A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny

Title: A Great Reckoning
Author: Louise Penny
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: May 20, 2017
When was the book published: 2016
Main Characters: Armand Gamache, cadets Amelia Choquet, Nathaniel, Jacques and Huifen, wife Reine-Marie, poet Ruth, artist Claire, gay innkeepers Olivier and , the duke Leduc
What happens? Gamache is recovering from some monstrous event while being a superstar detective at La Surete, and he takes over the academy for police, which is corrupt and evil.  In his home village of Three Pines, someone finds a mysterious orienteering map in a wall at Olivier's pub.
How long was this? 389 pages
Did I like this? Overall very good, a bit dense with a couple of seemingly unrelated plot lines held together tentatively at times, a wild mix of characters.  But no question, well written and compelling
Overall grade: B+

Lucky Boy by Shanthi Sekaran

Title: Lucky Boy
Author: Shanthi Sekaran
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: May 12 2017
When was the book published: 2016
Main Characters: Soli (Solimar Castro Valdez,) Ignacio, Kavya and Sikki Reddy, Checo, Silvia
What happens? Soli leaves her hometown in Mexico and illegally emigrates to the US, gets pregnant with Ignacio, moves in with Silvia in Berkeley, becomes nanny for the Cassidy's.  Kavya can't get pregnant, tries IVF, and decides to become a foster parent.
How long was this? 469 pages
Did I like this? Excellent literature, compelling, complicated, hard to read at times, painful.  Really well done and thought provoking.  Other than Soli's amazing luck at finding her way through adventures, very believable.
Overall grade: A

Hunting Badger by Tony Hillerman

Title: Hunting Badger
Author: Tony Hillerman
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: May 6, 2017
When was the book published: 1999
Main Characters: Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee, Bernadette Manuelito, Louisa Bourbenettte (professor)
What happens? Three robbers hit a casino, and kill a guard and wound another.  Chee returns from vacation and is relieved that the robbers have stolen a plane and gotten away, avoiding the 1998 mess when they had to search for a cop killer.  They figure out that the plane was not stolen, and they have to go searching in the canyons.
How long was this? 275 pages
Did I like this? Very strong Hillerman entry.  Full of Indian lore and great characters and a good plot.
Overall grade: B+

One Perfect Lie by Lisa Scottoline

Title: One Perfect Lie
Author: Lisa Scottoline
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: May 1, 2017
When was the book published: 2017
Main Characters: Chris Brennan, pretending to be high school teacher, Susan and her kids Raz and Ryan, Heather and her kid Jordan, Mindy and her kid Evan, Abe the gay high school teacher
What happens? Chris is at a high school pretending to be a teacher and doing something involving a bombing and the young folks.  Don't want to give away a cleverly revealed plot.
How long was this? 351 pages
Did I like this? Yes, Lisa S is hitting home runs, good stories, unique, deep in America
Overall grade: A

Most Wanted by Lisa Scottoline

Title: Most Wanted
Author: Lisa Scottoline
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: April 20, 2017
When was the book published: 2016
Main Characters: Pregnant lady, husband, serial killer who might be sperm donor, crotchety old lawyer
What happens?  Lady gets pregnant with donated sperm, husband is insecure, (spoiler alert) lady sees serial killer on TV, thinks its him, goes to see him in prison, thinks he's innocent.
How long was this? 400 pages I think
Did I like this? Very good, unique plot, real characters.  Liked it a lot.
Overall grade: A-