I'm a little light in my reading this month. Work's been a mess and all I manage to do most days is fall on my face and go to sleep. I have also been catching some bad writing, so I don't have that many books worth mentioning.
The best of the latest would have to be The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard. The story follows a women, whose parents were killed when she was just a toddler, allegedly be a man who worked on the her families ranch. The story opens with the events that night that everyone already knows and travels the background of the rich, but honest family of the Linders. The man that killed Jody's parents has been released from prison and the entire town is ready to go up in flames. Between the mystery of the murders and the wonderfully-crafted, small town feel, it was a quick, witty and enjoyable read. Jody's relations to her uncles and grandparents, as well as with the son of the man that killed her father are believable and richly written. Though the mystery was of the Scooby Doo variety (which left the reader guessing instead of actually able to make logical leaps to the conclusion), the end was just, if not completely satisfying.
I also read another co-authored novel by Jennifer Cruise and Bob Mayer, authors of Anges and Hitman from my last post, called Don't Look Down. Though this book follows a very similar formulaic plot as the Anges (which I blame on Cruise), it was still enjoyable, well-written and suspenseful- though the ending was muddled. Lucy Armstrong gets roped in finishing up a directing job on an action movie that has really has hit some hard times as a favor to her ex-husband. Unbeknownest to her, the movie is now bankrolled by the Russian mob and is only a cover. Enter J.T. Wilder, Green Beret, CIA babysitter, stunt consultant. Add in a one-eyed alligator, some wonder woman history, some jade sexual implements- and you have an amusing time that is almost completely devoid of logic. Fun nonetheless.
Then, a Proper Pursuit by Lynn Austin. For about the first 40 pages, I was convinced I was going to put this book down. But who am I kidding? I almost never do that. And this story worked on me until I didn't exactly hate of it. Written during the World's Fair in Chicago, it is a coming of age story about Violet Hayes, who leaves her small town to live with her three crazy aunts. She is exposed to the rich and prosperous life she is expected to want, suffragist that she is supposed to abhor and the depths of poverty she is supposed to ignore. A bit a contrived, but the depth of historical context made it well worth reading.
Finally, another Nancy Bartholomew book, Sophie's Last Stand. Nothing extraordinary, but entertaining. Sophie Mazaratti (another Stephenie Plum- like character) and her zany mishaps. Good read in the genre.
