Wild Horses by Dick Francis

Title: Wild Horses
Author: Dick Francis
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: 6/8/2025
When was the book published: 1994
Main Characters: Thomas Lyon, film director, O'Hara, producer, Montcreef, camera man, Howard Deely, writer, Nash Rourke, tom hanks, doctor Robbie Gill, Valentine, ex-blacksmith, sister Dorothea. The Visborough family.
What happens? Thomas is filming Howard's book about the mysterious death of Jackson Well's wife 26 years ago, and wants to jazz it up.  He is with Valentine as he is dying and confesses to killing someone. And giving a knife to someone. Someone wants to stop the movie from happening.
How long was this? 319 pages
Did I like this? Very good - great example of a Francis classic with an interesting young male lead and the horse biz.

Overall grade: A-

Dead Mountain by Douglas Preston and LIncoln Child

 Title: Dead Mountain

Author: Douglas Preston and LIncoln Child
Did I listen or read?: libby audiobook
When did I finish?: 6/5/2025
When was the book published: 2023
Main Characters: Corrie Swanson, FBI, Nora Kelly, univ prof and archaelogy expert.  Rotten sheriff. Nora's brother Skip.
What happens? In 2008, 9 mountaineer scientists disappear.  Two bodies are found in a cave with some ancient remains. The mystery was never solved - why did these people go out of their mind and cut their way out of a tent (not using the door) and go off into a deadly winter storm in their underwear.
How long was this?  388 pages.  12 hours
Did I like this? Decent story.  At first, why should I care?  But a compelling story is told with a big reveal.
Overall grade: B+

Presumed Guilty by Scott Turow

 Title: Presumed Guilty

Author: Scott Turow
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: 5/25/2025
When was the book published: 2025 
Main Characters: Rusty Sabich, Bea, Bea's son Aaron, Aaron's gf Mae.  Bea's estranged father Joe. 
What happens? Aaron is on probation but is off drugs, goes away with Mae (bad influence), comes back without her.  She turns up dead.  Rusty has to defend Aaron.  
How long was this? 544 pages
Did I like this? This was an excellent book.  Great plot.  Believable.  Realistic characters.
Overall grade: A

A Very Bad Thing by J.T. Ellison

 Title: A Very Bad Thing

Author: J.T. Ellison
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: 6/1/2025
When was the book published: 2024
Main Characters: Columbia Jones, author, daughter Darian, journalist Riley
What happens? Columbia is on tour promoting her wildly popular book, hires Riley to write about her,  secretly asks her to do her biography, invites Luke's wife Kira to meet her at a signing.  She gets killed and all the truth slowly comes out.
How long was this? 470 pages
Did I like this? It was an enjoyable read but I still don't know what happened or why she was killed.
Overall grade: B

The Rider of Lost Creek by Louis L'amour

 Title: The Rider of Lost Creek

Author: Louis L'Amour
Did I listen or read?: libby audiobook, home from SB on 5/18/2025
When did I finish?: 5/18/2025
When was the book published: 1976
Main Characters: Lance Kilkenny, the 3 feuding families, including Lance's friend Mort (?) - Dusty Graves is his sidekick
What happens? Lance's friend needs help.  He has settled in Lost Creek and there is a range war brewing as the west is being bound by barbed wire.  Lance has to figure out who's behind it all.
How long was this? 224 pages
Did I like this? Action parts were OK, but calling the characters "the man" or the "stranger" just gets old
Overall grade: B-

The Big Empty by Robert Crais

 Title: The Big Empty

Author: Robert Crais
Did I listen or read?: kindle libby 
When did I finish?: 5/19/2025
When was the book published: 2025
Main Characters: Elvis Cole, Joe Pike, Traci Beller, missing father Tommy, Sadie (mother) and Anya (daughter) Givens
What happens? Elvis agrees to help successful internet baker Traci find out what happened to her father 10 years ago.  He works the case countering two forces - Anya and protectors, and mystery criminals who want to keep it secret
How long was this? 373 pages
Did I like this? Crais is a great writer, love Elvis and Joe.
Overall grade: A-

The Princess of Las Vegas by Chris Bohjalian

 Title: The Princess of Las Vegas

Author: Chris Bohjalian
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: 5/16/2025
When was the book published: 2024
Main Characters: Crissy Morley (Diana), sister Betsy Morley
What happens? Crissy is playing Lady Di at the Buckingham Palace casino.  Betsy is moving to LV with her boyfriend who is a former banker and now crypto exec.  The crypto people happen to be buying the BP after the supposed-suicide deathes of the two owners within a week of each other.
How long was this? 400 pages
Did I like this? A pretty good story - entertaining
Overall grade: B+