4.50 from Paddington By: Agatha Chtistie

A pre-Christmas train trip leads to a murder investigation that is convoluted, twisted and involves major family drama, a missing ballerina and a sarcophagus.  Only in Agatha Christie's skilled hands would these bizarre circumstances ever come together to make sense, and make for a riveting read!

Dead Man's Folly By: Agatha Christie

I actually figured it out (well kind of).  I had the general premise solved, just the wrong person.  Poirot never gives up in this twisty, family saga involving a youth hostel, a fete and a folly.

Clear Light of Day By: Anita Desai

A lushly written tale of 4 siblings and the rifts that separated them and how they begin to repair their relationships.  Not overly long, this is packed with vividly detailed locales and expertly drawn characters, but I was taken out of the story because of the multitude of typos that were quite jarring.

Then We Came to the End By: Joshua Ferris

This was a darkly humorous and surprisingly moving universal tale of humanity, set in the office of an ad agency.  I've been working in offices for 37 years and this was scarily accurate as to the types of people who populate any given office, the intrigues they get up to and the work (or lack thereof) that is done.  Some scenarios were cringe inducing because I know many people that were described int he book, and more so because I recognized myself in a number of them!

The Wicked Boy By: Kate Summerscale

I thought this would plod along-but once I got going with it, I couldn't put it down!  It's a feat of literary wizardry to write True Crime and not have a little judgement sneak in, but Ms. Summerscale has practiced this wizardry!  A DETAILED telling of the Plaistow Horror from right before; right after; trial; aftermath; and long after; with a historian's attention to detail and a human's attention to heart.  This is one of the most, engaging and extraordinary true crime books I've ever read, and the epilogue will stun you!  So glad I read this!

Making the Reata By: Terry Tallent

A beautiful told tale of finding oneself, through another.  Set int he earl 1800's in the Spanish Mission are of California, a 75 year old Native American and a 13 year old orphan raised in a Mission, make an incredible journey through their past, present and future while elder teaches younger to make a reata.  A gorgeous and moving tale, told by a real story-teller!

Historic America: New England By: Jim Kaplan

As a life long resident of New England I found this book to be chock full of fascinating information.  A history of the region and it's progress from pre-settlement times to today, it provides a snapshot of a hard scrabble environment and people.  The back section which provides points of interest for each state in New England was particularly informative and gave me some great ideas for day trips in the future.  The photos are also stunning!

Room 1219: The Life of Fatty Arbuckle, the Mysterious Death of Virginia Rappe, and the Scandal that Changed Hollywood By: Greg Merritt

I didn't know I needed this book until I finished it!  An in depth look at the Arbuckle/Rappe case, which also includes, or more accurately is interwoven, with the history of comedy, Hollywood, films, the Hays office, and celebrity culture.  It's an astonishing array of information imparted brilliantly, and simply.  A must for fans of old Hollywood and/or true crime.

The Wicthing Hour By: Anne Rice

It was interesting to re-read this after more than 20 years.  I remember being incredibly bored by the middle section of this tome, the first time around, but found it absolutely fascinating this time.  I have no recollection of the last third of the book, so that was a nice surprise!  This deliciously wicked tale of the Mayfair witches and Lasher is full of genealogy, history, spooky happenings and mind f**ks! Of course I will have to continue this saga and re-read, Lasher and Taltos.

The Scandal of Fatehr Brown By: G.K. Chesterton

This, the last book in the Father Brown series, has 3 of my favorite stories!  For one of the biggest belly laughs, you get from a Father Brown mystery, you can't beat The Quick One.  For absolute brilliance in convoluted facts and a big "no duh" moment, once must read The Blast of the Book. The Crime of the Communist is great for social commentary of the time and a nifty little bit of intrigue.  Reading this whole series has been an absolute joy!

The Secret of Father Brown By: G.K. Chesteron

This collection has a great set up: the first story is not a mystery, but rather a conversation between Father Brown and Flambeau on how Father Brown solves the mysteries he comes across. Eight mysteries are then recounted in which you get a birds eye view on how Brown's mind works everything out.  Of special note is Chesterton's brilliance and eloquence in The Murder of the Magistrate (his stunning oration on the work of a poet is beautiful!)!  The Worst Crime in the World is full of lovely twists and turns and a thoroughly satisfying explanation as to who do it and how Brown figured it out!  This collection is, so far my favorite in the Father Brown series!