a book for middle grade readers. What motivated the decision to write that book? And what kind of response do you receive from your younger readers when you're on tour?

Chris: I think of myself as someone who writes fast-paced stories - in all sorts of genres. It's why I liked advertising. One day, you'd write a funny spot for a beer or a soft drink, the next day a tear jerker for heart-warming greeting cards or soup. I also wanted to write a book without dirty words so all the kids I knew could read something I wrote.

I am loving writing for a younger audience. They come to readings and signings hugging the book close to their hearts!

Q: You've just wrapped up your book tour for Hell Hole, but have you had time to read anything yourself in the last six months or so that you would recommend to folks who enjoy your work?

Chris: I pick up mystery books from fellow authors at conventions and can definitely recommend Simon Wood, Katherine Miller Haines, Allison Gaylin, Reed Coleman, Craig Johnson, Rosemary Harris, Jane Cleland, and tons of others. If you like Ceepak books, you'll probably enjoy Marshall Karp's mysteries and stuff from the masters like Robert Crais, Lee Child, Janet Evanovich, Robert Parker.

I also read a lot of non-fiction, especially when I'm writing.

Q: Because I'm an animal-lover myself, I have to ask about the four-legged members of your family. Fred is famous, himself -- appeared on Broadway and has a book coming out. Does he rule the roost or do one of the cats? Everyone always asks me, "your cats and dogs get along?" They sure do! Do you get that question a lot? I, like you, have to keep the cats' food in a safe place or the dogs would devour it for sure.

Chris: Yes, Fred is a great dog. Loves people. If you see us on the street and go, "ah, what a cute dog," he will lick your face. I think our smallest cat, Tiger Lilly, is the one who rules the roost. She makes me rub her butt every morning at 4 a.m. And at 7 pounds, she whipped 62-pound Fred into shape with one swift paw to the snout. What's amazing is how much life the four critters add to our life. In a two-bedroom apartment of 800 square feet!!!

Q: O.k., you've mentioned that there is a Ceepak novel in the works for 2009 called Mind Scrambler. Anything in the works beyond that? Anything for Christopher Miller or for your young(er) fans?

Chris: Yes, MIND SCRAMBLER, where Ceepak and Danny go to Atlantic City and end up investigating the murder of a friend we met in an earlier book, will come out from St. Martin's Minotaur in June 2009. The sequel to THE CROSSROADS is called THE HANGING HILL and will be published by Random House in August 2009. We are also very close to signing a movie option deal for THE CROSSROADS with a Hollywood producer. I am working on a new Middle Grades fantasy series that I just turned over to my agent. Right now, there are no plans for another Christopher Miller thriller...but, you never know!

Q: And the last question: There is a book out called Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure. What would be YOUR six-word memoir?

Chris: Life is good. Full of stories.

See what I mean? He is so interesting! Thank you, Chris, for being so generous with your time!

I'm going to have to add several of those authors he mentioned to my "to read" list. And Mind Scrambler will definitely be on my list of books to buy in 2009!

Before I wrap up the longest post ever, I want to highly recommend checking out Chris's web site. I, again, "borrowed" several of the photos from over there, but he has a video clip up from an appearance he did in Michigan this year on the Hell Hole tour that is extremely fun. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. Definitely check that out! You can also sign up for his mailing list here. You'll receive great updates through that, but you can keep your eyes peeled here as well. I'll definitely be reminding you all when Mind Scrambler comes out. I'll be doing that "happy dance" again! And The Crossroads may very well end up under the Christmas tree for my niece. She might still be a little young for it, but she'll grow into it!

Thanks for enjoying this fun interview with me! Happy Reading!

Butchers Hill - Laura Lippman

Butchers Hill is the third book in the Tess Monaghan series. Tess has moved into her own "shop" and acquired two clients: Luther and Jackie. Luther is paying Tess to find a group of teenagers who were friends with the boy Luther was convicted of shooting. Jackie wants Tess to help her find the daughter she gave up for adoption thirteen years ago. On the surface, both cases appear to be pretty straight forward. O.k., Luther wanting to find the friends of the boy he shot is kind of weird, but all in all, they are both cases involving a simple job of finding people. However, that wouldn't make for much of a crime fiction novel, now would it?

