Hot Money by Dick Francis

I loved this book. Talk about a crazy messed up bitter family. Somehow Francis kept it funny and awful at the same time so it wouldn't be too painful to read. This was a very enjoyable Dick Francis book to read and I never guessed who the baddie was.

With his five ex-wives and the nine children between them, it's no great surprise that spectacularly wealthy gold trader Malcolm Pembroke should preside over a motley clan in constant conflict with one another.

But when violent death strikes the least likable of his former spouses, Malcolm himself feels threatened, and he calls on his most capable son, Ian, the family jockey. Ian's task: to protect his father from their nearest, if not always dearest, relatives-and to delve for the final critical clue in the darkly buried Pembroke past, simmering with the greed, hate, and vengefulness that could motivate blood to strike against blood.

Reflex by Dick Francis

Yum, another Dick Francis book! I liked Reflex but it seemed somewhat disjointed in parts. Oh well. I was still happy with the book and had fun with it.

Philip Nore is no ordinary jockey. So naturally when Nore suspects that a tracks photographer's fatal accident is really murder, he sets out to discover the truth-and to trap the killer. But he may be in over his head. For as he slowly unravels some nasty secretes of corruption, blackmail, and murder, he unwittingly becomes the killer's next target...

Forfeit by Dick Francis

I found three books by Dick Francis in a second hand store that I hadn't read yet. Talk about happy! I love this author. Soon I will have almost every book he has written in my personal collection.

This book was fine though it left me feeling a little depressed. Not that the book ended badly. I think it was because of the relationship and circumstances of the main guy and his wife.

When reporter Bert Chechov falls to his death, his colleague James Tyrone is suspicious. Chechov's column had recently recommended some "can't-lose" horses-who then wound up out of the running on race day. Tyrone thinks he can prove it was murder, but he may not live to tell the tale. Because as the dead man has already made clear, there's no such thing as a sure thing...

B is for Burglar by Sue Grafton

When I was at the library I saw this list of books by Sue Grafton and though "why not". So I picked up the B is for Burglar (not sure why I didn't go for the first book in the series). I liked it. Very private eye detective written almost like an old black and white movie. Except it's a girl. I am going to start working through the alphabet series now. I am excited and I hope this is going to be another author I like.

Kinsey Millhone is a private detective. She has all sorts of twists and turns in this book as she investigates a missing women. Nothing is as it seems.

The Little Lady Agency in the Big Apple by Hester Browne

I read the first book in this series a year or so back. I liked the first book and gave it to my sister to read. I forget the authors name though and never got back to checking whether the next book in the series came out. My sister found the next book in the series (this one) and gave it to me to read. I liked this book and found it an enjoyable read. My sister liked the first book better. I don't really remember the first one so well any more so that doesn't help me.

I found Mellisa's boyfriend Jonathon EXTREMELY annoying. I couldn't stand him and was sad when she got back together with him in the end. I was rooting for her flat mate Nelson. But there is a third book in the series which I haven't read so there is always hope. Other than that complaint I found the different situations that came up in the book very entertaining.

With the Little Lady Agency doing a booming business back home, Melissa joins her dashing American boyfriend, Jonathan Riley, for an extended holiday in Manhattan. But she's soon out of her depth among Jonathon's hard-charging friends and his interfering ex-wife. And while she's all for shopping and sightseeing, a covert work opportunity is her irresistible temptation-a project that soon lands her in the tabloids! Now, a hilarious and heartbreaking chain of events may force Mellisa to choose between the man she loves and the unique business into which she has poured her heart and soul...

Body Double by Tess Gerritsen

This book was fine. The only problem I had with it was I read it after reading the two Elizabeth George books. I think reading any book after that author is going to set you up for a little disappointment because E. George's writing is so good.

The book starts out as a pathologist who finds her own "dead ringer" on the medical examiners table. She comes to find out that it is her sister. Then goes on to figure out the mystery that surrounds her and her dead sister.

List of 12 Books Read This Month

I've read a few of books this month. Most of them not so great but several of them pretty good. Since I am rather behind on posting I thought I would just list the ones that were so-so and the ones that I rather liked. Here goes the blah list.

1) The Secrete Clan-Highland Bride by Amanda Scott

2) The Secrete Clan-Abducted Heiress by Amanda Scott

3) The Wedding Challenge by Candace Camp

4) The Perfect Stranger by Anne Gracie

5) The Perfect Rake by Annie Gracie

6) The Crush by Sandra Brown

7) Exclusive by Sandra Brown

I did find some books that I really liked. That and I found a new author to read. I always love it when that happens.

8) Under Orders by Dick Francis
I love, love, love Dick Francis. To think that when I was a child I would always stare at these books. I stared at the covers and thought they looked so boring and couldn't figure out what the deal was with weird horse covers. Now as an adult I am hooked. This book seemed slightly familiar and I couldn't figure out whether it was because I had read it at one time or read another book that featured the same character. This book in the Dick Francis fashion revolves around horses in some way but the main hero is a P.I. Of course trouble follows.

9) Dead Heat by Dick Francis and Felix Francis
Loved it! This book follows a chef as he tries to figure out who poisoned people and then bombed people at two of his events.


10) The Laughter of Dead Kings by Elizabeth Peters
I love Elizabeth Peters books. Okay maybe I should say that I love most of them that are older. Her newer books, which are the Amelia Peabody series, I never got into. The Laughter of Dead Kings is a follow up in the Vicky Bliss story. That small series I really got into so I was very happy to see this book. This time Vicky, John, and company are looking for King Tut's mummy as it was stolen. While I was happy to read this book I have to say that it had something a little lacking in it. Maybe it is just to hard to come back and visit characters 14 years later and still keep the same tone through out. So while not as good as the rest of the Vicky Bliss series I was still happy to read it. Or maybe it was just seeing Elizabeth Peters write something recently that was not in the Amelia Peabody series?


11) In The Presence of the Enemy by Elizabeth George
This is the new author that I found to read. I loved this book. In the Presence of the Enemy is an Inspector Lynley mystery. Now I say that and I realize that this book has a lot of characters that it follows. Where I first knew of Inspector Lynley was from P.B.S. I had watched several episodes which I loved. I had no idea that they were based on books. Books that are well written and very interesting. I can hardly wait to go through the rest of Elizabeth George's books. Hopefully they will be just as well written. This book follows the kidnapping of two children, a politician, a sleazy paper, and the police of course.

12) I, Richard by Elizabeth George
This is a book comprised of five short stories. It was rather fun and I enjoyed it. Each story was different and had surprising turns. It was also neat reading the introduction to each story and finding out how the author got her idea for each story.

Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs

I didn't like this book as well. I'm not sure why either. Maybe I was just in an off mood. Mostly Cross Bones just didn't keep my attention going. So I struggled through it to the very end. And then I wished that it wasn't the last in the series that the library had. I did notice that one more book by Kathy Reichs came out this August. Maybe I will have to mosey over to a store and pick it up. Hopefully it will be more interesting. But seeing as I have some big projects coming up it may be a while before I can while away the days with books.

Cross Bones brings Temperance Brennan to Israel to investigate some bones that might be Jesus Christ's.

Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs

I went to the library and someone had finally turned in the last two books I was missing. It was kind of funny as I was reading Fatal Voyage jumping back into the story line. Inspector Ryan and Brennan hadn't officially became an item yet even though they were seeing each other. So when Brennan got back with her Husband for a night, I was shocked because I had been rooting for Inspector Ryan. That combined with Ryan's partner getting killed. All these later books I have been reading it always mentions Ryan working alone after his partner died. I forgot that his partner was still alive in the first couple of books in the series.

I really liked this book as it was somewhat different. Yes Brennan still almost gets whacked in the end. But most of the book is Brennan trying to figure out what is going on as she keeps getting stonewalled in her job and her career almost goes up in smoke. I felt very frustrated all through this book for Brennan. It was almost like she was doing detective work instead of bone detective work.

So for my very own made up back blurb again....Temperance goes to help out with a plane crash. While trying to identify the mangled remains of 88 people, she comes upon a foot that doesn't go with the crash. Everyone one is trying to figure out why the plane came down and then all of a sudden Temperance is kicked out of her job. She is barred from other places and people aren't being helpful. A very weird story comes out in the end.

