Sacramento homicide investigators Anthony Camarelli and his partner Julia Reynolds have worked well together. When, after a boring stakeout, Julia is shot and killed, Anthony thinks his world has come to an end. However, their ‘partnership’ hasn’t ended because she reappears as a ghost. Though...

"One Last Class" by Karen Mueller Bryson is from the ‘Short on Time Book’ series, characterized by fast-paced, fun novels for readers on the go. And that is exactly what this book is - entertaining, absorbing romantic comedy that keeps you happily busy for an...

“Peaches, Peaches” is an adorable story about a Dog named Gaston, a Parrot named Gregorie and a peach tree. Gaston was a very happy dog the day his master brought Gregorie home from the zoo in Paris. The green and red parrot had gotten sick...

Author Elizabeth Kimmel has another winner for mid-grade children. In "ParaNorman", seventh grader Norman Babcock finds himself a loner and an outcast in the small New England town of Blithe Hollow. The area is known for its history of witch trials and Blithe Hollow has...

Jack Miller, a seasoned FBI agent, and Ross Fruen, who he quickly nicknames Junior, are assigned to the case of a series of bank robberies. Things change considerably when during the latest robbery a pregnant woman is killed. The thief has never killed before, so...

Corrie Saunders loses her beloved husband Jarrod in Iraq as he pulls a suicide bomber away from a crowd of people. Jarrod and the suicide bomber are blown to bits. Now it has been six months since Corrie buried what was left of Jarrod's body...

"Many Blessings: A Tapestry of Accomplished African American Women" is a highly well-written collective biography that should be in public and school or college libraries everywhere. The author, who is not African-American, felt driven to interview and then write the stories of the many women...

Move over Walker; there’s a new Texas Ranger hero in town. I have always been a romantic at heart, especially when it comes to Texas Rangers. They are true heroes with a thankless job. While listening to "Thunder and Rain" I had to keep reminding...

Alberto Herrera shares a Latino fable in his children's book, "Musika: A Delightfully Harmonic Tale of the Origin of Music." Matisse loves his birds and one morning while releasing his birds he hears the elders doing their daily ritual of praying. Later their prayer for...

I recently received the audio version of "Barefoot: A Novel" by Elin Hilderbrand. Hilderbrand won my admiration when I first read "The Castaways". Since then I have read "A Summer Affair", "The Island", and now I can add "Barefoot" to that list. I have quite...

The book "All the Pretty Hearses" is another one by author Mary Daheim starring the heroine, Judith, who runs a bed and breakfast and on the side solves murder crimes. She finds out that her husband, Joe, has been arrested for murder and she must...

"If I’m Dead", a 'Rachel Knight Series' story by Marcia Clark is a short stand alone story that keeps the reader wondering right through to the end how it is going to turn out. When a Ford Explorer is found stranded on a desolate beach...

The novel "Steps to Heaven" by Wendy Cartmell is definitely a thriller. It is actually a roller-coaster ride story that elevates your blood pressure as Wendy packs so many intriguing details into one story. A father and his young son are found dead. It is...

Someone is stalking Kayleigh Town, an up and coming Country Music star. Their signature is XO. Edwin Sharp, one of Kayleigh’s biggest fans, believes she is writing songs just for him. A series of accidents leave a member of the stage crew dead, devastating Kayleigh....

This is a captivating story of sisters that couldn't be more different! They were raised by a somewhat dysfunctional family; tested by the ups and downs of life many times. Later in life, Rachel (whose life is at a standstill) decides to spend a year...

LA Times reporter Julie McNamara is at it again: getting into trouble and putting herself in danger. While covering the Occupy Los Angeles movement, Julie is hit on the head with a bottle. Minutes before the incident, Julie’s attention was focused on a beautiful articulate...

Judith Flynn takes a few days off from running her famous (or is it infamous?) Hillside Manor Bed and Breakfast and heads to the mountain town of Little Bavaria with her cousin Renie. Judith has agreed to help staff the B&B booth during Little Bavaria's...

Struggling opera singer Paige Marshall needs more income, so she signs up to work with the show choir at Prospect Glen High School outside Chicago. The first line of Chapter One of "Murder for Choir" says it all: "If Dante ever added a tenth circle...

"Gun Games" by Faye Kellerman is the story of Lt Decker and his police unit trying to make sense of two young people who commit suicide for little reason. Decker wants to see if there is any connection to school kids that harass others....

Colette French was the replacement coach for the cheer leaders. At first they resented her high expectations and regimented ideas. The girls were curious about her but she held them at arm’s length at first. Slowly she let them into her life. All the girls...