Both cases turn out to be far more complex: Jackie's case starts to hit very close to home for Tess, and Luther's case turns deadly. Both cases examine the ugliness of the child welfare system and the inequality that only harms the children trapped there.

I listened to Butchers Hill on audio book, and the reader was Deborah Hazlett. I enjoy Deborah's readings, and she did a very nice job with Tess. Her ability to express a character's emotion is a great asset with a book such as this one.

Tess is a fun character and I have enjoyed the books I've read with her. Her family is dysfunctional (I can definitely empathize with the grandmother situation); she has her quirks and imperfections; and her humor adds a lot to the novels.

The plot of Butchers Hill deals with some "issues" in the "system" that really aren't new issues, but rather ones no one seems to know how - or want - to fix. I found myself admiring the way that Lippman would present arguments from each side of a racial issue. She definitely set the scene for such issues by placing Tess (a white, female, Jew) smack in the middle of a predominantly African-American neighborhood. In each side you can see holes in the logic, but at the same time, you can understand where both of the arguments are coming from. She did a nice job with that. It's not an easy area to write about without risking offending someone.

Because of the content of the plot, it is a slower moving book. There really is no action to speed up the tempo. I wouldn't say the book was predictable, at least for me it wasn't. But there were a few components of the plot that seemed to come out of the blue and also a few that were a tad bit on the cliche side. I can't elaborate too much more without including spoilers in my review, though.

As with Charm City, I enjoyed Butchers Hill. There wasn't anything about it that completely knocked me off my feet, but it was a fun book and a great one for the car rides to work. I'll definitely read more in the Tess Monaghan series.

A Public Service Announcement

Awhile back I reviewed Tana French's In the Woods. I liked the novel; for the most part I thought it was well written. Personally, it wouldn't have been my first choice for all the awards it won, but I still liked it. Now Trish over at Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin' is giving away a copy of Tana French's next book The Likeness. I have this book on my to-read list, so of course I entered. It's supposed to focus on Cassie, the one character I really liked at the end of In the Woods. To enter, drop by her site and tell her about your pets...or for some people, lack thereof.

Have a great Wednesday and HAPPY READING!!

More Fun with Junior

Tim Hallinan has more of his Little Elvises story up at his blog. This is just a fun book that he's working on. You know me and my love of characters; well, Tim is ingenius with character development; he's definitely on my list of favorite character writers. I'm enjoying every single player who's made an appearance so far in Little Elvises. If you haven't had a chance to check it out, swing on over to Tim's blog. You can get

Chapter One here

Chapter Two here

Chapter Three here

Chapters Four and Five here

Happy Reading!! :)

A Happy Dance

O.k., despite being totally repulsed by Sarah Palin's announcement that she'd support a federal ban on gay marriages yesterday, I am HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY!!! I'm doing a happy dance as a matter of fact. And why you ask would I be doing a happy dance? I'm doing a happy dance because I have a new interview!!! And I'm so excited to share it with you, so make sure you check back...oh, probably FRIDAY!! Until then, it's a secret!

Hope your Tuesday is great...and happy reading!

Jonathan Hayes

O.k., today Alafair had a post on her blog concerning a comment Jonathan Hayes had about her driving. I found the coincidence a little eerie because I had just picked up Jonathan's book Precious Blood on CD from the library yesterday and was planning to start it today while working on some Christmas gifts. Anyway, I just took a quick break from the book - after Disc One I'm COMPLETELY hooked - and I decided to check out Dr. Hayes online. I found his blog, and I'm still wiping the tears from crying - due to laughing so hard - about his comments from Bouchercon. I was disappointed because it looked like there was supposed to be more on the blog page, but evidently I'm having some trouble with my computer viewing the rest. So, after reading Jonathan Hayes' take on Bouchercon, and viewing Alafair's posts from Bouchercon, and all the rest of the stuff I heard about it this year, I've decided it is my mission to be able to go in 2009. I'm going to get myself a jar to collect all the "lucky pennies" I find this year so I can go to Indianapolis next October gosh darn it!

Anyway, I also signed up for Jonathan Hayes' newsletter. I know he has another book coming out soon and based on Disc One of Precious Blood, I'll be wanting to get my hands on the next book as well. Definitely stay tuned for my review when I finish the whole thing.

