The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg

What is your sentiment towards high school reunions? If it is the final reunion, would you attend?

In Berg's latest novel, a menagerie of characters are determined to go to their last, 40th ,high school reunion. The group includes recently divorced Dorothy, Candy the homecoming queen, Lester the nerd, handsome Pete and the quiet Mary Alice. When the in-group and the marginalized collide, anything goes, even a brawl at the the dinner!

Berg has weaved an entertaining novel with their lives intertwined, romance rekindled and past misgivings forgiven. It is an enjoyable read!

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

Although I loved the first two books in the trilogy, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest was a bit of a disappointment. Lisbeth Salandar is in the hospital recovering from the bullet wounds she suffered in the previous book, and her friends are all working to clear her name. Meanwhile, her vicious father still wants her dead and her homicidal brother is on the loose.

The story bogs down while Larsson explains Swedish constitutional law and politics, and there's a whole unnecessary side plot involving Erica Berger. Still, it's a must read for fans of the first two books.

Stieg Larsson passed away before this book was published. I will miss Lisbeth Salandar!

Tinkers by Paul Harding

As George Crosby lay dying at home surrounded by his family, his life flashed randomly in his mind. He remembered growing up in the harsh New England winters, with his father Howard being an epileptic salesman. George's mother Kathleen never spoke of Howard's seizures which were very traumatic for their children to witness, especially the one at Christmas dinner. Howard made a fateful decision when he realized that his wife was going to send him to an asylum.
Harding, the recipient of the 2010 Pulitzer for fiction, wrote Tinkers in a non-linear progression. It depicted the lives of three generations, George as a clock-repairer, Howard the father and George's grandfather. At times the story was hard to follow, especially the parts about the mechanics inside a clock. But Harding wrote lyrically about nature and the human psyche. It is a thought provoking novel.

Eye of the Red Tsar by Sam Eastland

Pekkala was once the most trusted secret agent of Tsar Nicholas Romanov. But now, a decade after the execution of the Tsar and his family, Pekkala is Prisoner 4745-P in a desolate Siberian prison camp. He is released from prison and given a mission he can't resist: find out who really killed the Romanovs and locate the rumored survivor of the assassination. This is a great thriller!

I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells

John Wayne Cleaver is an unusual teenager who feels he is destined to be a serial killer. He lives by a strict set of rules in order to avoid the behavior that he fears will lead him down the path of evil. When a real serial killer strikes his small town, John is both fascinated and terrified. And may be the only one who can stop the killer.

I enjoyed this book immensely. The "hero" is unusual and I wasn't sure I was going to be able to like him, but I was definitely rooting for him by the end of the story.

This book is the first of a projected trilogy. I look forward to the next installment!

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

After her mother Dulcie Shelby died, 17 year old Emily Benedict left Boston for Mullaby, N. Caroline to live with the 'giant' grandfather she never knew. She was hoping to learn more about her mother's life. Befriending Dulcie's high school classmate, Julia, who was making cakes and deserts for her father's restaurant, Emily found out more about her mother and fell in love with Win Coffey, whose uncle shared a past with her mother. There were secrets to be discovered, and lessons to be learned. Allen has weaved a web of interesting characters for the readers to explore. This is a magical and enjoyable read!

Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo

A serial killer is murdering young women in the small town of Painters Mill, Ohio. Kate Burkholder, the chief of police, is trying to catch the killer while keeping her own secrets hidden. This is a great page-turner!