Broken Harbor by Tana French

I was a bit apprehensive about this book because I read another of her books In the Woods which was sooooooo disappointing.  Basically, while that one ended, a huge portion of the story was NEVER EXPLAINED.  Which is not cool Tana French.  BUT, the story itself was so intriguing, so I thought I would check this out.
I finished this book a few days ago and then I have been thinking about the story and thinking about the story.  I REALLY liked this book.  It was pretty disturbing.  It wasn't hugely gory but I just can't stop thinking about it. 
A family has been murdered and only the mother survives.  The family's computer has been wiped clean and their are signs that some weird things were going on in the house.  The story follows 2 police detectives and their quest to find out what happened and why.
It's a great book and there are a lot of things to discuss. 

Defending Jacob by William Landay

 



Now this is a goooood book.  It's a legal thriller/mystery. The book opens with a man being deposed in front of a grand jury.  He is describing the death of a teen boy in his community and how his family came to be wrapped up in the case.  I can't say too much more about it but if you are looking for similar books, I would recommend Serena by Ron Rash, Before I go to Sleep, We have always lived in the Castle, The Countess, A Reliable Wife, or An Absolute Gentleman.  Perfect fall spooky books.  Enjoy!

Tag Man by Archer Mayor

Ehh.  This book was alright.  It is a series about a police department.  It was alright.  There were parts that were pretty suspenseful but then there were parts that were confusing (don't know if it was poorly written or if I was just bored).  AND it was another of those books were the jacket notes are not only not really related to the book but just plain WRONG.  So stupid and annoying.  Pick a different book.

In the Absence of Honor by Jim Proebstle

I stole the synopsis from the author's website:When Jake Lorenz retreats to his family’s cabin in the North Minnesota woods for the winter, he’s looking for peace, quiet, and time to reflect on the loss of his wife and his job. But instead, he finds destruction and death—a gruesome murder scene on his very doorstep. The more he discovers about the death, the deeper he is drawn into a shadowy struggle for land, wealth, and power. There are forceful men who don’t want him to search any further: the corrupt tribal council that controls the nearby Ojibwe casino, the secretive and antisocial plutocrat who owns half the peninsula, and the ruthless Indian Mafia, to name a few. But to save the community he loves, which is set in this harsh and lovely wilderness, Jake must battle personal demons and the deadly forces of man and nature to learn the truth.
I liked this book, good back story and great mystery.

Agent 6 by Tom Rob Smith

A while ago I read the book Child 44 by the same author.  That was a great book.  This is the final book in the trilogy and also a great book.  If you like CIA-type thrillers, you will love these.  The main character is a Russian Secret Service Agent.  The books take you into the closed Soviet Union and provide fascinating insight into life behind the Iron Curtain.  LOVED this book.

Inperfect Justice: Prosecuting Casey Anthony by Jeff Ashton

I found this book disappointing.  I was quite obsessed with the case and the trial and just felt like it didn't answer all of the backstory details that I want someone to talk about.  Now, I understand why it doesn't (it's about the prosecution, after all) but I was still disappointed.  Worth reading, though.

The Hand that Trembles by Kjell Ericksson

I should probably stop reading all these Swedish books. I am not chosing them on purpose, it's just one of those coincidences that happens in life. HOWEVER, you would think I would notice the author's name. I always find them a bit off. As if maybe something is missing in translation.
Anyway...this book is part of a series following a female police officer and her cases. In this book, a female foot is found. Also, a fellow police officer is troubled by a cold case. The story is interesting, but having not read any others in the series, I didn't love it. I liked it enough that if I easily came across others in the series, I would pick them up, but probably won't seek them out.

The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler

There is a lot of weird $h!t that goes on in Sweden. This book is in the vein of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (also Sweden). I LOVED THIS BOOK. It is so good and scary and scary and weird.

A psychologist has been asked to hypnotize the surviving member of a family massacre. Then more bad stuff happens. I can't really tell you anymore than that because the plot twists and turns and does loop-de-loops. If you liked Dagon Tatoo, go get this book right now!

Father's Day by Keith Gilman

This book was the Winner of the PWA Best First Private Eye Novel Competition. I thought it was clumsily written and not that interesting of a story. The main character, a former cop and PI is asked to track down the missing daughter of his old friend who killed himself (or was he murdered?) The rest of the story is pretty boring.