In the meantime, I have to get cleaned up for babysitting duty tonight. Let the CandyLand marathon begin!

Happy Reading!

The Rainy City - Earl Emerson

The Rainy City is the first book in Earl Emerson's Thomas Black mystery series. Thomas Black lives in Seattle - a la "The Rainy City" - with his renter, Kathy. Kathy is a first-year law student and she rents the basement of Black's house. It is Kathy who talks Black into investigating the disappearance of her friend Melissa and the subsequent "kidnapping" of Melissa's daughter Angel. Angel is abducted but she's abducted by Melissa's parents, and everyone knows that they have her. Angel's father is pretty much a wet noodle and does nothing to try to get Angel back.

Along the way of Thomas and Kathy's investigations, two people are killed, a pimp is knifed in the leg, and the missing body from a supposed twenty-year-old suicide is uncovered. There is definitely no loss for action going on in this book. I, personally, would have been very happy if Emerson had left out the part about the dog being brutally murdered. It really was unnecessary in the whole scheme of things, and I hate violence against animals in books (personal preference).

While I thought the plot was just so-so, I loved the characters in this novel. Well, I loved Thomas and Kathy. Melissa's husband Burton was a little hard to figure out. I wasn't really sure what Emerson was trying to do with him, but I kept feeling that he didn't quite finish what he started with Burton. Burton was, as I said, a "wet noodle." He let people walk all over him. And Emerson couldn't have gotten more stereotypical with him...Burton is a poet. Several people throughout the book make the comment "don't underestimate Burton." However, there isn't any action on Burton's part that justifies that statement. Melissa is the character in the end who finds her gumption.

Now Thomas and Kathy on the other hand are rich, strong characters. Thomas is unique in that he rides a bike - no not a motorcycle; I said a bike, an honest-to-God ten-speed bicycle. He even has special SHOES to ride his bicycle. And Thomas is along the lines of an Elvis Cole or a Lincoln Perry when it comes to sarcastic humor. Of course, that is a trait I find attractive in my P.I. characters, so that endeared Thomas to me right away. I noted in my book a thought Thomas had, and I wanted to share it because Emerson wrote this book in 1985 - today, this statement is so much more true than it was in '85, how could Emerson ever have known?

We're all voyeurs and life is a picnic. People have little boxes in their living rooms and they sit in front of the boxes six or eight hours a night and goggle at other people living their lives. It's called television by some. Me, I call it voyeurism.

Uhm, hello? Can you say "reality T.V?"

The element of Thomas's character that really drove it all home for me, though, is the reason he left the police force. Thomas shot a kid who was high on drugs and trying to run him down with a car. Thomas never was able to deal with killing the boy, and he ultimately left the force and doesn't like to handle a gun any longer. While I don't mind characters wielding guns in my books - wouldn't be much to the crime in crime fiction if they didn't - I don't like protagonist characters who seem unfazed by the violence associated with killing. For me as a reader, that indicates a lack of depth.

Kathy is a fun character. She's not afraid to be different; she speaks her mind; she isn't afraid to walk in on Thomas in the bath...

As I said, the plot was average to me. In the midst of the book I was turning pages because I was very intrigued to find out what was going to happen, but then the conclusion was rather flat. I was anxiously waiting for something more dramatic to happen with all the conflict and foreshadowing throughout the rising action. So when the conclusion came, I was asking myself, "really? That's it?" However, I can assure you that I will be continuing this series because I want to follow the characters. Emerson did a great job of reeling me in with Thomas and Kathy!

Bleeders - Bill Pronzini

Bleeders is the 27th novel in the Nameless Detective series by Bill Pronzini. Normally, I won't start in the middle of a series like this - this is the first I've read from the series - but I've heard Pronzini mentioned many times on the DorothyL list serve and wanted to check him out. I had room in my audio book schedule and this was the first audio version I could get my paws on from the library. And thank the Lord, it wasn't a damaged copy! Please pardon my review if I start to get tongue-tied. When you have to talk about a character who doesn't have a name, the process gets a little challenging. I'll refer to him as Nameless!

Our Nameless Detective is the narrator of Bleeders. He's 60ish with a wife and a newly adopted ten-year-old daughter.

