To Tame a Wolf by Susan Krinard

Cowboys, Indians and.......a werewolf?

When Tally's brother goes missing in the unforgiving Arizona wilderness, she hires Simeon Wartrace Kavanaugh to find him but, disguised as a boy, insists that he take her along. Sim knows the person dressed in the baggy boy's clothing is a woman, and he can't figure out how she has managed to fool everyone else. But he lets her keep her secret. After all, Sim has more than a few of his own, including the fact that he is a shape-shifter, and at this point in his life, he'd rather run with the wolves than hang out with humans. But Sim has an ulterior motive where Tally's errant sibling is concerned, and Old West justice isn't out of the question.

The story and the characters kept my attention.

Billy Straight by Jonathan Kellerman

Twelve year old runaway Billy Straight is the only eye witness to the murder of a TV Star's ex-wife and we follow his fearful flight through the city as well as the police investigation and how wealth and fame obstructs the investigation. It's a twisty plot, with a couple of red herrings.

The narrative style kind of threw me with this one. The writing jumps around from first person POV as Billy to third person limited from different character's POV. It was not particularly difficult to follow, as each chapter has a consistent point of view, but it was a little disconcerting at first.

I was more interested in Billy's story than the investigation. I did like Petra and Stu and hope they appear again.

Shakespeare's Trollop by Charlaine Harris

"There's nothing more revealing about people than the mess they leave for someone else," says Lily Bard, who has the perfect job for an amateur sleuth—she's a cleaning lady in the small, close-knit town of Shakespeare. A detached and wary observer of others, Lily reluctantly finds herself investigating the murder of one of her employers, Deedra Dean,the local "bad girl" who was best known for her promiscuity. Nearly every male in town is a suspect, but in spite of having a ton of suspects to question, the police can't figure out the killer's identity.

Deedra's mother, Lacey, asks Lily to help her dispose of Deedra's belongings, and Lily unintentionally learns more about the victim's personal life than she wants to know. Without actually snooping or interrogating suspects, Lily manages to find the vital clue that exposes whodunit. I was kept guessing right to the surprise ending.

The nature of the crime forces Lily to deal with her own scars, legacies of the brutal abduction and rape in Memphis that sent her scrambling for the tranquil environs of Shakespeare. A wise, self-counseled soul, as well as a skilled karate student and fitness buff, Lily is just foolhardy enough to charge into a burning house to save a frail, mean old man. Indeed, Lily has such an engaging voice, full of pain and redemption, that the collecting of clues and the unfolding of the crime take a back seat to her personal story.

I love this series and can't wait to get more of them.

Triskellion by Will Petterson

Fourteen-year-old New York City twins Rachel and Adam are uprooted to spend the summer in the home of a grandmother they barely know in the aftermath of their parent's divorce. But when they arrive at the idyllic English village they are stunned at the hostile reception they receive. Triskellion is one weird village, the day they arrive the train station is empty, village streets are deserted, they are punched in the nose by two youths and even their frail Granny Root is oddly distant. Things take a darker path the very next day when Rachel and Adam see the two youths who attacked them being severely beaten by a dark mysterious person deep in the woods the next day.

Why do the villages hate the twins so much? Who is Gabriel and what is his connection to the bees? Does any of the mysteries have to do with the ancient chalk circle just outside the village? Dangerous gun-toting residents, a mysterious past, and some very big secrets mean Rachel and Adam will have to use their wits and extremely good intuition to survive long enough to solve the mystery that has been kept secret for over 2,000 years.

An enjoyable read. Not everything was explained, leaving some things to your imagination and some to the sequel.

Immortal In Death by J.D. Robb

A supermodel is murdered and Eve's best friend, Mavis, becomes the prime suspect. Also suspect is Mavis's boyfriend, Leonardo, who just happens to be the designer of Dallas's wedding dress. While investigating the murder and digging up the dirt on the fashion world, Dallas discovers that the model (and most of the suspects) are either consuming or dealing a new and illegal youth serum. And Eve is shopping for a wedding dress....

Peabody's character is broadened as well making her Eve's aide. Roarke and Eve's relationship deepens, and I didn't guess who 'dunnit'.

Overall an excellent installment in the series.

Matthew Flinders' Cat by Bryce Courtney

What a beautifully written and compelling book.

Courtney tells the tale of Billy, an ex-lawyer turned to alcoholism after a family tragedy now living on the streets of Sydney, Ryan Sanfrancesco the 11 year old streetwise boy whose future is at risk, and Trim, Matthew Flinders's cat. Billy's struggle with his demons, and with his compassionate soul is immensively readable.

Two For The Dough by Janet Evanovich

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is still learning the ropes at her cousin Vinnie's bail bond office, so when she sets out on the trail of Kenny Mancuso -- a suspiciously wealthy, working class Trenton boy who has just shot his best friend -- the stakes are higher than ever. That Mancuso is distantly related to vice cop Joe Morelli -- who is trying to beat Stephanie to the punch -- only makes the hunt more thrilling . . .

Taking pointers from her bounty hunter pal, Ranger, and using her pistol-packing Granda Mazur as a decoy, Stephanie is soon closing in on her mark. But Morelli and his libido are worthy foes. And a more sinister kind of enemy has made his first move . . . and his next move might be Stephanie's last.

A light, easy read with a few chuckle aloud moments.