Bones To Ashes by Kathy Reichs

So what's going on with the relationship line. My eyes about bugged out with what happened!!!! Now I can hardly wait until the next book comes out in the series. I want to know what happens. ARGGGGG! (That is me pulling out my hair.)

Bones is trying to find out what happened to a childhood friend. Her friend Detective Ryan is trying to uncover who has been killing teenagers in cold cases. This story does touch on child pornography which left a distaste in my mouth. This is another one of Reichs' books which touches on a darker subject.

Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs

I think that it is a very bad thing to be a friend of Temperance Brennan. You either die or you get injured. Tempe herself is no exception. She is always getting roughed up. I have to say that I really liked this book. While the general formula stays the same there were some different happenings going on. Confusion on who did the murders, personal life drama, and her friend who dies from cancer.

Again I will summarize so I don't have to write the whole inside flap cover. Break No Bones starts out with Temperance finding a new body in old burial grounds. From there bodies keep getting found and connections between them all are not clear. Meanwhile Temperance, her ex-husband, and her new boyfriend are all sharing the same house.

Monday Mourning by Kathy Reichs

I got to the library finally! So now I have three more of these books to read. I found the contents of this book a little more disturbing. Thankfully it didn't get too grizzly into the matter. Though enough to leave a unpleasant taste in your mouth. Sad that things like that really do happen in life. But other than that I did like the book.

I guess I will summarize the book as I don't want to write the whole inside cover flap. Brennan finds three bodies under a pizza parlor. Trying to figure out what happened to the bodies leads to a whole boat load of nasty. Meanwhile her relationship with Detective Andrew Ryan gets rocky when he starts acting mysterious.

The Nomad Harp by Elizabeth Neff Walker

Yes I know, another Regency Romance. Here is the thing though. I went to the library to get some more books in the Temperance Brennan series, but I got there too late. Then I couldn't sleep one night and every other book in the house I had already read. I was so bored. Thankfully I realized that I did have this one book unread that I had forgotten about. In comes The Nomad Harp. Yes!

And guess what? It wasn't bad either. So I spent a happy sleepless night reading away. Except now I have nothing to read and still haven't made it back to the library. Thus I am typing the book review tonight.

Proud, independent, talented, Glenna is about to marry Philip, Viscount Pontley-until a foolish quarrel estranges them.

But Glenna cannot forget him, and when fate throws them together again they struggle to overcome the memory of past bitterness.

Amid the ruins of their former passion, love flames anew. But it may be too late-Philip has become engaged to another. Have they rediscovered love only to lose it again?

Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs

Temperance Brennan gets together with her love interest in this book. Yeah! Bare Bones follows the formula of Kathy Reichs other books. Mystery, sleuthing, and then Brennan almost getting whacked in the end. I'm happy, what can I say. I am off to the library today to get some more in the series. Can you say obsessive compulsive? That would be me.

"Down time" is not a phrase in Tempe Brennan's vocabulary. A string of disturbing cases has put her vacation plans on hold; instead, she heads to the lab to analyze charred remains from a suspicious fire, and a mysterious black residue from a small plane crash. But most troubling of them all are the bones...Tempe's daughter's new boyfriend invites them to a picnic-a pig picken'-in North Carolina's countryside, where a cache of bones turns up. But are they animal or human? X-rays and DNA may link the crimes, but they can't reveal who is closing in on Tempe and her daughter-and how far they will go to keep her from discovering the truth.

Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs

This is the fifth book in the Temperance Brennan series. When I was at the library they didn't have the forth book in at the time. This book didn't have the long and wooden information spiels that Deadly Decisions had.

Brennan was feeling very grumpy in this book towards the somewhat love interest. It was kind of funny. I was very happy with how the book ended. This book and Deadly Decisions have been very different in what she was investigating. That made it seem not the same old same old murder investigation. I think Deja Dead has been the best book in the series (from getting me crazy tense reading it) so far in what I have read. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to continue on. Now that I have found this author I am planning on reading all the other books by Kathy Reichs that I have missed.