The characters were less than likable, which caused some problems for me. I want characters that I can sympathize with. I HATE reading about victims. If I want to interact with victims, I can go find some and listen to them drone on indefinitely about their pain and the hopelessness. But see, I don’t want to do that because that’s painful and awful. So why would I want to read a book where the soundtrack playing in my mind as I’m reading sounds like a screechy whine or a downtrodden Eeyore.

In Tartt’s defense, the main character is not whiny or very Eeyorish (clearly a new word that will be sweeping the nation). He is, however, continually in a situation far over his head and he seems to remain oblivious to it through most of the book. I had a hard time believing that. He was either super dumb (victim) or oblivious (victim). Perhaps he was neither and I was too shallow to dig into the depths of the symbolism to realize it. This is also possible.

Strangely enough, the thing that probably irked me the most about the book is that I couldn’t figure out WHEN it was all supposed to be happening – present day? 20 years ago?

Someone will probably point out to me that it was spelled out clearly had I read carefully, in which case, I will confess that I didn’t go looking for a date on some chapter header. I count on getting the time/date piece from the context. I found references to things that seemed like it was clearly set in or near current times mixed in with things like phone booths, which clearly haven’t been around and publicly accessible for many years. And there was no mention of the internet, which seems to suggest it’s set back in the 80′s… does it matter to the story? Not at all. It somehow managed to irritate me nonetheless.

This is no Janet Evanovich fluff piece, you’re not going to laugh out loud and you may get confused once or twice trying to figure out just who is supposed to be good and who’s bad. At one point I thought, “This is worse than a Dan Brown novel with all these double and triple crosses!” Still I enjoyed the quick pace, the thrilling show down and the ending, which left it clear we can expect more Camel Club books in the future.

“Port Mortuary” is a Scarpetta novel which are always her best, clearly she’s at home with the characters. This time, she seems to take a few too many liberties with the characters, trying a looser style with the plot in an attempt to keep the reader guessing. Instead, it makes Kay Scarpetta, usually the sharpest character in the book, seem befuddled and slow to respond. Not only is that out of character, it dulls the novel. If Kay can’t figure it out, how/why should I?

That Kay’s decisions are called in to question, that Benton’s loyalties seem divided, that Marino has a big mouth, all of these are ongoing character issues that will surprise no one who’s read another Scarpetta book.

I wasn’t as disappointed in “Port Mortuary” as I have been with some of Cornwell’s other recent novels. The ending didn’t seem thrown together to meet a writing deadline. The story did move quickly, though not as thrilling as her earliest novels. If you’re stuck in an airport and longing for a cheap thrill, get it. Just don’t be surprised if you make an effort to take it back a few weeks later to get your 50% off back.

What Martini’s book does do is draw us into a murder that somehow weaves around racial tensions, a Surpreme Court Justice, the Constitution and a whole lot of other twists and turns. Do all the pieces fit perfectly? No. But I’m not sure that’s a bad thing.

If you like John Grisham or Perri O’Shaughnessy, you’ll probably like Steve Martini. Just be aware that you may be required to think a bit, so if you’re looking for something mindless, this may not move swiftly enough for you.

As a bonus, if you hate your in-laws, there are some fantastic one liners that you may want to practice.

It’s not a deep thinking book. The ending is a bit too abrupt and trite, and yet it’s still worth reading. If you’re into suspenseful and steamy books for the beach, this would fit the bill.

Your favorite characters are there, of course: Claire, Jamie, Roger, Brianna, etc. along with plenty of new characters who seem immediately familiar and welcome (such as the Hunter family). Lord John features prominently in this book for those of you who’ve been reading her side series about him.

I’ve NOT read them and yet found it easy enough to follow his story line.

If you haven’t read any of her books before, they’re sweeping action/adventure/romance novels  primarily set in Scotland and America with tons of historical and medical references. These are not light reads and they’re not Harlequin romances. Characters are complex, relationships are sometimes painful and circumstances are often bloody and/or gruesome.

While most of the readers of this series are probably female, I do know men who’ve enjoyed them as well. There are enough battle scenes and talk of honor and revenge that most guys will find something that appeals to them.

Of course, the thing that shines through these novels the strongest is the relationship between Claire and Jamie. Star crossed lovers to be sure, but their love for each other seems to be so rich and deep that you almost eat these books up with a spoon.

She tells this story from a variety of characters’ perspectives, which is something that I enjoy about George RR Martin and Christopher Paolin’s books as well. If you feel like you’re getting bored/weary with one character, just keep reading, odds are good that you’ll soon get to read about someone/something else.

If you haven’t read “The Hunger Games” you should. Yes it’s likely labelled “for teens” and no it is NOT like “Twilight“. “The Hunger Games” is a fantastic book to get pre-teen/teen boys to read.

Read my review to find out the premise of the “Games”. “Catching Fire” picks up neatly where it leaves off, and the same characters are prominent: Katniss, Gale, Peeta and Haymitch.

“Fire” is much more political than “Games” and has more of a love story as well.

But is there more of the thrilling “games” that so caught and kept my attention in the first book? Are people still fighting to the death?

Yes.

And that’s about all I’m going to tell you about that.

Naturally, the book leaves off practically in the middle of a thought, guarenteeing that there’s another book in the works.

It won’t come soon enough for me!

As usual, it’s a fast paced, political thriller with crosses and double crosses abounding. Who knows what? Who’s side is anyone really on? And the CIA, FBI and military all have parts in the drama.

Perhaps the most unusual aspect is the role that a small town ends up taking. If you’ve read a lot of Baldacci, you’re used to DC being a central part of the Camel Club books. This time, you’ll be headed out into small town, rural America.

Baldacci books are great for men (plenty of women like his books too), fans of political intrigue, James Bond fans, well, you get the drift!

While the book got a little strange towards the end, it was a gripping tale with enough twists and turns to keep you going. If you like the old John Grisham books, you’ll probably enjoy “Taken” as well.

And in case you’re wondering, it is NOT related to the Liam Neeson movie.

My first read was “Timeline“, which was also made into a movie (haven’t seen it, so can’t say how good it is).  A professor travels back in time and send a message to his current day students asking for help. They have to travel back to try and save him and quickly end up in over their heads in a medieval world few of them understand.

It is fun to see how Crichton paints academics struggling to translate their book learning into real life. It’s a fun read with plenty of suspense and drama (even a little love). I thought the ending (particularly the “punishment” of the main antagonist) left a bit to be desired.

Then I followed that with “Airframe“, about an executive at a jet company whose asked to investigate a horrific air accident. Is there a problem with the plane? Along the way her life is threatened, company politics explode around her and an investigative reporter tests the limits of the truth.

Perhaps my favorite Crichton novel is “Jurassic Park“. The book is WAY better than the movie (and much scarier, are there Raptors in your closet?).