Nightshade by Michael Connelly

 Title: Nightshade

Author: Michael Connelly
Did I listen or read?: kindle via libby
When did I finish?: 9/21/2025
When was the book published: 2025
Main Characters: Stillwell, Tash his girlfriend.  Rich dudes with boats at the fancy club.  Girl with purple streak found dead.  Ahearn -  cop back on the mainland who calls him Stillborn, and
What happens? Girl found dead.  Stillwell told to back off.  He investigates anyways.  They take his girlfriend captive.  The local hood denies involvement in the evil stuff (kidnap, murder.)
How long was this? 400 pages
Did I like this? Solid new entry to the Connelly library
Overall grade: B+

Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney

 Title:  Good Bad Gril

Author: Alice Feeney
Did I listen or read?: libby audiobook
When did I finish?: 9/17/25
When was the book published:  2023
Main Characters: Frankie, Edith in the rest home, Patience, Cleo, Cleo's brother who runs the art gallery
What happens? A twisted tale of these women who are all interconnected someone how in ways that are too secret to reveal except after hinting at them 27 times.
How long was this? 306 pages
Did I like this? On and off.  Just really annoying the have so many secrtes.
Overall grade: B-

Kiss Her Goodby by Lisa Gardner

 Title: Kiss Her Goodby

Author: Lisa Gardner
Did I listen or read?: library book, Santa Rosa library
When did I finish?: 9/16/2025
When was the book published:  2025
Main Characters: Frankie Elkin.  Folks from Afghanistan
What happens? Frankie looks for a woman who has emigrated from Afghanistan with her daughter.
How long was this? 398 pages
Did I like this? ok, not great.  nice idea mixed with a lot of other stuff
Overall grade: B

The Late Lord Thorpe by Peter Grainger

 Title: The Late Lord Thorpe

Author: Peter Grainger
Did I listen or read?: libby audiobook
When did I finish?: 9/10/2025
When was the book published: 2024
Main Characters: DC Smith, Caroline Thorpe, Diver and Diver, Freddie the late lord, Polly Coverdale - another investigator w D+D, 3 friends of Freddie's who ghosted Caroline
What happens? Caroline wants D+D to look into her brother's death, which the coroner has ruled "misadventure" but seems to be murder
How long was this? 455 pages
Did I like this? It's waaaaay too long but enjoyable writing and diversions in 12 or 23 hours
Overall grade: B

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

 Title: Tom Lake

Author: Ann Patchett
Did I listen or read?: libby kindle
When did I finish?: 9/5/2025
When was the book published: 2023
Main Characters: Lara, husband Joe, 3 daughters - Emily (like in "Our Town"), Peter Duke the famous actor, Duke's brother Saint Sebastian
What happens? Lara tells the story of how she acted in summer theatre and Peter Duke was her boyfriend and lead in Our Town. She is telling her grown up daughters the story as they pick cherries in Michigan at the beginning of the pandemic
How long was this? 320 pages
Did I like this? A wonderful book, a joy to read, with a lovely story, a nice family, beautiful Michigan, plot twists, great characters
Overall grade: A and almost an A+

Death in a Strange Country by Donna Leon

Title: Death in a Strange Country
Author: Donna Leon
Did I listen or read?: libby audio book
When did I finish?: Aug 31 2025 moving time
When was the book published: 1993
Main Characters: Commissario Guido Brunetti, Americans on a nearby military base
What happens?  Brunetti finds the body of an American soldier in the canal.  He wants to find out what happened, while the Americans cover it up.  
How long was this? 391 pages
Did I like this? Good enough. Long and drawn out.

Overall grade: B

Spider Woman's Daughter by Anne Hillerman

 Title: Spider Woman's Daughter

Author: Anne Hillerman
Did I listen or read?: libby audiobook
When did I finish?: Aug 25 - moving time
When was the book published: 2013
Main Characters: Leaphorn, Chee, Manuelito, a bunch of people involved with pottery
What happens? Leaphorn gets shot and Bernie witnesses, but can't prevent.  She goes to solve the mystery.  Chee holds a healing ceremony
How long was this? 301 pages
Did I like this? Good Chee story.
Overall grade: B