What I am reading: May 2011

1. The Fright of the Iguana (2007)by Linda O. Johnston: 5th in Johnston's series about Kendra Ballantyne, a lawyer and pet-sitter (explained in the series set up). Enjoyable and fluffy genre mystery that starts with the pet-napping of two of her charges and encompasses the murder of another pet-sitter. More development in her personal relationships as well. Would have preferred that it be thicker, it felt as if it were a bridging book and not enough development occurred, but that's because I'm not reading this type of book as much, I think. (DTM)
   
2. Tapped Out (2007) by Natalie M. Roberts: The second in a mystery series starring Jenny Partridge, a dance instructor, choreographer and studio owner in Utah. I liked it. (DTM)
3. Death Rides the Surf (2007) by Nora Charles (actually Noreen Wald): 5th in the Kate Kennedy series, whose protagonist moved to Florida with her husband only to lose him while signing the contract for the purchase of their condo. Fast and shallow read, but the writing has improved from the last that I read.
4. Every Last Drop (2008) by Charlie Huston: Fourth in the five part Joe Pitt series. I enjoyed the first, Already Dead, some time ago and was happy to see this Orbit imprint while at Eastercon. Noir "vampire" (victim of the Vampyr virus) Joe Pitt returns from exile off the Island (Manhattan). While entangled in the gang-style politics of the different "vampire" factions, attempting to bargain for his freedom to return, he discovers the rotten foundations of the matrix of his hidden society. Like all noir detectives, his external hardness hides a more idealistic interior and he is not willing to keep his knowledge hidden. The next book should be a doozy. And this time I won't wait to find it when in the UK: I've just ordered books 3 and 5 and expect them next week.
5. Some Like it Hot-Buttered (2007)by Jeffrey Cohen: Light genre mystery.Elliot Freed, protagonist, has his book destroyed when turned into a movie, but realizes his dream of owning a movie theatre (showing classic comedies) with the proceeds. During Young Frankenstein, a customer doesn't laugh.That could only be possible if he were dead, of course, and the plot continues from there. Fluffy, ok read.
   
6. Kings of the North (2011) by Elizabeth Moon: A very satisfying second novel in the Paladin's Legacy series, as the focus turns to Kieri and his deepening understanding of his duties, a new relationship and the political ramifications.
   
7. Half the Blood of Brooklyn (2007) by Charlie Huston: I did indeed get the other novels (as mentioned above) and found them just as absorbing. Reading this, the third of five, was very helpful in filling in some of the gaps and an interesting read in itself.
8. My Dead Body (2009) by Charlie Huston: The culmination of the Joe Pitt series. Whew. I almost feel that these five books should really have been three, because the last one moved so relentlessly into this... but I guess they were sized as genre crime novels, in the 300 page range. Well worth reading.