Word Of Honor, by Nelson De Mille

A book about a My Lai-style massacre in Vietnam, and the "truth" behind it. A little too wordy when it comes to court martial details, but interesting to read, especially since it was written in 1985, much closer to the war.

Under Cover Of Darkness, James Grippando

Eh. Mediocre thriller. Stupid "twist" at the end, led up to by unmotivated, hard-to-believe characters.

Backstory, by Robert Parker

Funny that I used the word "backstory" in my last post. Classic Spenser. Need I say more?

Careless in Red, by Elizabeth George

Love, love, love Elizabeth George. I think it's funny that she's from California. I love what she did with Lynley in his grief, and how a mystery brings her out of it. Love the dense detailing of characters and back stories.

The Innocent, by Harlan Coben

I like Coben's books. This one follows an ex-con in it-could-happen-to-anyone circumstances, and follows him through a sort of ridiculous, but still fun, plot against him and his wife.

Witches of Eastwick, by John Updike

Someone sent me a quiz about books on Facebook, and one of the questions was "Updike or Roth," which made me realize I'd somehow managed never to read either, so I picked this up at the library. I enjoyed it, despite vague memories of a crappy movie. It was interestingly dated, which didn't detract from the enjoyment for me.

Next, gotta get some Roth.

Assassin, by Ted Bell

Huh. I don't remember anything about this book, which probably means it was just an okay thriller, based on the title.

The Lost Van Gogh, by A.J. Zerries

A. J. Zerries is actually a husband and wife team, and it shows in the writing. I'm not aware of ever reading a really good team-written novel. This one is ludicrous, with unmotivated, really stupid characters, and a circuitous story that is nearly impossible to follow and believe in.

Extreme Measures, by Vince Flynn

I don't always love Flynn's writing, but I do love the way he uses his main character to espouse his political views. He kind of says what lots of people are thinking about the direction of the country, stopping terrorism, etc. I enjoyed this one more than the recent ones I've read.

The Seamstress of Hollywood Boulevard, by Erin McGraw

It's hard to read books where mother leave children, even if you sort of understand why. This one is kind of heartbreaking, but there is some redemption in the end. Also kind of neat to read a period piece set in LA. Lots of familiar landmarks.