A New Book Arrives!! And I Continue my Ongoing Look at the Mystery Genre - American PI's Pt 2

I've had 3 books on order for the past month. One arrived today!! Yay!! So I'll update that and then get back into my look at the Mystery genre with the 2nd part of my look at series involving American private investigators.

Just Purchased

1. Isaac Asimov - More Tales of the Black Widowers (#2 / 1976). I mentioned this series in my first post about the Black Widowers. I have read one book already and this is the 2nd in the series. They seem difficult to find.










"The second novel of six that describe mysteries solved by the Black Widowers, based on a literary dining club he belonged to known as the Trap Door Spiders. It collects twelve stories by Asimov, nine reprinted from mystery or science fiction magazines and three previously unpublished, together with a general introduction, and an afterword following each story by the author. Each story involves the club members' knowledge of trivia.

Contents
1   When No Man Pursueth
2   Quicker Than the Eye
3   The Iron Gem
4   The Three Numbers
5   Nothing Like Murder
6   No Smoking
7   Season's Greetings
8   The One and Only East
9   Earthset and Evening Star
10  Friday the Thirteenth
11  The Unabridged
12  The Ultimate Crime"

My Ongoing Look at the Mystery Genre - American PI's Part Deux
In my first post on this sub-genre, I highlighted Isaac Asimov's Black Widowers, David Baldacci's King & Maxwell and Nero Blanc's Crossword Mysteries. 

Lilian Jackson Braun

1. Lilian Jackson Braun - The Cat Who... Mysteries. American writer Braun lived from 1913 - 2011. She was most famous for her light-hearted cozy mystery series featuring newspaper James Qwilleran and his two Siamese cats Koko and Yum Yum who somehow help him solving mysteries. From 1966 - 2007, she wrote 29 novels and a number of short stories. I've read the first two so far and have the next 3 on my shelves. I'll highlight those three. If you want light, fun mysteries, you should give this series a try.

a. The Cat Who Turned On and Off (#3 / 1968).












"The team of Koko, the brilliant Siamese cat, and Qwilleran, the reporter with the perceptive moustache, is back in action -- with an adorable female Siamese, Yum Yum, added to the household.When Qwilleran decides to do a feature series on Junktown, he gets more than he bargained for. Not the dope den he anticipated, Junktown is a haven for antique dealers and collectors -- as strange a lot as the crafty reporter has ever encountered. When a mysterious fall ends the career -- and the life -- of one of Junktown's leading citizens, Qwilleran is convinced it was no accident. But, as usual, it takes Koko to prove he's right."

b. The Cat Who Saw Red (#4 / 1986).  

"Something is amiss at Maus Haus. Not just the mystery of an unsolved "suicide" which hangs over the old mansion, but something ominous in the present-day residence. When Qwilleran moves in to work on his new gastronomical assignment, strange things begin to happen. First it's a scream in the night, then a vanishing houseboy. But when his old girlfriend disappears, something has to be done. Qwilleran, Koko and Yum Yum set out to solve the mystery--and find a murderer!"

c. The Cat Who Played Brahms (#5 / 1987). 

"Is it summertime blues or a career crisis? Newspaper reporter Jim Qwilleran is unsure but hoping a few days in the country will help him sort out life. With cats Koko and Yum Yum, he heads for a cabin owned by a longtime family friend, Aunt Fanny. From the moment he arrives, things turn strange. Eerie footsteps cross the roof at midnight, local townsfolk become oddly secretive. While fishing, Jim hooks on to a murder mystery. He enters into a game of cat and mouse with a killer, while Koko develops an uncanny fondness for classical music."

I rated the first two books as follows -
- The Cat Who Could Read Backwards (4 stars)
- The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern (4 stars)

The complete series can be found at this link. 

Jan Burke

2. Jan Burke - Irene Kelly. Jan Burke was born in Texas in 1953 but has lived in California for most of her life. She is noted for a favorite series of mine, featuring intrepid crime reporter Irene Kelly. Irene lives with her police detective husband, Frank Harriman, who features in Irene's stories and also is the main character in others. Burke has written 11 books in this series from 1993 - 2011. I've read 5 of the series so far and have two more on my book shelves. I'll highlight my favorite and also the two I have yet to read. It's a gritty tensely written series of books,

a.  Liar (#6 / 1998).












