The Best Detective Books Anywhere!

I believe that Bill Pronzini is the best author of detective books anywhere.  His latest, Betrayers, does not disappoint.  Tamara is off sleuthing on her own case, Bill has a case that sounds like it will be a waste of time, and Jake is working a skip trace.  No major cases this time, but the same taut writing and ever-evolving characters.  Added to this book is a side story concerning Bill and Kerry's thirteen-year-old daughter who has found and brought home a box with cocaine inside.  Where did this come from and why does she have it?  Bill will figure this out as well. 


I recommend all of the books by Pronzini, especially his "Nameless Detective" series.  I would recommend you read an earlier book first so that you can get a better idea of who each character is, especially since Tamara and Jake are not in the earlier books. 

Anne Perry

I have now completed 10 books in my effort to re-read all the Anne Perry "Inspector Monk" books.  The one I finished last night is The Silent Cry.   Hester is nursing a young man, Rhys Duff, who was badly beaten in the slums of London.  Rhys can no longer speak and his father was murdered in that same beating event.  What is going on here?  Why are these gentlemen hanging around the slums and who is responsible for the random beatings and rapes of women in these areas?  Will street justice be meted out, or will Monk find enough information to bring a case to court?  Did Rhys murder his own father?  What is the secret that is keeping Rhys from talking?

The Twisted Root

I just finished listening to The Twisted Root by Anne Perry.  It is another in the series of Detective William Monk mysteries.  Two women are accused of conspiracy and murder in the deaths of a coachman and the mother of the fiancé of one of the women.   Was the older woman being blackmailed for the theft of medicines from the hospital?  Was the younger one also being blackmailed?  What was the truth about the younger woman's mysterious past?  What happened to her baby and who was the father? 

This book has a wicked and unexpected twist to the tale.

Reading update

I am trying to re-read all of the Inspector Monk books by Anne Perry - or listen to the books if I can easily get the tapes. I just finished reading Cain His Brother and am listening to A Breach of Promise.

I am also re-reading all of the Jonathan Gash books since it has been so long since I read any of his. I just finished The Judas Pair.

Finally, I just finished Retail Hell by Freeman Hall.

Last night I started on Acedia and Me by Kathleen Norris.

It amazes me how much reading I can get done when I am home sick!

See the reading list on the right side of the page.