The novel opens with Nameless waiting with his client, Jay Cohalan, for a call from a blackmailer. Cohalan has hired Nameless to stop the blackmailer who is supposedly "bleeding" him dry. But when Cohalan turns out to be the blackmailer, we learn that Nameless is actually working for Cohalan's wife who suspected Cohalan was pulling the stunt to steal her inheritance that he wouldn't have a legal right to if they divorced. This all happens at the very start of the novel. And while Nameless's case is technically over, he signs on to find the culprit when Cohalan and his wife are murdered. He has a personal stake in the bringing the murderer to justice.

Gregory Gorton read Bleeders and I think he did an excellent job of portraying a 60-something character who is starting to consider "scaling back" on his physical responsibilities as a private investigator.

There wasn't a lot of mystery to this novel and the pace was a slower one. The focus of this novel is more the psychological aspects for Nameless. And this is where starting in the middle of a series puts you at a disadvantage. Nameless is starting to think about cutting back, that he isn't capable of doing the things he did "twenty years ago." I have no idea what those things were. This novel could be very monumental in the series - although there are at least seven more novels to follow so he can't be cutting back too much, huh?

The plot was pretty anti-climatic for me. There really wasn't anything that made me think, "WOW!" And on the flip side, there wasn't anything that made me think, "Oh man, this is terrible." Is that the point of Nameless? He doesn't stand out in any way...just a face in the crowd? These are questions I'd like to answer by going back and reading the beginning of the series.

For the most part, the supporting characters play pretty insubstantial roles. However, I did very much enjoy Nameless's assistant, Tamara. She has a lot of spunk and made a great foil for Nameless. She also adds some humor to the mix.

Overall it was an average book. It wouldn't be something I'd recommend everyone run out and read right this minute, but I wouldn't discourage folks from reading it either. I didn't finish it and think, "I could have been reading something else with this time." I'm glad I took the opportunity to check it out.

Someone is having a birthday...

(Alafair, please imagine Harry Connick, Jr. crooning this tune...if I sang it, Duffer would start howling! )

Happy birthday to you...

Happy birthday to you...
Happy birthday dear Alafair...

Happy birthday to you!!

I do hope that this is a wonderful day for you and that you have many, many more birthdays to enjoy. Best wishes, my friend!

Pssst....I Need YOUR Help!

Alright guys and gals, Thursday is Alafair's birthday. Would you all help me out and send her a special greeting? You can send her an e-mail here. If the link doesn't work, you can use alafair (at) alafairburke (dot) com. Just a nice birthday e-mail greeting would be great. I want her to feel the love for number 39! And I'll post something special ON Thursday.

Thanks for the help!

The Big O - Declan Burke

When Karen the armed robber runs into Ray the kidnapper in the midst of a hold-up, sparks start to fly. However, Karen comes with some rather serious baggage - an ex about to be released from prison and Anna.

Ray is not without his problems. It just so happens that he's been hired to kidnap Karen's best friend, Madge. It also isn't such a good thing when police detective Stephanie Doyle takes a shine to Ray and starts giving him more attention than he'd like. Stephanie Doyle is investigating Frank, Madge's soon-to-be ex-husband, for illegal distribution of prescription drugs. Frank just so happens to be the one who hired Ray to kidnap Madge so he could con the insurance company out of the ransom money.

And if that circle of "just so happens" isn't dizzying enough for you, Karen's ex - the one being released from prison - throws another ball into the air for Burke to juggle. And juggle them he does!

If someone had given me a summary of this novel as enticement to read it, I probably wouldn't have given it much thought. But once I picked it up, I was hooked! Characters who normally wouldn't interest me, had me turning pages to find out just what craziness was going to happen next. It was a constant comedy of errors.

Throughout the book I couldn't help but hear "It's a Small World" humming in my head. Everyone is intertwined to everyone else in some rather strange coincidences. But the coincidences simply add to the humor. If I was asked to describe this book, I might say, "if you crossed the land of the misfit toys with Desperate Housewives, you might come close to this crew!" Some people with far too much money and time on their hands crossed with the societal outcasts...all of them misfits in their own ways, and everyone wanting what they don't have. No one is happy with what they do have.

