Helltown By: Casey Sherman

A little bit Casey Sherman, a little bit Erik Larsen,  little bit Norman Mailer, a little bit Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., this novel of a serial killer in Provincetown, MA is very readable.  Part non-fiction and part fiction all based on meticulous research really does read like a novel, it just happens to have real people and a really horrific crimes. Overshadowed by the Tate-LaBianca  murders, the crimes of Tony Costa are reexamined in Helltown with the interesting twist of including Mailer and Vonnegut, Jr as they both resided in Provincetown at the time of the murders.  As always Sherman's work is detailed, unbiased and endlessly fascinating.

Murder in Retrograde By: Greg Hickey

A heart-pounding detective story set in the future, Murder in Retrograde doesn't disappoint.  An intriguing protagonist who just can't seem to keep himself out of trouble! While a great mystery is the center piece of this story, the subtle side story of environmental issues is brilliantly interwoven into the story. What I really enjoy about Hickey's work is that he doesn't spend a lot of time on exposition of the world of the story-he trusts his readers to jump in and go for the ride!

Louise de la Valliere By: Alexandre Dumas

My love of Dumas continues with the 5th book in the Three Musketeers series.  Picking up exactly where the 4th book left off, we visit old friends with new intrigues.  Affairs of the heart dominate this tale and Raoul is the centerpiece even though he spends the majority of the book in England we never hear from him.  Very soap opera-ish in it's feel and story telling-it has hints of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing.  

James By: Percival Everett

10 out of 5 stars!!!!!  A powerhouse of a little book!  Absolutely brilliant, living up to and surpassing the hype!  There are no words to describe the brilliance of this book!  Read it!

The Deerfield Massacre By: James L. Swanson

I knew of, but didn't know any details of the Deerfield Massacre...I'm really glad I read this book before any other info about the attack in Deerfield.  Told with incredible detail this book explains what happened in 1704 in what is now Deerfield, MA.  Minutely researched and not one sided this history also puts the attack in perspective in terms on the social climate, the political climate and links it' to popular culture, not just the incident, but how that incident has grown/moved throughout time from 1704 to now.  Quite a feat!

 

Blood in the Water By: Casey Sherman

I honestly have no idea how I missed this fascinating case when it happened.  As a life-long resident of Massachusetts i somehow had now idea these investigations/crimes were happening throughout Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont-I mean I live in the state that is in the middle of the other 4! Meticulously researched, this fascinating look at the life of Nathan Carman is completely engrossing, and told with a balanced fairness, rarely seen in reporting or fiction. Casey Sherman is an outstanding investigative journalist and exceptional storyteller-which makes for great reading!

 

Bookshops & Bonedust By: Travis Baldree

Oh what fun to visit with Viv again!  I was a bit confused at first-I thought this was a sequel to Legends & Lattes, but it's a prequel!  A wonderful romp in a seaside town with Viv and new friends she's forced to make during her convalescence. 

Scone Cold Dead By: Maddie Day

Reading the Country Store Mysteries is truly like visiting old friends.  I adore Robbie and her family and friends and love the writing in this series.  One of the best cozy series out there!