Once for Yes by Allie Millington

 Title: Once for Yes

Author: Allie Millington
Did I listen or read?: libby audiobook, car trip home from PD 4/2026
When did I finish?: 4/5/2026
When was the book published: 2025
Main Characters: Prue is 11.  Lives in Odenburgh - the building is one of the main characters.  Lina is the sister who passed away.
What happens? The building is up for sale.  Prue doesn't want to leave the last place that Lina lived.  The buy across the street is watching with binoculars
How long was this? 272 pages
Did I like this? Good for pre-teens
Overall grade: C+

In Her Defense by Philippa Malicka

Title: In Her Defense

Author: Philippa Malicka
Did I listen or read?: audible on trip to SB/PD April 2026
When did I finish?: March 30
When was the book published: 2026
Main Characters: Anna Finbow, Augusta is the main character, Jean Guest
What happens? Jean sues Anna for claiming that she has brainwashed Anna's daughter via "therapy" - Gus becomes the assistant for Anna and husband, but who actually met the daughter in Rome where she modeled for her at an art school
How long was this? 350 pages
Did I like this? Not really great, acceptable.
Overall grade: B

Even Money by Dick Francis and Felix Francis

 Title: Even Money

Author: Dick Francis and Felix Francis
Did I listen or read?: library book (OVA)
When did I finish?: 3/25/2026
When was the book published:  2009
Main Characters: Ned Talbot, bookmaker outside the stands
What happens? Ned's father introduces himself, and then is stabbed to death.  He finds a backpack that his father left behind with a chip writer, and 30k in cash.
How long was this? 350 pages
Did I like this? Usual quality Francis stuff
Overall grade: B+

The K Team by David Rosenfelt

 Title: The K Team

Author: David Rosenfelt
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: 3/30/2026
When was the book published: 2020
Main Characters: Corey Douglas and the rest of the usual cast (Laurie, Andy, Marcus, Sam, etc.)
What happens? Corey and Laurie start the K team w Marcus. Someone is setting up Judge Hatchet Henderson to make it look like he is dirty.  
How long was this?  304 pages
Did I like this? Always enjoyable.  Problem is that Corey is "Andy" except he's a brave ex-cop.
Overall grade: B

Time and Again by Jack Finney

 Title: Time and Again

Author: Jack Finney
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: 3/30/2026
When was the book published: 1970
Main Characters: Simon Morley
What happens? Simon gets recruited for a project (was working as a graphic designer for an ad agency) with a unique approach to time travel involving hypnosis and rehearsal.
How long was this? 400 pages
Did I like this? It was an interesting approach and a decent plot with good characters.
Overall grade: B+

Exit Strategy by Lee Child and Andrew Child

 Title: Exit Strategy

Author: Lee Child and Andrew Child
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: 3/16/2026
When was the book published: 2025
Main Characters: Reacher, Gilmour an ex-CIA hired randomly as a security guard to cheat. Strickland
What happens? Gilmour convinces Reacher to help him after he observes him saving an elderly couple from 3 scam artists in a coffee shop.  Reacher helps him and they finally eventually figure out the big secret, after unraveling that a shrink was using confidential info to blackmail patients into carrying out a plot.  What plot?  Hell if I know...
How long was this? 304 pages
Did I like this? Not much.  I really couldn't follow what was going on and couldn't care.  It really is a creative idea revealed at the very end, and, if there was some hint of what the hell was going on, that would have helped.
Overall grade: C+

What We Can Know by Ian Mcewan

 Title: What We Can Know

Author: Ian Mcewan
Did I listen or read?:
When did I finish?: 3/7/2026
When was the book published: 2025
Main Characters: Francis and Vivien Blundy, Thomas Metcalfe, Vivien's first husband Percy
What happens? in 2219, Metcalfe researches Blundy (from 2016, before the deluge from global warming) and tries to find the love poem that Francis wrote for Vivien called "A Corona for Vivien."
How long was this? 302 pages
Did I like this? Real literature, kind of odd and random that this guy dedicates his life to finding this poem, and all the characters around it.  Often the most interesting is life in 2119.
Overall grade: B