Burke's juggling act in this plot is really genius. How he makes everything somehow link together is amazing. I kept picturing the flow chart he had to have while he was writing to make sure there were no loose ends. But the genius is actually in the way he leads you by the nose right up to the end. I was following, following, following: "oh, of course that's what's gonna happen next!" Then bam! I was blindsided by the final "coincidence." Didn't see it coming at all, but I was grinning from ear to ear when it was revealed.

I have to say that this was one of the rare plot-driven books that really kept me entranced. I wasn't especially fond of the characters, save Anna. They were crass, some were overly spoiled, others were career criminals. They were all smoking pot so often I was getting high just reading the book. But, I had to find out how everything was going to play out in the end. I felt exactly the same way about The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie.

If you're looking for something deep and realistic, you'll have to look elsewhere. The Big O is funny, at times ridiculous or even absurd, and just plain entertaining. It's a fun book; enjoy it - don't look for enlightenment!

Chapter Two anyone?

Tim Hallinan has the rough draft for Little Elvises, Chapter 2 up on his site. You have to check out the exchange between Junior and his daughter Rina. You know me, I love character! And I'm just in awe of Tim's talent with developing characters through their relationships with each other. If you read my review of The Fourth Watcher, you know I commented on that there as well. Rina is SUCH the teenager! When I taught high school English, I heard that sound she makes practically EVERY day!

Here's the link for the first chapter of Little Elvises. Junior is a "career criminal" who sometimes does private eye work for other criminals. There's a little twist on the P.I. character for you! Lots of fun. Check it out!

Look at All My Loot!

Well, since I'm bummed about not being able to attend Bouchercon, I assuaged my sadness by...book shopping! Actually fate timed our warehouse book sale at work and the Elyria Library sale this past Thursday and Friday, respectively.

The stack of paperbacks on the left is from our sale at work, and the hard covers are from the library (if you can't see the library stickers on them). I have been listening to a Bill Pronzini "Nameless Detective" on audio book in my car, so when I found a few of his books I definitely grabbed those up. I'm also giving Wambaugh and Grippando each another shot, as you can probably see. When the books are only $1, you can give authors second and third tries!

And here is my prize find! A beautiful, first edition copy of Winter's Bone. It isn't a former library book. Someone must have donated it. But it is in perfect condition! I couldn't believe I was so lucky to find it!

I was talking to Lesa over at Lesa's Book Critiques, telling her that I have this disorder. I can't keep myself from buying books. I'm like a person who lived through the Depression and buys lots of food and stores it. I buy lots of books and store them! So, if the occasion ever arises that I can't leave my house for, oh say, two years...I won't run out of new books to read. I still have some from last year's library sale that I haven't gotten to...like I said, a disorder!

I better get to reading! Happy Reading to you!!

You have to check this out...

Tim Hallinan has posted a chapter from a book he's working on over at his blog. I was getting behind on my blog reading and finally got over there this evening to check it out. It is just plain fun. I adored The Fourth Watcher, and while this new work has a different feel to it, it's still definitely Tim Hallinan! I absolutely LOVE his humor. But, I can already tell that Junior Bender is going to be a very dynamic and fun character. Might have to make room at the dinner party for him....hmmm, a criminal amidst all the law enforcers...interesting. Go check it out!!

What If...

As promised, I'm back to share the link to Alafair's post over at Read Street today. It's really a fun one. She talked about this topic at the event I attended. And as a matter of fact, in my author scrapbook, the quote that I include for her is "What If..." What did I learn new from this post? That Alafair is on a panel with Chris Grabenstein at this year's Bouchercon. Geez, I would have REALLY liked that panel. I'd have been in the front row for that one. I'm sure there will be plenty of healthy laughing going on!

All the posts at Read Street today are rather interesting. I have to head back over and finish reading the others. Happy Reading!!

Some Tidbits on A CARRION DEATH

I wanted to share this link with you. The Baltimore Sun has a blog called Read Street, and they are blogging about Bouchercon right now. Since I can't attend myself, this is the next best thing.

Today there was a post written by Stanley Trollip, one of the Michael Stanley writing team. I thought it was quite interesting, especially since I liked A Carrion Death so well. I learned that the writers didn't originally intend for Kubu to be the focal character. Funny how books and characters take on lives of their own in the writing process, isn't it?

