The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly

Harry Bosch  sees a lonely coyote off of his deck and that provides the book it's title.  Harry is as rigid and stiff neck as usual.  Once again this lone ranger rides against both crime and politics.  This time it's more personal than usual.

Harry Bosch has a slogan everybody counts or nobody counts.  His personal code of ethics once again gets him into trouble.  Harry seems to epitomize the "shooting yourself in the foot" slogan.   He seems to go out of his way to alienate people.   He pays the price of personal pain when some of his smartass antics lead to the demise of not necessarily innocent but not necessarily responsible people. 

Harry shows a vulnerability in a case that leads him to identify where some of his drive and fears originate. Once again Connelly writes a fast moving, entertaining and sometimes horrific story.
I recommend it.

Web site: http://www.michaelconnelly.com/

A Conflict of Interest by Adam Mitzner

 This is another legal novel that will probably make ethical lawyers cringe.  (Note I am refraining from any of the cheap shot jokes here.)

Alex Miller has pulled the all nighters studying to be a lawyer, the incessant hours to become a partner and now as a partner the world is his oyster or is it?

This a not a thriller, it is more of a character study.  If you enjoy legal novels, I suspect you will find this very satisfying.  If you are an adrenalin junky, I suspect the lack of action will mean this book is not your cuppa.  

Alex Miller’s life is put on trial in this book.   The decisions he makes, the people around him, the impact others have on his life all contribute to the persona that defines Alex Miller, attorney, son, husband and father.  

There is a hint that overly ambitious goal setting may contribute to an unsatisfying life.  

I recommend it.

Body of  work of <a type="amzn" > Adam Mitzner </a>

Web Site: http://www.adammitzner.com/

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

The Drop by Michael Connelly

 Harry Bosch is back and stiff neck as usual.  Once again this lone ranger rides against both crime and politics.

Harry Bosch has a slogan everybody counts or nobody counts.  His personal code of ethics once again gets him into trouble.  You have to admire the integrity that this man exhibits.   Harry finds himself playing a political game in spite of his adverse reaction to anything political. 

Harry shows some surprising soft sides such as his feelings for his daughter and his willingness to be more flexible in relationships with others.  Once again Connelly writes a fast moving, entertaining and sometimes horrific story.
I recommend it.

Body of  work of Michael Connelly</a>

Web site: http://www.michaelconnelly.com/

The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg

A murder or a suicide of one or perhaps two in the tiny village of Fjallbacka, Sweden is the focus of the book.  Erica Falck arrives in her home town to settle her deceased parents affairs.   She is soon immersed in intrigue, death and mystery.

Ms. Lackberg crafts an intricate tale of deceit.   She provides a great deal of information about her characters by having them investigated by either her protagonist, Erica, or the secondary protagonist, Patrik, a local cop.   Her details provide plenty of clues but she does not allow resolution of the mysteries until the very end. 

Winston Churchill’s out of context quote is an apt description of this book; “It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.”  Just when you think you have puzzled out the solution, Ms. Lackberg throws a curve instead of a strike.  

This is an excellent, thought provoking, disturbing mystery that I highly recommend. 

Body of  work of Camilla Lackberg

Web Site: http://www.camillalackberg.com/biography

My Lost Daughter by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg

A willful spoiled and deeply scarred daughter must come to grips with both her own self identity and her feelings for her mother. The confines of law school and a mental institution, together with the cast of someone flew over a cuckoo nest provide the setting for Shana Forrester’s explosive experiences.


The dual story line was a bit weak. The primary focus was on Lily and Shana Forester. There was not enough written about FBI agent Mary Steven’s and her part of the story to consider this a dual plot. My take would be to beef up Mary Steven’s role and give a little more credence to the FBI involvement. That said, the tension between Lily and Shana was hard to take. The friction was flat out painful but well demonstrated. Lily’s involvement with Richard Fowler seems like an unnecessary aside. I have mixed feelings about the book, the story line was convoluted enough to be interesting but there seemed to be too many areas that just didn’t seem to fit the overall scheme. I did like the book, in spite of the fact there were a quite a few scenes that were difficult to take. Lily did illustrate an astounding level of mothering behavior and she seems to regain control of her own life. I liked the wrap up in the epilogue as well.

I recommend the book.

Body of work of Nancy Taylor Rosenberg

Web Site: http://www.nancytrosenberg.com/

Dr. Death by Jonathan Kellerman

Milo Sturgis and Alex Delaware are back to work. Alex is the obsessive psychologist who appears to be a frustrated want to be cop. Milo is the cop who often is discriminated against by the police bureaucracy because he is gay. They work as a team solving mysteries. That would pretty much sum up many of Kellerman’s books. This particular book deals with assisted suicide. In the course of the story, many opinions are expressed with enough latitude to allow the reader to determine their own feelings. This book had a little extra ending twist. Good book.

Body of work of Jonathan Kellerman

Site: http://www.jonathankellerman.com/


Review: http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/0679459618.asp