#24 Along Came a Spider
James Patterson
2003
Mystery
3 out of 5
Library
Audio. This is the first outing with Alex Cross as the main character. Gary Soneji a teacher at a private Washington School kidnaps two students. Apparently not only is he a kidnapper but he is also a serial killer. Sending Cross on two different trails that finally merge. Is Soneji who or what he appears to be or is there more to the story that only Alex Cross can figure out. Alex also has a complicated romantic life that is adding confusion to the investigation - where will his loyalties lie. This story just seemed to drag for me and I can't really say that I cared for anyone in the story.
#25 Veiled Antiquity
Rett MacPherson
1999
211
Cozy Mystery
4 out of 5
PBS
Book Two in the Torie O'Shea series. This time Torie finds mysterious documents in the home of Marie who, it appears, did not fall down her stairs by accident. This combined with a twisty plot and a pseudo history lesson in the same vein as the Knights Templar make for an interesting book. **Amazon Review
#26 Gone with the Windsors
Laurie Graham
2006
403
Fiction
4 out of 5
Library
Social climbing at it's best. Told in diary entry format through the eyes of Maybell, a young widow who has become a friend of Wallis Simpson and witnesses firsthand her ascension to becoming the Duchess of Windsor. This book begins with lots of funny comments from a totally unaware self-absorbed young woman, drags a bit in the middle with Wallis' manipulating, and ends with Maybell finally seeing what her relationship with Wallis was all about. ** Amazon Review Written
#27 Murder Will Travel
Emily Toll
2002
262
Cozy Mystery
4.5 out of 5
PBS
First in the Booked for Travel Series. Lynne Montgomery is leading a tour group through the Sonoma Valley. Each member seems to have their own story so there are multiple lines to follow. After a contentious purchasing of a vineyard in Sonoma Valley, Lance Belladuce is found dead. There is more than one person that wanted this young man dead but who actually did it and why. I really enjoyed this book, though the end did come abruptly and I had already discounted the person who was actually the murder. Guess you can never tell. **Amazon Review Written The rest of the books in the series didn't receive very good reviews so I may not continue.
#28 Comedy of Heirs
Rett MacPherson
2000
214
Cozy Mystery
4 out of 5
Library
In this third outing, Torie finds that there has been a murder in her family tree, but could there also be a murderer? While hosting her annual family Christmas party / reunion, the whole clan turns up in New Kassel just the perfect occasion to find out who the killer could be and why. Both Torie and her mom have big plans coming up next summer so I can't wait to see what book #4 has to offer. ***Amazon Review Written
#29 Pretties
Scott Westerfeld
2006
370
YA - Sci Fi
4 out of 5
Library
Second in the Trilogy. Tally becomes a Pretty, but it's not everything that she thought it would be. Somehow she has thought her way out of being Pretty-Minded and is once again out to find the New Smoke to join them, to help them and to live a life outside of the City. She and Zane risk their lives to join up with David only to find out that the Specials have a whole new way to find them. Tally once again betrays and is betrayed. I'm enjoying this series. I'm not much of a science fiction reader, so to me this is Sci-Fi-Lite. This book took a little longer to get going, but the story did move a long. Hopefully book 3 will answer the questions. ***Amazon Review Written
#30 French by Heart
Rebecca S. Ramsey
2007
304
Non-Fiction
5 out of 5
Library
I loved this book. I wish I was as adventurous as Rebecca. Imagine your husband taking a job transfer from dependable Greer, South Carolina to LeBelle, France. Now imagine taking your three young children, your English to French dictionary and your cat. The adventure only begins when you get there, meet your neighbors, learn the customs but you know you are home when September 11th strikes and your new French neighbors are there for you. And just when you think you are truly French, you find out you have so much more to learn. This is Rebecca's true adventure complete with quirky characters and laugh out loud moments. And don't forget Madame Mallet a grandma character that will rival anything Janet Evanovich can throw at you. There is a sequel being written that will encompass their first year back in the states, can't wait to read it.