Anyway, I believe Alafair Burke will be contributing tomorrow, so I'll definitely share that link as well.

Wish I could be in Baltimore this weekend...maybe Indy next year...we'll see.

Happy Reading!!

When Darkness Falls - James Grippando

When a homeless man is threatening to jump off a bridge unless he can talk to the only daughter of Miami's Mayor, Vince Paulo, a blind hostage negotiator, is brought in to talk him down.

Once Falcon, the homeless man, is down, Jack Swyteck is called in to defend Falcon with his legal proceedings stemming from the bridge incident. But the bridge incident turns out to be the least of Falcon's legal issues. The Mayor is dead set against his daughter going anywhere near Falcon, even though she is a trained police officer. What are all the secrets about and why does Falcon want so desperately to speak with a woman he's never even met before?

When Darkness Falls is the first book I've read by Grippando. I did not realize it was the sixth in the Jack Swyteck series. I tend to like to start at the first book in a series, and When Darkness Falls is a prime example why. I think I missed a lot of what others might find appealing, having no background on any of these characters. From a newbies point of view there seemed to be three kind of mini-plots (Falcon, Vince and Alicia, Jack and Theo) that all converged on a hostage situation in a motel - none of them seemed to stand out as the "main" plot until later in the novel, and it didn't really have anything to do with Jack Swyteck. And that's perfectly fine! In a series about a lawyer, every case can't be personally connected to the lawyer. But as I was explaining, not having known this was a series about Jack beforehand, I didn't realize he was the series regular just from this book's plot. It was almost like there needed to be more focus in the book.

I listened to this book on audio, read by Jonathan Davis. I've listened to other works recorded by Davis, and I always feel like he's overly dramatic, and I know that takes a bit away from the book for me.

At the beginning of the novel I felt completely lost. There were two entirely different plots (one containing the three mini-plots mentioned above and then a second major plot) taking place and no connection between them whatsoever. The second plot seemed to come out of the blue with no warning and then vanished just as quickly. A couple discs later I was wondering what happened to it. Eventually it did come back, though. Then at about the midpoint of the book, everything was completely clear and the ending was very obvious. There was no mystery to it for me. Therefore, I wasn't that impressed with the plot. There were several elements I found cliche - which was why I was able to predict the plot. I don't want to provide any spoilers, so I'll not go into detail about what I found to be cliche.

For the most part the characters were O.k. The character I really loved was Jack's friend, Theo Knight. Grippando has a gem in that character! He's funny, sarcastic, intelligent. He was also wrongly convicted and on Death Row before Jack exonerated him; that gave him a distinction; it added to his complexity as a character. The character of Theo Knight made the whole book worth listening to.

I kind of expected Grippando to do more with Vince. He was an intriguing character given the fact that he was blind and a hostage negotiator. I really wanted to know his character more.

Overall it was an enjoyable book to listen to on my rides to and from work. It isn't a hard one to follow on audio. I have a huge to-read list, so I probably won't be rushing out to find another Jack Swyteck book soon, but I'll keep it in mind if I run low on audio options for my drive time.

A Dinner Party?

Awhile back I read a post asking, "if you could invite two detectives to dinner, who would they be?" The first responder said Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. For the response I chose Elvis and Lincoln Perry. My thinking on this response was that I would be less likely to be left out of dinner conversation if the two detectives didn't know each other. But I also responded that I wouldn't want to have to choose just two. If I were inviting, I'd want it to be a whole dinner PARTY, and I wouldn't limit myself to detectives...that leads to this fun post for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Here's my dinner party. I'm starting out with an invite to Corey and one to Naomi. Why Corey? Well for gosh sakes, he's helping me plan the drinks! :) The rest I'm having catered because if I got this group to my house, I wouldn't want to scare them away with my own cooking! Naomi's invited because she would be as excited to see all these people as I am! We look out for each other when it comes to our crime fiction! :)

Next on the invite list? Of course Elvis and Joe, plus Carol Starkey. Lincoln and Joe Pritchard. Ellie Hatcher, John Ceepak (you know you weren't surprised he'd be here), Walt Longmire and Vic Moretti, Myron Bolitar and Win Lockwood, Mike Chapman, Tess Monaghan, Tempe Brennen, Kel McKelvey, Spenser, Philip Marlowe, Poke Rafferty, Kubu Bengu, Adelia Aguilar (O.k., I'm taking some liberties on this one, but I did with Marlowe as well - it's my dream, it can be however I want it to be! LOL), Milo Sturgiss, John Jordan, Dave Robicheaux and Clete Purcell. Holy Cow! I don't know if my house can hold all these people! Maybe I'll set up tables in the back yard and we can have a picnic. See why I had such a hard time with my character list? Even with this invite list I'm leaving off folks I'd still like to invite over!!

