48 - THE BURNING WIRE: JEFFERY DEAVER

The weapon is invisible and omnipresent. Without it, modern society grinds to a halt. It is electricity. The killer harnesses and steers huge arc flashes with voltage so high and heat so searing that steel melts and his victims are set afire.

When the first explosion occurs in broad daylight, reducing a city bus to a pile of molten, shrapnel-riddled metal, officials fear terrorism. Rhyme, a world-class forensic criminologist known for his successful apprehension of the most devious criminals, is immediately tapped for the investigation. Long a quadriplegic, he assembles NYPD detective Amelia Sachs and officer Ron Pulaski as his eyes, ears and legs on crime sites, and FBI agent Fred Dellray as his undercover man on the street. As the attacks continue across the city at a sickening pace, and terrifying demand letters begin appearing, the team works desperately against time and with maddeningly little forensic evidence to try to find the killer. Or is it killers . . . ?

Meanwhile, Rhyme is consulting on another high-profile investigation in Mexico with a most coveted quarry in his crosshairs: the hired killer known as the Watchmaker, one of the few criminals to have eluded Rhyme’s net.

I had it figured except for a few minor details long before the ending. Still it was enjoyable and I will continue with the series.

It's getting harder and harder to find new and interesting novels. I read too much but can't seem to stop.

47 - 61 HOURS: LEE CHILD

Sixty-one hours. Not a minute to spare.
A tour bus crashes in a savage snowstorm and lands Jack Reacher in the middle of a deadly confrontation. In nearby Bolton, South Dakota, one brave woman is standing up for justice in a small town threatened by sinister forces. If she’s going to live long enough to testify, she’ll need help. Because a killer is coming to Bolton, a coldly proficient assassin who never misses.

I did like the cast of characters in this book and the conversations between Reacher and the main players. I've been reading Child's novels since the beginning and have found no reason to stop.

46 - THE PENGUIN BOOK OF CRIME STORIES: PETER ROBINSON

Bestselling Canadian author Peter Robinson once again delivers a special treat for crime fiction lovers: a compilation of outstanding contemporary crime writing from the English-speaking world. With a selection of fifteen stories featuring established writers and new voices, The Penguin Book of Crime Stories Volume II is a rich source of literary menace, psychological insight, and roaring plot. This collection includes riveting stories by Lee Child, John Connolly, Colin Cotterill, Jeffrey Deaver, Sue Grafton, Sophie Hannah, Reginald Hill, Maureen Jennings, and Ruth Rendell. The stories are selected and introduced by Peter Robinson.

As with most short story collections I enjoyed some more than others.









45 - THE COLLECTED STORIES OF ROGER ZELAZNY: POWER AND LIGHT

I was surprised at how well the stories from the 60's read . I found myself skimming the fantasy stories but read most of the science fiction. Well put together collection covering his career in several volumes, I will watch out for others.

43 - ANNIVERSARY MAN: R.J. ELLORY

Twenty years ago John Costello's life, as he knew it, ended. He and his beautiful girlfriend, Nadia, were victims of the deranged 'Hammer of God' killer who terrorised New Jersey City throughout the summer of 1984. Nadia was killed instantly. John survived, but withdrew from society, emerging only to work as a crime researcher for a major newspaper. Damaged he may be, but no one in New Jersey knows more about serial killers than John Costello. Then a new spate of murders starts - all seemingly random and unrelated - until John discovers a complex pattern that links them. But could this dark knowledge be about to threaten his life?

Another lucky find from the newer book shelf at the library. I had stopped bothering with most thriller type novels finding them becoming very similar and in some cases beyond gory. This one caught me from the very beginning and kept me turning pages right to the end. I will be checking out Ellory's previous novels and can only hope I enjoy the characters and find the storyline as readable.

I recommend this one to police, mystery and thriller readers.