The Keeper by John Lescroat

Title: The Keeper
Author: John Lescroat
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: July 19, 2014
When was the book published: May 2014
Main Characters: Abe Glitzky, Dismas Hardy, Wes Farrell, wife Tevya, Frannie Hardy, Hal Chase, Katie Chase, Ruth Chase, John Stoat, Foster and Cushing who run the jail, report Jeff Elliott
What happens? Hal Chase is an SF County jail guard, and is struggling in his marriage with his wife Katie.  Katie disappears and Hal is the most likely candidate, but there are bad things going on at the city jail that Hal has been a part of and told Katie about.  And Hal was having an affair.  And so was Katie, with someone who worked at the jail.
How long was this? 304 pages
Did I like this? good Lescroat, not incredible, but good story, fast paced, guessed wrong about whodunit
Overall grade: A-

Children of the Revolution by Peter Robinson

Title: Children of the Revolution

Author: Peter Robinson
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: July 11, 2014
When was the book published: 2014
Main Characters: Alan Banks, boss Gervaise, Annie Cabbot, Winsome, Gerry Masterson, Gavin Miller, Kayleigh Vernon and Beth Gallagher, Lady Veronica Ronnie Chalmers
What happens? Gavin Miller is found dead near his cottage, thrown off a bridge with 5,000 squid in his pockets.  Banks investigates two threads - Miller got fired from his job at the university after Vernon and Gallagher falsely accuse him of sexual harassment, and Miller was at university in the early 70s with Lady Chalmers, who was then a Marxist, and he called her a few days before his death, and she lies about the reason.
How long was this? 336 pages
Did I like this? pretty good, getting used to Banks and his crew, will have to try some more
Overall grade: B+

Baltimore Blues by Laura Lippman

Title: Baltimore Blues
Author: Laura Lippman
Did I listen or read?: Audible audio book
When did I finish?: July 2, 2014
When was the book published: 2011
Main Characters: Tess Monaghan, Michael Abramowitz, murdered attorney, Rock the rowing guy, Irish law firm with three O's, Rock's fiance Ava
What happens? Rock hires Tess to follow Ava to find out why she is acting so weird.  She appears to be meeting Abramowitz at a hotel.  He turns up dead after she tells Rock what is going on.  Abramowitz has gone from famous TV lawyer to silent partner at the big 3 O law firm.  Tess investigates after being hired by Rock's lawyer not to investigate.
How long was this? 10 hours.
Did I like this? OK, not awful, but not a great plot.  Will try one more from her.  Not as good as her story about the woman's lives over 40 years, After I'm Gone.
Overall grade: B-

Hard Stop by Chris Knopf

Title: Hard Stop
Author: Chris Knopf
Did I listen or read?: Library book
When did I finish?: June 28, 2014
When was the book published: 2009
Main Characters: Sam Acquillo, vodka drinking detective and former biz exec, Amanda, girlfriend from the cabin next door, dog Eddie, lawyer Jackie, former boss George Donovan, Iku Kinjo
What happens? George hires Sam to find Iku, who he is having an affair with.  Sam finds her dead, and sets out to figure out what happened.  Set in eastern Long Island.
How long was this? 264 pages
Did I like this? Not much, didn't really like Sam, not horrible.
Overall grade: B- at best

Deadline Man by John Talton

Title: Deadline Man
Author: John Talton
Did I listen or read?: listened - free from library
When did I finish?: June 24, 2014
When was the book published: 2014
Main Characters: Deadline Man (name never given - business columnist,) Amber the FBI agent undercover, a bunch of girlfriends, missing girl Meghan, Troy Hardisty (rich guy)
What happens? In Seattle, DM looks into some corporate shenanigans, talks to Troy, Troy gets thrown off his rich guy balcony, and a bunch of people say 11/11.  The Seattle Free Press is going out of business and all the writers are getting laid off.
How long was this? 10 hours
Did I like this? Pretty weak overall, very unbelievable plot, hard to follow, and of course the James Bond of newspaper columnists with his single malt scotch and the bevy of ladies was too hard to take.
Overall grade: C-

Play Dead by David Rosenfelt

Title: Play Dead
Author: David Rosenfelt
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: 6/18/14
When was the book published:  2007
Main Characters: Andy Carpenter, dog Tara, other dog Reggie, partner Keith, cop friend Pete Stanton, computer whiz Sam Morris, Richard, falsely accused of murder, Karen, loyal sister, out-of-town girlfriend Laurie
What happens? Andy discovers a golden at the shelter where he volunteers, takes it in, and Karen finds him because it's Richard's dog, supposedly dead when he killed his wife on a boat and then tried to commit suicide.
How long was this? 310 pages
Did I like this? Wonderful, funny, entertaining, fast moving.  Delightful.  The plot behind the crime was a little hard to believe and tie in to the murder, and he never told us who was NOT at the funeral.  But great....
Overall grade: A-

Dead Silence by Randy Wayne White

Title: Dead Silence
Author: Randy Wayne White
Did I listen or read?: library book
When did I finish?: 6/12/14
When was the book published:  2009
Main Characters: Doc Ford, Sir James Montbard, the Tinman/Tenth Man, senator Barbara Hayes Sorrento, cuban bad guys Hump and Farfel
What happens?  Ford kills Bern Heller, who has done bad things, I guess, and then goes to meet Barbara for lunch, but she is nearly kidnapped, and instead they take a 14 year old boy, Will Chaser, who is with her because he won an essay writing contest, that he didn't actually write, he got his teacher to write by sleeping with her.  Seriously.
How long was this? 354 pages
Did I like this? A rambling confusing story with a bunch of characters that I didn't know or like.  If Will Chaser wasn't doing such a great job as the kidnapping victim, I think I would have stopped halfway.
Overall grade:  C-