And of course, I'd have a seating chart, with nice little place cards at each seat. I'd want everyone to mingle and talk to people they didn't know - especially moi! :) I can just see Vic Moretti next to Win Lockwood - maybe I better have boxing gloves available!

What would your guest list look like?

Yikes! I'm Gonna Talk Politics

I've tried very hard to avoid talking politics on this blog. I think I've done a pretty good job considering the fact that I'm especially passionate about it. Or rather I should say, I'm passionate about people knowing the FACTS about politics and making voting decisions based on what's important. Unfortunately we have too many people who make their decisions based on things that aren't important in the whole scheme of things. However, I digress. The reason I'm putting this post up is because I wanted to help Trish over at Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin' promote her book giveaway from Hachette Book Group. She has an 11-book giveaway. The books are a non-partisan mix of books dealing with politics. If you're interested, you can pop over and leave Trish a comment to be entered in the contest.

Happy Reading!

To Wrap Up Banned Books Week...

I found this nifty idea over at Sharon Loves Books and Cats. I'm not sure what exactly the list represents...if it's a certain time period, of all time, whatever. I also don't know the origin of it. But, regardless it's always neat to look at what you've read.

If I've read the book, I'm supposed to bold it. If I've only read part of it, I'm supposed to italicize it. And if I own it but I haven't gotten around to reading it, it should have three asterisks behind it***. So here are my results:


1. The Bible
2. Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
3. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
4. The Koran
5. Arabian Nights
6. Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
7. Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
8. Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
9. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
10. Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
11. The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli
12. Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
13. Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
14. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
15. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens***
16. Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
17. Dracula by Bram Stoker
18. Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin
19. Tom Jones by Henry Fielding
20. Essays by Michel de Montaigne
21. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
22. History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
23. Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy***
24. Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
25. Ulysses by James Joyce
26. Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio
27. Animal Farm by George Orwell
28. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
29. Candide by Voltaire
30. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
31. Analects by Confucius
32. Dubliners by James Joyce
33. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
34. Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway***
35. Red and the Black by Stendhal
36. Das Capital by Karl Marx
37. Flowers of Evil by Charles Baudelaire
38. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
39. Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D. H. Lawrence
40. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
41. Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser
42. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
43. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair***
44. All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
45. Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx
46. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
47. Diary by Samuel Pepys
48. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
49. Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
50. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
51. Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak***
52. Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant
53. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
54. Praise of Folly by Desiderius Erasmus
55. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller***
56. Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X
57. The Color Purple by Alice Walker***
58. Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
59. Essay Concerning Human Understanding by John Locke
60. Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
61. Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe
62. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
63. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
64. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison***
65. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
66. Confessions by Jean Jacques Rousseau
67. Gargantua and Pantagruel by François Rabelais
68. Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes
69. The Talmud
70. Social Contract by Jean Jacques Rousseau
71. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
72. Women in Love by D. H. Lawrence
73. American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
74. Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler
75. A Separate Peace by John Knowles***
76. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
77. Red Pony by John Steinbeck
78. Popol Vuh
79. Affluent Society by John Kenneth Galbraith
80. Satyricon by Petronius
81. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
82. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
83. Black Boy by Richard Wright
84. Spirit of the Laws by Charles de Secondat Baron de Montesquieu
85. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
86. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
87. Metaphysics by Aristotle
88. Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
89. Institutes of the Christian Religion by Jean Calvin
90. Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse
91. Power and the Glory by Graham Greene
92. Sanctuary by William Faulkner***
93. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner***
94. Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
95. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
96. Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
97. General Introduction to Psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud
98. Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
99. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Alexander Brown***
100. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
101. Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest J. Gaines
102. Émile Jean by Jacques Rousseau
103. Nana by Émile Zola
104. Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
105. Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin
106. Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
107. Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
108. Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Peck
109. Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark
110. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes***
111. Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
112. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling***
113. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
114. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle
115. The Witches of Worm by Zilpha Keatly Snyder

Thank you for recognizing Banned Books Week with me. I'm going to celebrate my right to read every day! I hope you will, too! Happy Reading.

