Books by Jeanne M. Dams
This entertaining series is a must read for any angliophile. Even though she is an older sleuth I still enjoy her experiences in trying to adapt to English society. The mysteries aren't always the best but it is the characters she meets along the way that makes it so enjoyable.
Dorothy Martin Series

Body in the Transept
American sleuth Dorothy Martin has moved to the fictional university/ cathedral town of Sherebury, where she and her academic husband had planned to retire before his unexpected demise. After the Christmas Eve service in the Cathedral, Dorothy stumbles over the body of Canon Billings. Once she recovers her equilibrium, she finds herself feeling involved in the case and curious about the unpleasant but learned Canon, who had made more enemies than friends. He had recently argued vehemently with his young, hot-headed assistant in the library, had tried to get the choirmaster fired and was gathering evidence against the verger who was stealing from the collection plate. Dorothy charmingly insinuates herself into village life in the best Miss Marple tradition, talking to neighbors and befriending others (including widower Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt) and determinedly pursuing the killer even as she puts herself in danger. With her penchant for colorful hats, Dorothy tries to fit in the life of an Englishman while still maintaining her own style.

Trouble in the Town Hall
Dorothy is determined to be all things at once: gardener, home-restorer and sleuth. Present at town hall when the body of a young vagrant is discovered in a broom closet of the venerable building, Dorothy assumes (somewhat illogically) that the murder is related to the fierce battle raging over the structure: Should it be restored to its former magnificence or turned into a shopping mall? She relies on the village's greatest asset?gossip?for her clues. Since her romantic interest, the aristocratic and clever chief constable, Alan Nesbitt, is busy with an impending royal visit, she puts on her best hat, some wildly impractical shoes, and marches up High Street for a few audacious chats with the town's leading citizens, among them an enormously wealthy builder and his browbeaten wife, a cagey shopkeeper and a fiery preservationist. Another murder confounds her and stuns the town.

Holy Terror in the Hebrides

Malice in Miniature

Victim in Victoria Station

Killing Cassidy

To Perish in Penzance

Sins Out of School

Winter of Discontent

Weather Warden series by Rachel Caine

Bk 1: Ill Wind
Joanne Baldwin is a Weather Warden. Usually all it takes is a wave of her hand to tame the most violent weather. But now Joanne is trying to outrun another kind of storm: accusations of corruption and murder. So she's resorting to the very human tactic of running for her life ...
Her only hope is Lewis, the most powerful Warden of them all. Unfortunately, he's also on the run from the World Council. It seems he's stolen not one but three bottles of Djinn -- making him the most wanted man on earth. And without Lewis, Joanne's chances of surviving are as good as a snowball in -- well, a place she may soon be headed. So she and her classic Mustang are racing hard to find him because there's some bad weather closing in fast.

This book keeps you reading as it is her escaping one storm after another. The ending was quite surprising and unexpected. But I'm satisfied with it. It will be interesting to see how the series continues.

Bk 2: Heat Stoke

Bk 3: Chill Factor

Bk 4: Windfall

Dead Boy Detectives by Jill Thompson
Created by Neil Gaiman in his popular SANDMAN series

Charles Rowland and Edwin Paine, the dead British teenagers who are always on the run from Death, travel stateside to solve a missing persons case. Our intrepid heroes have been contacted by young Annika Abernathy, a student at a posh International Academy in Chicago. It seems that Annika's best friend has vanished. For Rowland and Paine to investigate the case properly, they decide to enroll as students at the school. And since it's an all-girls academy, the duo is forced to go undercover — in drag.

It is an odd mix of Victorian style and manga. The illustrations change based on location and who is in the square. Not terribly original but interesting. I am curious to look at her previous work "Death, at Death's Door" and future items. I have not seen Gaiman's original comics that this volume was based on to know how it compares.

Death at Death's Door ~ Fills in the backstory of "Season of Mists," by Neil Gaiman. Lucifer has abandoned Hell, giving Morpheus the key to its gates and unleashing a host of troubles for the beleaguered Dream King. Thompson's story, while including enough references to "Mists" to bring everyone up to speed, focuses primarily on Dream's big sister, Death, whose apartment is overrun by the dead with no place to go now that Hell has closed up shop. So, acting on their own idea for coping with the legions of former damned, younger sisters Despair and Delerium host a party at Death's house.

I know that this has gotten a lot of positive write-ups because of the success Thompson has had recreating a Manga style but it just didn't do anything for me. I find most Manga really annoying with all the clutter and yelling and shouting that seems to go on endlessly.

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
Maisie Dobbs, Psychologist and Investigator, began her working life as a servant in a Belgravia mansion, only to be discovered reading in the library by her employer, Lady Rowan Compton. Fearing dismissal, Maisie is shocked when she discovers that her thirst for education is to be supported by Lady Rowan and a family friend, Dr. Maurice Blanche. But The Great War intervenes in Maisie’s plans, and soon after commencement of her studies at Girton College, Cambridge, Maisie enlists for nursing service overseas.

Years later, in 1929, having apprenticed to the renowned Maurice Blanche, a man revered for his work with Scotland Yard, Maisie sets up her own business. Her first assignment, a seemingly tedious inquiry involving a case of suspected infidelity, takes her not only on the trail of a killer, but back to the war she had tried so hard to forget. It is interesting to see the merging of the working and upper classes and how England was forced to change because of the war. Scars run deep and are not always on the surface.

Most of the story is told through flashbacks. This is proving to be an excellent series and I cannot wait to read more. It has a very Sherlock Holmes style about it but does not feel like a copy.

Birds of a Feather
Maisie gets hired by a wealthy industrialist to find his only daughter, Charlotte Waite, who has gone missing. With the help of her cockney assistant, Billy Beale, Maisie sets out to learn all she can of Charlotte's habits, character and friends. No sooner has Maisie discovered the identities of three of these friends than they start turning up dead—poisoned, then bayoneted for good measure. At each crime scene is left a white feather. Increasingly preoccupied with these tragedies, Maisie almost loses sight of her original mission, until it becomes apparent that the murders and Charlotte's disappearance are related.

The ending was not difficult to deduce but it is enjoyable to see how she developes. Plus I got to meet the author a few weeks ago at a Mystery Author's luncheon at the Cerritos Library. I bought a copy of this book for my mother. You see a lot of the culture being developed after WWI is over.

Pardonable Lies

Uncommon Heroes Series by Dee Henderson

True Devotion
The story opens with Kelly on a rescue mission trying to save a drowning teen, Ryan, when caught in a riptide both are swept out to sea. Barely staying conscious she reflects on her relationship with God & the death of her husband, Navy Seal Nick. Nick's best friend and fellow Navy Seal, Joe, manages to find her and rescue her and the teen and while he is trying to bring them both to the boat Kelly murmurs that she loves him before losing consciousness. Once she wakens Ryan's grateful and wealthy widowed father is at her bedside and becomes a possible love interest as well.

Everything gets more complicated by the secrets surrounding Nick's death. Will Joe be able to open to her and will they be able to get past the past and be able to stay true to their faith? Plus what does Ryan's father have to do with all this?

An interesting intrigue type romance with God thrown in. Not overwhelming but predicable. You do get an interesting look at military life, especially around the Navy Seals.

Ezekiel "Easy" Rawlins mystery series by Walter Mosley

Little Scarlet
It is 1965, and the devastating Watts riots are ravaging Los Angeles. A white man attempts to escape from a mob by running into a nearby apartment building. A few days later he is accused of killing a woman known as Little Scarlet who is found dead in the building. But when Easy Rawlins starts to investigate, he suspects the killer to be someone else-someone whose rage is racially motivated and as deep as his passion. We get to see his relationships with both blacks and whites and those he loves around him.

I listened to this on CD and it was an amazing read. Wow! You really get a feel for how it was right after the Watts riots. Plus a pretty good mystery too.

Darkfusion series by Neal Shusterman

Dread Locks
Taking elements of fairy tales and Greek mythology tells the story of fourteen-year-old Parker Bear, rich and utterly bored with life—until a new girl arrives in town. Tara’s eyes are always hidden behind designer sunglasses, and her hair, blond with glimmering spirals, seems almost alive. Parker watches, fascinated, as one by one Tara chooses high school students to befriend; he even helps her by making the necessary introductions. Over time, her "friends" develop strange quirks, such as drinking gallons of milk, eating dirt, and becoming lethargic. By the time Parker realizes what Tara is doing, he is too embroiled to stop her. In fact, she has endowed him with certain cravings of his own. ..to absorb some of her terrible powers. But now his brother and sister are changing ... will he be able to save them or even himself?

Internest read. I liked the Medusa/Goldilocks elements that come out. I'll be interested to see the future titles.

Gruesome Green Witch by Patricia Coffin

Written in 1969 it features two 11-year-old girls, Puffin and Mole, who meet an assortment of mythical and fictional characters, including the Wizard of Oz, Fafnir (a fearsome dragon of Niebelungenlied), Merlin, King Neptune, a Swedish elf, and the malevolent gruesome green witch. They do their homework in Merlin's concentration cave, where answers are caught as they bounce off walls. (You need to have a license in order to study) . They attend an undersea party presided over by Neptune, with Cinderella, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy among the revellers, then Puffin incurs the wrath of the villainous, gruesome green witch (who turns her enemies into statues) by seeing her back, and Puffin's brother is captured when the girls bring him into the land so he can profit from the concentration cave. But eventually the witch is conquered by a magic brew which Puffin slips into her tea, and melts down into a pile of green rags.

It is even written in green ink with green illustrations.

Fun and entertaining and a great walk down memory lane as they meet storybook characters during their explorations of the Magic Forest.

Biggie Mysteries by Nancy Bell features Biggie Weatherford who is the wealthiest woman in the East Texas town of Job's Crossing. The mysteries are seen through the eyes of her grandson J.R.

Biggie and the Poisoned Politician
Murder, kidnapping, fraud and other skullduggery come to a small East Texas town and usher a young boy toward maturity in this entertaining debut mystery. The narrator, J.R., is living with his eccentric grandmother, Biggie Weatherford, grand dame of Job's Crossing, when routine life is disturbed by strange events. The car belonging to Biggie's boarder, Mr. Crabtree, explodes in the driveway; the town makes plans for a sanitation landfill next to Biggie's family farm; and the mayor dies under mysterious circumstances after a meeting to plan the town's Pioneer Days. Biggie decides to investigate and is aided by J.R.; her maid, Willie Mae, who knows voodoo; and Willie Mae's wise, ne'er-do-well husband, Rosebud Robichaux. A motorcyclist wheels into town and another man dies before Biggie can put a finger on the scheming murderer amidst the carnival atmosphere of the town festival.

Biggie and the Mangled Mortician
The little town of Job's Crossing is abuzz as plans for the upcoming operetta; a monster is roaming the cemetery; and a new mortician has come to town. When the extremely ugly Monk Carter arrives to take up the funerary business, Miss Itha, local hair stylist, takes one look at him and faints dead away. At Miss Biggie's garden party, with mouthwatering food prepared by Willie Mae and Rosebud, who live in a house on Biggie's property, Monk volunteers to join the cast of HMS Pinafore. When he fails to show up for the first rehearsal, Biggie and J.R. go looking and find him dead on the floor of his living room. Ready to seal off the crime scene with yellow silk ribbon printed with "Go Fighting Turkeys" in gold glitter is Butch, the town florist appointed deputy police chief after the previous chief was sent to prison. But soon other players draw Biggie's attention: Miss Itha, who has disappeared with her son, DeWayne; and the new preacher, who has been romancing a local girl. But is anyone really whom they seem to be?

Lots of surprizes in this one. Fun to read while sitting out in the sun sipping iced tea.

Demon in My View by Ruth Rendell (aka Barbara Vine)
Arthur Johnson's loneliness has perverted his desire for love and respect into a carefully controlled tendency for violence. One floor below him, a scholar finishing his thesis on psychopathic personalities is about to stumble upon one of Johnson's many secrets. He is also called Johnson and this will give unexpected complications.

We see the story from both their points of view so it is interesting to see how they interpret the same situations. Rendell writes so well and leaves you wanting more. I'm enjoying going back through her older works.

Passage to India by E.M. Forster

Written while England was still firmly in control of India, Forster's novel follows the fortunes of three English newcomers to India--Miss Adela Quested, Mrs. Moore, and Cyril Fielding--and the Indian, Dr. Aziz, with whom they cross destinies. The idea of true friendship between the races was a radical one in Forster's time, and he makes it abundantly clear that it was not one that either side welcomed. If Aziz's friend, Hamidullah, believed it impossible, the British representatives of the Raj were equally discouraging.

Despite their countrymen's disapproval, Miss Quested, Mrs. Moore, and Mr. Fielding are all eager to meet Indians, and in Dr. Aziz they find a perfect companion: educated, westernized, and open-minded. Slowly, the friendships ripen, especially between Aziz and Fielding. Having created the possibility of esteem based on trust and mutual affection, Forster then subjects it to the crucible of racial hatred: during a visit to the famed Marabar caves, Miss Quested accuses Dr. Aziz of sexually assaulting her, then later recants during the frenzied trial that follows. Under such circumstances, affection proves to be a very fragile commodity indeed. What really happened in the Marabar caves? This is the mystery at the heart of E.M. Forster's 1924 novel, A Passage to India, the puzzle that sets in motion events highlighting an even larger question: Can an Englishman and an Indian be friends?

This book is so beautifully written and yet difficult to read at the same time. But it brings forth so many emotions and thoughts about oppression of Indians as well as men and women.

Rex Series by Eric Garcia

Anonymous Rex
Meet Vincent Rubio, the latest thing in hard-boiled private detectives. He's a dinosaur--it seems they're still among us, disguising themselves as humans. As a private eye, Rubio finds plenty of problems to solve, among them an arson case, the death of his partner, and the need to keep his true identity concealed. Rubio is a dinosaur. Literally a raptor, he is one of 16 dinosaur species that survived "The Great Showers" 65 million years ago. A whole hidden society exists in his world; dinosaurs scaled down in size and hidden inside complex, latex, human "guises," governed by Councils, recognizing each other by the distinctive odors only dinos can smell.

The mystery involves cross-race and cross-species breedings, a lounge singer who is not what she appears to be, and plenty of clue gathering. It was a very entertaining read. Kind of a strange mystery but it's fun to read something different and this is defintely that!

Casual Rex
Hot & Sweaty Rex

Nerd books by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Fun books featuring nerdly men who fall in love with beautiful women and prove themselves worthy. Interesting characters.

Nerd in Shining Armor
For Genevieve Terrence it seemed like a dream come true: a weekend alone on Maui with her sexy boss, Nick Brogan. But little did she know that Nick had dreams of his own -- a nefarious scheme that nearly got her killed on the flight over the Pacific. Lucky for her, brilliant computer programmer Jack Farley was on board and quick-witted enough to crash-land the plane. Now Jack is her sole companion on a remote desert island with nothing but guava trees and sharks for company. Who'd expect the shy genius -- and the least alpha male she knows -- to turn out to be the uninhibited stud of her wildest dreams?

Saving Genevieve's life has made Jack a hero in the eyes of the woman he has secretly lusted after for months. Now they're alone together in a tropical eden where they're free to give in to their every sensual whim. But when some nasty unfinished business puts them at risk again, Gen will learn there's nothing quite as dangerous as a fully aroused ex-nerd who'll move heaven and earth to protect the woman he loves...

Nerd Who Loved Me
Lainie Terrell is no ordinary single mother. With feathers in all the right places, she's one of the hottest showgirls in Vegas. Aside from a hot-tempered ex-boyfriend on her sequined tail, Lainie's biggest problem is finding a decent babysitter for her son. Lainie's dilemma is solved when she ropes Harry Ambrewster, the casino's shy-but very smart and cute-accountant, into the task.

Inheriting his chemist father's high I.Q. and sexy good looks, Harry has always been intrigued by Lainie. He isn't thrilled at the prospect of babysitting, but he'll do anything to get near the gal who fuels his craziest fantasies. Then Lainie's dangerous ex comes knocking. Their option? Run faster than a pair of net stockings.

In disguise and on the lam, Lainie's masquerading as the perfect wife. Harry's doubling as the he-man protector. But with a set-up this hot, who's fooling who? When the lights go down, and the masks come off, a nerd like Harry could be just the right ignition to set a woman like Lainie on fire....

Mai the Psychic Girl Volume 1 by Kazuya Kudo

Like many storybook heroines, Mai Kuju is just your average happy-go-lucky 14 year old. Her wishes are simple: she'd like to grow up faster; she'd like a boyfriend; she'd like her dad to be home more. Of course, Mai's not exactly average. For one thing, she can move stuff with her mind. And there are these mysterious men following her... After watching her father perish (or so she thinks!) saving her from the clutches of the Wisdom Alliance, Mai is alone and on the run. She finds an unlikely ally in Intetsu, a daredevil college student on a motorcycle, and his motley crew of dorm buddies. They too will risk their lives to protect this unusual girl from those who would control her powers. Not all the danger comes from outside, however; Mai soon discovers that her powers can kill and destroy as well as heal. Will she be able to control her emotions and protect her friends?

Entertaining and a fast read. There are two additional volumes.

Matter of Profit by Hilari Bell

Strangers in a bizarre land—that's what Ahvren's people, the Vivtare, are. They are the conquerors, the rulers now, of the T'Chin confederacy. But Ahvren is no longer sure what that means. After spending two years fighting a brutal war on another planet, here—where not a single shot was fired—victory doesn't seem quite so...victorious. Rumors abound of a plot to assassinate the Vivitare emperor. Sick of the horrors of conquering beings on other planets, Ahvrem wants to find another path. will end his service as a soldier and save his sister from an unhappy marriage if he can discover who is behind a rumored plot to assassinate the Emperor.

So Ahvren makes a deal with his father, if he can discover the plot to assassinate the emperor it will save his sister from an unhappy marriage. He can also choose his own path for the next year, otherwise he will be sent to conquer other worlds. When he discovers that even the rumors are not what they seem he is too late to change fate of others so can only do that for himself.

An interesting, powerful YA novel featuring a variety of aliens. Very well done and thought provocing. Can't wait to read more of her works.

Scott Pilgram by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Interesting look at life in a 20 something guy from Canada who is just waltzing through life. It is all about to change.

Vol. 1 Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
Scott Pilgrim's life is fantastic. He's 23 years old, in a rock band, between jobs, and dating a cute high school girl. Everything's awesome until a seriously mind-blowing delivery girl named Ramona Flowers enters his life. She is invading his dreams and making him obsessed. Now in order to date her he has to fit her seven evil ex-boyfriends! We meet boyfriend #1 in this volume. I'm assuming he fights a new exboyfriend each volume.

Vol. 2 Scott Pilgrim vs. the world
As this volume opens we get a peek into Scott's past: we see his early romantic troubles and the talentless band that sprang from them. In the present, Scott's new romance with mysterious messenger girl Ramona Flowers sends his former girlfriend, teenage Knives Chau, into a fury that culminates in an all-out kung fu battle between the two. In the surrealist twists that fill O'Malley's work, characters who are introduced in dreams end up playing major parts in the "real" life of the story, and you never know when the meandering lives of these Canadian 20-somethings are going to shift into high-action fight sequences. There is a brief moment where he fights Ramona's 2nd evil boyfriend - former skateboarder now famous actor. In which he skates so fast he compusts! We finally get to see the face of his former girlfriend - who is now in a very well-known band. As they are performing at the end Ramona tells who her 3rd evil boyfriend is.

Volume 3 - Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness
This time, Scot is pitted against #3 of the evil ex-boyfriends, Todd Ingram, the current boyfriend of his ex, rock star Envy Adams; they battle at a discount department store and a rock club. Unfortunately, Todd's got psychic powers, because he's a vegan ("graduated top of his class from vegan academy and everything"), and he's also a much better bass player. On top of that, Scott's band, Sex BobOmb, can't quite get it together; 17-year-old ninja Knives Chau is still obsessed with him; and the mysterious Ramona Flowers is becoming envious of Envy. We learn more about Scott's past and his infatuation with Envy (aka Natalie). He has such loyal friends who will stand behind him even when it appears he cannot win. This was much more funny to me because of all the minor storylines going on. I had trouble with some of the artwork as characters blur and it becomes hard to tell who is who and when the flashbacks even end. But overall very happy with the storyline and I'm assuming 4 more volumes to go!

Bianca Balducci Mystery by Libby Sternberg

Uncovering Sadie's Secrets
Bianca is a normal high school girl who attends parochial school in Baltimore, MD. She worries about her hair, clothes and most of all how to attact her new crush, Doug. But smack in the middle of a normal teens life comes a mystery. Who is Sadie and why is she so scared? Who are these people claiming to be her parents? Is Sadie on the run? Bianca inlists the help of her big sister, Connie, who also is a private eye and her best friend Kerrie. Together they will put the pieces together about Sadie. But will it be too late?

An ok series. The cover makes it appear like there is some kind of supernatural aspect to this book. There isn't. An older version of Nancy Drew. Bianca is popular and fun. It will be interesting to see a new installment.

Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams

Welcome to Echo Falls. Home of a thousand secrets, where Ingrid Levin-Hill, super sleuth, never knows what will happen next. Ingrid is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or at least her shoes are. Getting them back means getting involved in a murder investigation rivaling those solved by her idol, Sherlock Holmes, and Ingrid has enough on her plate with club soccer, school, and the plum role of Alice in the Echo Falls production of Alice in Wonderland. But much as in Alice's adventures down the rabbit hole, things in Ingrid's small town keep getting curiouser and curiouser. Her favorite director has a serious accident onstage (but is it an accident?), and the police chief is on Ingrid's tail, grilling her about everything from bike-helmet law to the color of her cleats. Echo Falls has turned into a nightmare, and Ingrid is determined to wake up.

Appears this might be a series as there are several unanswered questions by the end of this fast paced story. Like is her brother Ty on steroids? Where will her relationship with Joey go? Will her parents stay together? Will Grandpy be forced to sell his property? and more. So I can several more Echo Falls mysteries on the horizon.

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Centuries ago, when magic still existed in England, the greatest magician of them all was the Raven King. A human child brought up by fairies, the Raven King blended fairy wisdom and human reason to create English magic. Now, at the beginning of the nineteenth century, he is barely more than a legend, and England, with its mad King and its dashing poets, no longer believes in practical magic.

Then the reclusive Mr Norrell of Hurtfew Abbey appears and causes the statues of York Cathedral to speak and move. News spreads of the return of magic to England and, persuaded that he must help the government in the war against Napoleon, Mr Norrell goes to London. There he meets a brilliant young magician and takes him as a pupil. Jonathan Strange is charming, rich and arrogant. Together, they dazzle the country with their feats.

A fascinating story but I could not read it. About half way through the story I just gave up. It has pages and pages of footnotes and the storyline has many threads. I gave it another chance when I listened to it on tape. What a difference. It was delightful for me this way. I could sit back and enjoy being read to and not try to figure out how the footnotes worked. So I would recommened listening to the book rather than trying to read it.

Children of the Red King series by Jenny Nimmo

Midnight for Charlie Bone
The fabulous powers of the Red King were passed down through his descendants, after turning up quite unexpectedly, in someone who had no idea where they came from. Charlie Bone's life with his widowed mother and two grandmothers undergoes a dramatic change when he discovers that he can hear people in photographs talking. When Charlie Bone is sent to the Bloor's Academy he discovers that he is not alone in his talents. But not everyone is out for good. We meet Charlie and his new friends as he discovers more about the Red King and the battle that is waging between good and evil.

Fun series rather like HP but has it's own flavor. It has an interesting story and I especially like the fire cats.

Charlie Bone and the Twister

Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy

Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors