I'm so glad to read that I am not the only lunatic that reads these books out loud to husbands, children, dogs, birds, and even one desperate evening, to my rabbit. I just finished Seven Up and of course am frustrated by a year long, romantic cliff hanger-and this one is a humdinger. I so want to be Stephanie Plum for a day-but a day that no cars get torched! Maybe, I'll just settle for dinner at the Plum house. And, while I'm in a fantasizing mood, I'll picture myself riding off into the Burg sunset with whoever Stephanie doesn't want! (with apologies to my own wonderful husband!)

I just finished 7Up by Janet Evanovich. I enjoy series, but I'm sick and tired of all of the cliff-hanger endings. Her relationship with Ranger is becoming totally, totally predictable. It'll never happen. After I'd read this book, I felt like I'd read it before. Same song, second verse.

This one earned 5 great big stars from me. As well as I like this author and as much as I read - I thought this her best by far. I was so involved with the many different facets of the town and the mysteries and murders I couldn't put it down. And for an avid mystery fan who rarely reads to the last chapter without a very good idea of the killer - this one had me till almost the last chapter. Mary Higgins Clark just gets better and better.

Have just discovered McGarrity and have read three and a half of his books in two days. Normally I don't care for books laid in the Southwest, but his protagonist is a cop who is tough with a soft streak. McGarrity describes New Mexico as it is, the bad and the beautiful.

Ms. Schumacher has a new book due this month (I think) that I have been waiting for it seems like forever. I consider myself lucky to have several copies of her first three books which are, and were, hard to come by. It helped that I worked in a mystery bookstore for several years until recently. At the moment she's just behind the Emma Lathen books as my all time favorite series.

I really enjoy Tom Corcorans writing primarily because of the feeling of being in Key West and recognizing various landmarks etc. His characters are entirely plausable in the Key West setting. I enjoy the plot lines. I just wish the books lasted a little longer and I can't wait for the next one to come out ! But never fear,Jimmy Buffett keeps all of Toms fans informed of his newest in the Cocotel. Bye the Bye,reviewer, Gumbo Limbo is a very specific kind of tree that grows in southern Florida,not a Gumbo stew to which I believe you made reference. The natives call it "The Tourist Tree" because it is red and it peels :-)

Does anybody but me think that P is for Peril should have been called P is for Predictable?

I disagree completely with your review of Miss Zukas Shelves the Evidence by Jo Dereske. This is not the first Miss Zukas outing. Her character is well-known, and well-loved, by her fans. Part of the pleasure of the Miss Zukas mysteries is seeing such a hidebound character deal with the messiness of crime and human emotions. And this book showed her breaking out of her emotional barrier. It's not the best Miss Zukas, but it is worth at least three stars, maybe four stars.

However, from your other review, I can see that our tastes don't coincide. Jerrilyn Farmer and Lee Harris, for instance, I consider worth reading only in desperation.

I love all Ralph McInerny's Father Dowling mysteries (so much better than those shown on TV. There is no comparison), but the writeup on Irish Tenure sounds like much too light a story.

I also welcomed the return of a less 'stressed out' Peabody/Emerson/Ramses/Nefret. I keep asking Ms. Mertz/Michaels/Peters to explain the tie between this series and John Smythe of Vicki Bliss fame.She just laughs and promises that 'all will be revealed in time!' My one regret about this series is that she seems to be so happy and enthralled with these wonderful characters that no new Vicki Bliss books or even better, Barbara Michaels books are forthcoming. (I still think that Ammie Come Home is the scariest book ever written). I don't count that awful "Other World" or whatever that mess was titled, as a true Barbara Michaels!

In a Dry Season, was my first mystery novel and introduction to Peter Robinson. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and found it hard to put it down. In fact, scenes from the book keep reappearing in my mind. I am hooked.

I have read all of Lisa Scottoline's novels. I do not agree her Vendetta Defense is a five star novel, three possibly. It certainly is not up to her previous novels.

I read your review and couldn't agree with you more. I had recently purchased Dead After Dark and liked it so much I thought I would get the rest of her books. I purchased them all except A Bone to Pick and the Three Bedrooms (or Four Bedrooms) one where Roe meets Martin. After finishing A Fool, I can't stand to read the Four Bedrooms book. I had alot invested in Martin after three books and killing him off with a heart attack at the end of A Fool was terrible. I had a bad taste in my mouth after that. I don't understand why it was necessary.

I have not read books for years unless they were religious or the Bible. Lately in the library I ran across a book written by Diane Mott Davidson. Catering to Nobody, by accident I started with the first book. I LOVE IT. I am now reading Killer Pancakes. My question is: are there any more authors similar to this one. I love her recipes and how easy to follow her reads are.

This book was worth the 4 stars. Fast, humorous, intelligent, I can't wait for this author to write more. I'm glad the heroine is in her forties and independent. Kelly leads a balanced life and is no whiner.The plot is intelligent enough to keep me intrigued-the hurracaine and it's aftermath and the murder.

I read your review on The Fix, and I was disappointed in the three-star rating. I thought the book was wonderful. I loved everything about it. The characters might have been predictable, but the book still kept me on my toes wanting to read more. I couldn't wait to see what happened next. This guy, Jeff Schneider, knew what he was talking about when it came to college basketball, and he helped me understand more about it. I thought it was very suspenseful! I hope he doesn't get discouraged by your comments because he is an excellent author, and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next. I don't think this book needed a bunch of confusing plots. That's the problem these days. Some authors need a bunch of plots and confusion to make the readers think the book is good. This book IS good, and it doesn't need for the readers to be confused to think so. Good job, Jeff, keep up the good work.

Being a new internet subscriber (and a fighting one at that) I have found so much info on your net that I am finally happy to have succumbed to technology. So many of my sources of book reviews (Mysteries by Mail, I Love a Mystery, etc.) had either folded or gone internet, that I felt lost and without resources. Thank you for being there and for my local librarian for giving me your address.

Beyond Recognition was an excellent book. I love a good mystery and will now add Ridley Pearson to my list of favorite mystery authors.

Look, Shakespheare, give Cussler a break! I thought the book was quite good, though extravagant. It's one of those books with witch you can sit back, and be swept into a fantasy of 60 year old submarines, and villians on dirt bikes. Granted, I'm a fifteen year old male. I go nuts for this stuff. But let's see you get off your high horse and write a 500 page book that is well written, intricate, and entertaining. Pretty hard, aint it. Go easy on Cussler. He's a good guy.

I can't find any information on one of my favorite mystery writers, Kate Charles. Does she have anything new in print? (As of the past two or three years?)

Two questions:
Is Charlotte Macleod still writing? Still alive?

And-- whatis the name of the author who writes about two sisters, amateur sleuths, living in Birmingham, Alabama? Her books are wonderful and I just can't remember her name.

This is just what I have been looking for. I am an avid mystery reader and am alwayys looking for book reviews. Also , I always wanted to contact the authors that I really like.

We obviously didn't read the same book. I was so entranced by this book that I had to ration myself to keep from reading it all in one gulp. Different people, different tastes, I guess.

I have absolutely fallen head over heels in love with these books. I've never been a "romance" book lover or reader. An acquaintance gave me Betrayal in Death. Read it. Adored it. And went to every bookstore in my area to get the whole series so that I might start at the beginning. I'm finished now. And at a loss. I miss those characters and am saddened to have to wait until Sept. for Seduction in Death. But then, I can re-read. What I love about them is, of course, Eve and Roarke. How could I not? I especially love watching how they and their love and acceptance of that love change their lives and attitudes. But also the other characters. And the stories are gritty, real, imaginative and tough.

AND humorous.

Great website! Any suggestions for a teenager who hates to read? Any authors or titles that really "grab" you from the opening chapter? Thriller/suspense would be good, but not inappropriate for teens (graphic violence, sexual or language). She thinks she is dumb because she reads slow. I told her that to read and comprehend better just requires more reading! (She thought Agatha Christie was boring).

Just wanted you to know how much I enjoy your web site. I have told many of my friends about it. Keep up the good work. Thanks.

It seems that Mr. Plonka is too used to reading the cliched mysteries of John Grisham and Sue Griffin to be open to Leah Stewart's startling portrayal of crimes as they really happen. Hardly ever are there clever clues left along, hardly ever does the crime journalist really discover the murdered before the cops do. No, Body of a Girl is book that far surpasses the typical mystery that Mr. Plonka usually must read. It's reality. People in every profession still have to deal with their own urges, and it is these urges that Miss Dale must confront. She young, she thinks she's cool, and guess what, I was Miss Stewart give a reading of this novel and she did not set out to write a mystery. She wrote a psychological thriller that dives deep into the mind and heart of its heroine (no pun intended). Should she be held to the same standards as a Sue Griffin, whose entire career has been built around the crime we only read about in books or see in the movies? Miss Stewart has written a literary story that has been pigeonholed into a genre of typically entertaining, but bad writing. Who cares if she uses the word "says"too much -- it takes some guts to write simply, to not over do it. I just hate to think about what books Mr. Plonka does enjoy. I'll be sure to steer clear of those.

I'm a huge mystery/suspense fan and have had a question for sometime now. I thought maybe someone at your site would be able to answer it. Does anyone know what happened to Laura Coburn? Does she plan on writing anymore books? It has been several years since we have seen anything.