Mad Mouse - Chris Grabenstein

Mad Mouse is the second John Ceepak mystery. John and Danny Boyle are back and it's the end of the summer, so their Tilt-A-Whirl escapades are only a couple months behind them at this point. The Sea Haven Police Department is going to hire one summer cop for a full-time position, and Danny has submitted his application for the position.

A big end-of-summer, Labor Day celebration is being planned on the beach to try to renew everyone's faith in the Sea Haven vacation spot.

Danny and his circle of friends head out to the beach one night before Labor Day to celebrate National Toasted Marshmallow Day. Their celebration is cut short when they are all assaulted by an unknown shooter with a paintball gun. No one is seriously injured, but the shooter is in the wind and has left a calling card, a Phantom trading card.

The chief instructs Ceepak and Danny to investigate this incident very quietly. They don't want anyone riling folks up and scaring them away from the big Labor Day party. But the investigation doesn't remain quiet for long.

Chris Grabenstein has created a couple of absolutely wonderful characters. And while I rated Tilt-A-Whirl a five-star book, and still stick to that rating, I think Mad Mouse topped it, but I have no where to go from five-stars. This is a five-star PLUS book.

Danny begins to take on more dimension in this book. He experienced quite an ordeal in Tilt-A-Whirl, and the results are apparent in Mad Mouse. He's determined to become a full-time police officer and strive to be the kind of officer that Ceepak is. Grabenstein also shows Danny morphing through the use of Danny's relationships with his friends.

Ceepak has been an extremely rich character from the get-go. In Mad Mouse we see more of who this man is. And I love him even more than I did in Tilt-A-Whirl. Grabenstein sneaks in a little environmental message with Ceepak in this novel when he and Danny are checking out a garbage can on the beach for clues. Danny tells Ceepak that he thinks the maintenance people empty the cans every day, and Ceepak's response is, "They should. They should also recycle these plastic bottles." Then a little later, when Danny and Ceepak are investigating a hotel room, Ceepak carefully turns off an air conditioner left running:

"'You should always set the thermostat to seventy-five or higher when out of your residence for an extended period of time. Especially during peak hours of consumption.'"

A man after my own heart! Looking out for the environment. We also see an attraction between Ceepak and a woman in this novel, so we're permitted a little more of a view into the person, not just the cop. AND, we even see a possible slip in The Code during this novel. I'll not spill it here, but I'd love to hear if you think it's a slip the way I did! Regardless of that slip, Danny is spot on when he says,

...John Ceepak has a code he tries to live by. He will not lie, cheat, or steal. He will, however, leave some damn decent footprints for you to try and trace in the sand.

As in Tilt-A-Whirl, Grabenstein has chosen a plot with a very serious tone. His humor helps to lighten the tone but not demean it at all. He walks a thin line and manages to maintain the seriousness of the plot with humor to make it fun. I admire that ability. So often these days humor takes the form of an insult to the reader or viewers intelligence. But this is not the case with Grabenstein. After both books I found myself saying, "Wow! That was a heavy theme. But it sure was a lot of fun to read."

The action is wonderful, too. I had to note in my book during a car chase because I felt my heart rate increase as I was reading about them zooming around. I could envision it as a movie director's dream. And then there was a sudden halt to the chase. You feel all that momentum as you're reading through the scene. It's wonderful.

Mad Mouse is written so that you don't need to read Tilt-A-Whirl first, but I would recommend reading it first if you're able to. I think that Mad Mouse will mean more if you've already read Tilt-A-Whirl. It did for me anyway. Again, I can't recommend this book highly enough. I've already ordered Whack-A-Mole and I won a copy of Hell Hole. When I get through them all, Grabenstein will join the ranks of Crais, Burke, Koryta, and Holland for me. I wait patiently, but on pins and needles, for their next releases.

Happy Reading!