"Investigative reporting has its hazards, but trouble hits home for Irene Kelly when her estranged aunt is murdered--and Irene becomes the leading suspect. With the police hot on her trail, Irene sets out to find cousin Travis, her dead aunt's son, convinced he's the next target. But when Irene finds Travis, a camper-driving children's storyteller with suspiciously deep pockets, things blow up--literally. It takes several brushes with death, staying one step ahead of the law, and a few not-so-sweet reunions for Irene to untangle a complex web of family secrets and long-held grudges, and discover just who is killing off the Kelly clan--and why." (5 stars)

b. Kidnapped (#10 / 2006).



"Reporter Irene Kelly and her husband, Detective Frank Harriman, are back in this New York Times bestseller, in which they work to untangle the threads of a past crime and a haunting disappearance while trying to survive the present."

c. Bloodlines (#9 / 2005). 












"Sweeping across decades, Burke masterfully unearths a cold case that is far from closed while introducing an intrepid novice reporter, Irene Kelly, learning the ropes from her mentor, Conn O'Connor. From the late fifties, when a bloodstained car is buried on a farm and a wealthy family disappears at sea . . . to the seventies, when Irene makes shocking connections and brashly tracks a killer from the past . . . to today, when new threats and deadly surprises are closing in on the veteran journalist and her husband, Frank Harriman, Bloodlines follows a fascinating labyrinth of lives, loves, sins, and secrets -- with the irrepressible Irene Kelly at its core." 

The remaining books, including my rating where appropriate are -
- Goodnight, Irene (1993) (3 stars)
- Sweet Dreams, Irene (1994) (2 stars)
- Dear Irene (1995)
- Remember Me, Irene (199)6
- Hocus (1997) (4 stars)
- Bones (2000) (4 stars)
- Flight (2001) (from Frank Harriman's POV) (4 stars)
- Disturbance (2011)

Jim Butcher

3. Jim Butcher - Harry Dresden. Butcher was born in 1971 in Missouri. He's best known for his fantasy / detective series featuring private investigator / magician, Harry Dresden. Dresden helps the police solve mysteries which have a supernatural aspect. The stories are peopled with wizards, elves and other supernatural beings. It's a fantastic series and was made into a brief TV series as well. This was also excellent. Since 2000, he has written 15 books in the series. I've read 3 books so far and have another 5 books in the series. I'll highlight the first 3 books

a. Storm Front (#1 / 2000).












"Lost items found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Reasonable rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment. Harry Dresden is the best and technically the 'only' at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal capabilities, they come to him for answers. For the 'everyday' world is actually full of strange and magical things - and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a - well, whatever. The first six Dresden files novels will be published over three months - a great introduction to Harry Dresden, a modern-day wizard who manages to get into some seriously tricky situations."

b. Fool Room (#2 / 2001).  

"Excellent, well-paced, at times intense, fantasy story. Jim Butcher is a great tale-spinner. I like Dresden, and really like Murphy (not enough of her this time). I enjoyed the explanation of the various types of were-wolves and found some of them heroic. The baddies were suitably bad and there was enough doubt spread so that the explanation of who indeed were the villains came as somewhat of a surprise. Totally enjoyable story. (4 stars)

c. Grave Peril (#3 / 2001).

"The Dresden Files are always a rollicking good fantasy adventure. I like Dresden, his spiritual guide/ assistant, Bob and I have a thing for policewoman, Karrin Murphy, although her part in this story was a bit minimized. I also like Michael, the sword carrying Hand of God who helps Dresden so much in this story. Basically in this story, Dresden and Michael are running around Chicago battling angry ghosts and trying to find out who is responsible for stirring them up and causing disturbances in the border between Earth and the Nevernever. The story is filled with action; vampires, sorcerors and Dresden's sexy stepmother, evil Lea (yum) who wants to make Dresden subservient to her. The story is fast-paced, entertaining and just fun to read. (4 stars)"

The remaining books, including those I've read or have on my shelf (*), are -
- Summer Knight (2002) *
- Death Masks (2003)
- Blood Rites (2004)
- Dead Beat (2006)
- Proven Guilty (2007) *
- White Night (2008) *
- Small Favor (2009) (3 stars)
- Turn Coat (2010) *
- Changes (2011)
- Ghost Story (2012)
- Cold Days (2013)
- Skin Game (2015) 

Well, there you go. Now to get back to The Good Doctor. Enjoy your week!