September 2010

1. Betrayal In Death by J.D. Robb
In Death series, Book 13

{read for August In Death Reading Challenge}
The crime fiction mystery surrounding an elusive hired assassin whose latest contract brings him to NYC. The latest victims work for Roarke and each target is someone closer to Roarke than the previous. Eve and her team race against time, researching past cases and small details that narrow down his identity and location. In the meantime, Mick Connelly--a boyhood friend of Roarke's from Ireland, shows up much to Roarke's surprise as public knowledge was that the man was dead. Not a favorite, yet once again another solid crime fiction mystery and the relationship developments between Eve & Roarke, Eve & Peabody and Peabody & McNab keep the emotional level of the series up to par with prior books.

2. "Interlude In Death" by J.D. Robb
In Death series novella, Book 14

While off planet on Olympus as a guest speaker for a law enforcement conference, Eve and her team get involved in the hunt for a murderer who has targeted officers working security for an esteemed retired police commander who has a vendetta against Roarke.

3. Tomorrow River by Lesley Kagan

Set in the summer of 1969, this story is about a set of near 12 year old twins--Shenadoah and Janine-- whose mother mysteriously disappeared one night the previous summer. The girls live with their father--the honorary superior court Judge Walter Carmody on the family estate of Lilyfield in rural Virginia. His Honor hasn't been very good at taking care of his girls since his wife disappeared, even after hiring help. In his grief over this missing wife, he drinks heavily and is harsh on his daughters, sometimes locking them in the root cellar overnight demanding they spend the night on their knees praying to God for forgiveness. Janie has turned mute ever since the night their mother disappeared and Shen has taken upon herself to take care of her twin as best she can and has also taken it upon herself to find their mother before their dad sends Woody away.

4. Seduction in Death by J.D. Robb
In Death series, Book 15

In this book, Eve and her team are racing to apprehend the murderer or murderers of young women the killer is meeting through online chat rooms. He courts the women online romantically with poetry, tales from his travels around the world, and other sweet talk. He takes them out to a romantic dinner and starts slipping the women date rape drugs and a second one once he has them in bed. The mixture of these two drugs is deadly, but the murderer doesn't care. Seduction, conquer and murder are all part of this murderer's game. This investigation hits a strong emotional chord with Eve because of her own past, but she does her job and she does it well. Thanks to the support of both her team and her husband. The story between the Peabody-Charles-MacNab triangle was quite entertaining in this one, not to mention Mavis and Trina get their hands on Eve one night, too. That's always great fun. ha!

5. Reunion In Death by J.D. Robb
In Death Series, book 16

A woman Eve helped put away nearly a decade ago is out of jail on good behavior, only to turn up in New York City offing wealthy, older men with no connections to each other or the murderer's past. Eve and her team seem to be chasing their tails trying to catch this slippery killer and includes an emotional trip for Eve to Dallas, Texas where her past haunts her. Eve is smarter and slicker than the killer... but can she stop her before she targets Roarke? Eve and Roarke also celebrate their one year wedding anniversary in this book.

6. The Godmother by Carrie Adams

I read this book for the Authors by the Alphabet Book Club hosted by Paula from Tome's Devotee book blog. I loved this book even though I think it made me kind of sad and depressed as I read it. The Godmother is about Tessa King, a single woman in her mid to late 30s and is a sort of a late coming of age story. Tessa has a network of very close, amazing friends--all of whom are in various stages of marriage and child rearing, hence the godmother part. Tessa is the godmother for four of her friends' children and in the state of being the perpetual go to friend when help is needed, Tessa is kind of lost on the road to ever leading her own happily ever life. The story is sometimes brutal in its heartbreak, tragedy and unfairness, yet also so richly full of friendship, love and family.

7. "The Taming of Mei Lin" novella by Jeannie Lin

8. Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin