What we're reading in June 2010
Ever wonder what the folks who work at a mystery bookstore like to read? Well, here's your answer. Each month we ask everyone here to pick a book, current or older, that they truly enjoyed and are enthusiastic about. Of course, if you visited the store, we'd tell you directly what we like but for those of you who can't come see us, this is the next best thing. Our special thanks to Judi for pulling this feature together and to all the staff who contributed their picks.
Presented here are the picks for this month, an archive of earlier months is available from the menu at the left.
What Mary Alice is reading
The small Kansas town of Rose is the setting for Nancy Pickard’s complex and elegant new novel and this is a setting close to her heart. The powerful Linder family of cattle ranchers and the family of the man who was imprisoned for the death of the scion of the Linder family and his wife are hurled into a storm of memories with a new trial 23 years later. Through the eyes of the young woman orphaned by this tragic event and the young lawyer trying to prove his father’s innocence we experience the layers of deception and discovery. Nancy is the consummate storyteller who compels you through the intrigue and suspense into the wee hours to read this in one gulp. As it inches it’s way up the New York Times bestseller list (6/1 it is # 26), more folks are discovering the wonders of the Kansas Plains and the exceptional writer who brings those stories into our hearts.
What Buff is reading
Dortmunder always makes me laugh as I try to figure out how he is going to extract himself and his gang from whatever mishap they have gotten into. This time they are caught up in the reality-TV craze, starring in a new production about what else? Real Burglary! Dortmunder leads his crew as they try to pull a heist while getting paid to stage a heist. I loved it and I can't stand reality-TV. A great summer read to put a smile on your face.
What Judi is reading
In Alone in the Crowd, Dona Laureta is dead, pushed or fallen under a bus on a busy Copacabana street only hours after asking to speak with chief inspector Espinosa. Unfortunately Chief Inspector Espinosa was out and she is tired of standing in long lines after going to the bank and the supermarket, so she leaves without explanation. A suspect is quickly detected but then begins a strange tango while looking for proof and motive. The suspect is following the inspector not the other way round. Who is Hugo Breno? Why is he stalking Espinosa? Garcia-Roza’s books are always filled with chilling details and heart-stopping endings and this one is no exception.
What Richard is reading
With Stone’s Fall Pears equals, dare I say it, the ingenuity and narrative drive of An Instance of the Fingerpost. In 1909 a wealthy financier falls to his death and his widow hires a journalist to trace the previously unknown child named in the will. In 1890 Paris we’ll see the widow in an altogether different light while Venice in 1867 provides a final perspective from the dead man’s reminiscences. The pages, all 608, will fly as you devour this one.
What Kathy is reading
All mystery lovers should read Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series. I read her first one over 10 years ago with my Book Group and have been hooked ever since! Bootlegger's Daughter is the first in the series about a strong southern woman who happens to be a lawyer with knowledge of both sides of the scales of justice.
What else Kathy is reading
It's summer, so here's a classic from one of the funniest writers in the mystery world. A perfect summer read for people who love smart women, the smartass men who love them, and the dumbass one's who only think they do. If you've already read this one, try Bet Me, Fast Women or any of Jenny's other gems.
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