Pretty Girls

Fiction by Karin Slaughter.


http://www.barnesandnoble.com

What happens to a family when a girl goes missing at age 19 and is never found? Specifically, what happens to her sisters?

This was an interesting character study of this family, as well as a thrilling mystery novel. I'd recommend this book.

Submerged

Fiction by Dani Pettrey.


http://www.barnesandnoble.com

A thriller that begins the "Alaskan Courage" series, this book seemed to me a timely read, as I live in Alaska now. It was interesting, but I'm not sure I want to read the rest of the series.

Crash and Burn

Fiction by Lisa Gardner.


http://www.barnesandnoble.com

This was a thriller about a woman who may have lost her memory in an accident, may be in danger from her husband, and may be a grown-up milk-carton kid, missing for over twenty years. Or maybe she is none of those things...

The Innocent

Fiction by David Baldacci.


http://www.barnesandnoble.com

This book was the beginning of a Baldacci series about a white-hat assassin (there's an interesting concept) called Will Robie. It's from a few years back, so there are already a few more books written about him.

I enjoyed this book, but I'm not sure if I'm interested in more books about this character. The whole good-guy-who-kills-people-conflict was a little difficult.


I also read recently by this author: Memory Man 

Secret Sisters

Fiction by Jayne Ann Krentz


http://www.barnesandnoble.com

This was a nice light read, a romantic suspense story. Most of Jayne Ann Krentz's books are good.

Blood Salt Water

Fiction by Denise Mina.


http://www.barnesandnoble.com

Apparently when I chose this book I missed noticing the fact that it was number FIVE in a series. That is way too late in a series for me to successfully jump on the train, so that explains why I didn't much like this book.

Also it was rather bleak. There were some realistically-drawn characters, but their lives were so depressing it was too terrible to engage with them.

Still, I did read the whole thing because I was interested in the story, so... half a thumbs up, I guess?

The Handsome Man's De Luxe Cafe

Fiction by Alexander McCall Smith.


http://www.barnesandnoble.com

The latest book (number 15!) in the "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series, this was a nice quiet story with a small mystery and some pleasant characters at its center.

I have read most of the books in this series, set in Botswana, a country in Africa, and enjoyed them.

I do think one would have to read the first book first, however. You have to like these characters to care about what happens, and characters are always best introduced in the first book of a series.

And remember to switch into low gear when reading. This is NOT a fast-paced thriller.