A Morbid Taste for Bones - Ellis Peters

This is the "1st Chronicle of Brother Cadfael" or the first of a series that appears to be 20 or so strong.

In the 12th century, a monk in a Benedictine Abbey in Shrewsbury England had a dream that Saint Winefred wanted them to bring her sacred remains to their abbey. At this particular time in history, it seems having famous relics at your church brought you glory and a better standing to compete for donations. So the monks - Brother Cadfael among them - set off to a remote Welsh mountain village called Gwytherin.

The monks and their proposal were not warmly welcomed and when Lord Rhyart - who led the opposition - is found murdered, the monks are viewed even less hospitably.

Brother Cadfael was once a crusader and his experiences have left him with a deep sense of morality and wisdom and a calm, compassionate, and pragmatic manner. And the ability to solve crimes. While he is an obedient monk, he gets most things done by side-stepping all the power struggles and staying just out of the radar. By not bringing attention to himself, he is not recognized as being as intelligent as he truly is.

The other characters are sufficiently developed that you feel you know them - some you like and some you don't. It's an excellent mystery in that you change your mind several times about "who done it" prior to finishing the book. It does however, have a good bit of descriptive text, which slows the book down a bit. If you don't like that sort of thing, you won't like the book.

All in all, it's unique setting and characters make it a great read and I will definitely move on to the other books at some point.

The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown

The Lost Symbol follows the same formula as Dan Brown's other books (though my least favorite) - it's not great literature, but if you want a fast-paced suspense that's hard to put down, you may enjoy this one also. You really need to get lost in the story because otherwise you would notice that, while thrilling, it's a little far-fetched.

Harvard Professor Robert Langdon is pulled into the world of a really, really nasty villain (almost cartoonishly evil) and must travel throughout Washington DC and to find Peter Solomon - an old friend and mentor. DC, with its historic buildings and rich symbolism, is a great backdrop.

Brown is an amazing researcher and this book reflects that. And he writes with such authority that you can suspend any doubt, believe he knows what he's talking about, and enjoy the ride. But, with that said, in fitting all the details into the story the flow of action is interrupted.

Langdon's heroine in this book is Katherine Soloman -- sister of the missing Peter Soloman and Noetic researcher. As sidekicks go, she could trade places with any of the others and I wouldn't know the difference. As far as the Science of Noetics - it was interesting to learn about, but in looking back, I don't know why it was in the book -- except that its adds another location for action and more lectures of facts, it was superfluous.

My biggest issue with the book, however is the ending. I sort of saw where the story was going before the end of the book and was a little disappointed. While somewhat inspiring, it felt like just a device for the author to preach his societal message.

So if you like thrillers - especially those with ancient rituals, severed hands, and secrets, you may enjoy this book.

Everywhere That Mary Went - Lisa Scottoline

Mary DiNunzio is a lawyer in a Philadelphia law firm, the daughter of Italian immigrants, sister to a nun, and owner of a cat who doesn't like her.

A recent accident took her husband's life and she's thrown herself into work since that time - hoping to make partner. Her competition for the position is an old law school boyfriend, Ned Waters, who is interested in rekindling their relationship.

She's so busy that when she begins getting crank phone calls, she really doesn't worry. But when she feels as though she's being followed and her apartment is broken into, she begins to suspect everyone -- including Ned. The stalker, after all, seems to know a lot about Mary. Her friends/colleague Judy and her assistant Brent try to protect her - and put themselves in danger doing so.

The writing is wonderful - intelligent, funny (so important in a good mystery), and truly suspenseful. The characters have an authentic feel and are enjoyable - my favorites are her parents and her assistant. I wasn't crazy about the ending, however, and felt it was a bit odd. I definitely didn't see the ending coming - but in more of a "Huh?" way.

Everywhere That Mary Went is the first of a series - and while I didn't find it flawless, I will definitely keep reading.

The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde

This is a wonderfuly quirky book. Once you suspend everything you know about the space-time continuum and just let yourself go in this other-dimensional story, its a fun ride. If you can accept this alternate history of the world, you will find yourself enmeshed in a Doughlas Adams-like comedy, mystery, fantasy, satirical, sci fic adventure of wonderful imaginations.

The story begins in 1985, after the Crimean War has drug on for 130 years, time travel is possible, and literature is cherished above all else with authors being superstars. The 3rd-most-wanted criminal, Acheron Hades, is stealing characters from original manuscripts of books (thus changing every future edition) and holding them for ransom. Enter the Special Oprations Network -- who handle anything outside the realm of "regular" police operations -- Literary Division and Literatec Thursday Next (yes, that's her name.)

Thursday Next is smart, likable, and literate. Acheron Hades seems to be unkillable. Other characters are over-the-top, such as her flakey inventor uncle, and are often named to make you giggle, e.g. Jack Schitt and Braxton Hicks.

Thursday, in a brief period of time-travel, even gave a message to herself -- so now I can't wait to read the next in the series.

A Great Deliverance - Elizabeth George

This is the first in the Inspector Lynley series and a very good beginning.

The book begins with a death in the village of Kendalein the country. Scotland Yard sends nobleman Det. Thomas Lynley and a very disgruntled Sgt. Barbara Havers who has been trying to make Detective, but her brusque manner only suceeds in rubbing people the wrong way. But in addition to being a murder mystery, it's also a study into Lynley and Haver's personal lives and what got them to where they are today. Most supporting characters aren't as detailed and some are mere stereotypes. The American tourist couple were completely painful to read. Barbara is heavy, badley dressed, "borderline homely", bitter, and a bit of a loose cannon. Lynley is the 8th Earl of Asherton and doesn't need to work. They aren't the most likable characters and it's hard to card about them (which I hope inproves in subsequent books.) They are a completely opposite and unsuited couple but yet we find them to completely well-suited working team.

Although the dead man's 19-year-old daughter Roberta confessed, Lynley isn't convinced and an investigation in the murder, and all the town's secrets, begins. No one in the village actually believes she kills her father - but everyone seems to see a different Roberta. Lynley digs up the town's many secrets, scandals, and the finally the back story to the murder - which may be difficult for the other characters to see, but is completely transparent to the reader.

It's not a difficult read, the slightly plodding plot was not surprising, but had many twists to keep you wondering. It's dark and at times difficult to read. In the end the mystery turned itself around and surprised me.

What completely annoyed me was the addition of several words that I was unfamiliar with - and could not even decipher when reading it in context. Keep a dictionary close or you'll never make it through.

Fatally Flaky - Diane Mott Davidson

I truly enjoy this culinary mystery series! Goldy Schulz is a funny and quirky character who solves every problem with a shot of espresso or "whipping up" something in the kitchen - my kind of gal. In each book Goldy is catering an event in which someone is murdered - happens every time she steps out of the kitchen. She, against her cop husband's wishes, plays amateur sleuth and usually ends up in "hot water" herself. This series is light reading for a mystery, but has a humerous aspect and is thoroughly enjoyable.

With that said, this book seemed to not be up to her usual fare - or maybe my expectations have begun to set the bar too high. The series (after 14 earlier books) just seems to have gotten "tired."

In Fatally Flaky, Aspen Meadow's renowned Goldie Bear Catering has 2 nearly back-to-back wedding receptions. The first goes off without problem - except that one of the guests never makes it to the wedding. Doc Finn, a well-loved retired community physician, was supposed to give the bride away but his car runs off the road and he dies. But was it an accident? Goldy's godfather (and Finn's best friend) is suspicious and soon Goldy is too.

The second wedding is for the mother of all bridezillas. Billie Attenborough, bridezilla herself, changes dates, guest lists, menues, and finally reception halls on her way to the alter to quiet Dr. Craig Miller. The new reception location is the Gold Gulch Spa - run by Victor Lane, a long time adversary of Goldy's. In touring the new site, Goldy becomes aware that something strange is happening at the spa - clients can't wait to return. The plot here gets a bit transparent, but not crystal clear so the mystery still works.

Goldy's a strong woman. She's overcome a lot of difficulty in her life and created a successful catering business and a circle of wonderful friends. But in this book, she comes off as a bit of a doormat and wimp. Maybe it's because someone close to her becomes a victim in this book and she struggles to cope and grieve throughout her sleuthing. Maybe it's because we have no less than 4 despicable characters for her to contend with this time around. I don't know what to blame it on.

You don't have to read this series in order - but it's nice to grow with the returning characters. Each character has their own personality and quirks, but it's not as apparent if you only read one book. My favorite character is Marla - her best friend and someone who shares an "ex" with her. I have often wondered how Goldy and the other characters keep from gaining weight - lots of cream and other fattening ingredients are involved. It's impossible not to have cravings as you read Goldy cooking her way through a problem. But the big bonus to these books is that recipes are included!

Angels & Demons - Dan Brown

If you liked The DaVinci Code, you will probably like Angels & Demons. It's just as cerebral, but way more action.

Our protagonist, Robert Langdon, Harvard University Symbologist gets a call that will call upon his knowledge of a secret scientific society - the Illuminati. The Illuminati was established in the days of Galileo by a group wanting to discuss new ideas and not be punished by the Vatican. Langdon believed the society was long dead - but the evidence is proving otherwise. A scientist was murdered and a sample of antimatter was stolen from his lab. It appears the highly-explosive antimatter was kept safe in a container in a docking bay in the lab and has only 24 hours of battery life, after that, the explosion will remove several city blocks.

Langdon and the scientist's daughter (and scientist herself) Vittoria Vetra are swept off to Vatican City where 4 Cardinals went missing on the eve of a Papal conclav. The 4 Cardinals were the front runners to be elected the next Pope. In addition, a strange cylinder has appeared on one of the Vatican's security cameras - a camera they cannot now find. It would seem the Illuminati is finally planning to exact revenge on the Vatican - at the exact moment when all the Cardinals will be gathered in St. Peter's to elect the new Pope.

Langdon and Vetra follow clues in works of art all around Rome with the hope of finding the missing Cardinals and clues to the location of the antimatter. Langdon's impressive knowledge of art, religion, and swimming (yes swimming) come to his rescue on many occasions. With the aid of the late Pope's closest aide and the Swiss Guard, they race the clock to find the next clue. As they find each of the 4 locations they are led to, they find a missing Cardinal. At one location, Vetra is kidnapped and Langdon has a new purpose to outwit the assassin. Within minutes to go, he learns the late Pope's aid is the last target. Through all this, a reporter is hot on their heels in the hope of getting a scoop and a name for himself.

Before I knew it, I was halfway through the book - I couldn't read fast enough. It switches from action to mystery and back again many times in a virtual literary roller coaster. The premise is a bit far-fetched, but Brown is a master of twisting fact into fiction and in the vast amount of details he provides, you find it easy to suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride.

Throughout the book you keep changing your mind on who the bad guys and good guys are and in the end I was completely surprised. The ending slowed a little quickly and was a little disappointing in my humble opinion - but it was easily forgiven since the story had left me breathless in several places. The fact that the press was able to do live reports of murders was harder to swallow than the resurfacing of an ancient cultlike society. And I would have liked to get to know Vittoria a little better. But for all the historic and/or scientific inaccuracies that may or may not exist, it's wonderfully plotted. Where else can you find an ancient secret brotherhood, plots against the Vatican, a mad scientist in a wheelchair, antimatter, assassins, AND art all squeezed into a little more than 24 hours.