BIG CITY BAD BLOOD - Sean Chercover

I had my own voice-over in my cranium while I read this one. It really has the feel of a hardboiled crime novel and it needed a voice-over telling me the gritty story. I had gravelly-voiced (in the yummiest way) Sam Elliott doing mine....get your own....

Ray Dudgeon was a newspaper guy who became disillusioned after having an expose of his turned down by the powers that be. He turned in his keyboard and notepad and took up his overcoat and gun and became a private investigator. He is hired by a movie company to protect their locations guy who got himself on the wrong side of the Mob, or the Outfit as it is known in Chicago. Ray discovers more than he ever wanted to know about all sides of the Outfit, Hollywood, people in the course of the job.

Superbly gritty read.

Four noir beans....

MURDER AMONG NEIGHBORS: 1st KATE AUSTEN MYSTERY - Jonnie Jacobs

This is one of the most refreshing cozy mysteries I have read in a very long time! I almost didn't read it as I have been meandering away from cozies lately. October can do that when I start reading pretty much only paranormal.

Then there was the sudden realization that I was falling behind on Joy's A-Z Challenge and I scurried to Mt Git'r'Read to see what was on my shelf to fulfill some of the authors and titles I was missing....and there was Jonnie Jacobs (J author) MURDER AMONG NEIGHBORS. Whew! And I quickly read it.

Kate Austen is a wife of a man who is off 'finding himself' in Europe and mother of a five year old. They live in an affluent San Francisco 'burb of Walnut Hills. She isn't among the affluent, they just got a good deal on the house. She isn't part of the set who live in the neighborhood, but she knows the moms of the toddlers who go to her daughter's pre-school. She is friends of sorts with one or two of the women. One of whom, Pepper, is found dead in her bedroom. The mystery begins.

Kate meets a dreamy detective Michael Stone in the course of the investigation. Kate finds herself helping even Detective Stone isn't overly thrilled to have her assistance.

They do find themselves drawn to each other, one unwillingly and one full steam ahead.

This does all work as a good book. I was pleasantly surprised. Most times, cozies can seem forced, but this one moved along quite naturally...

Four cozy beans...

THE BLACK ECHO - Michael Connelly (five bean rating)

THE BLACK ECHO is a very good beginning to a very good police suspense series. Harry Bosch is a loner for the most part, with a sense of justice that the LAPD doesn't admire for the most part.

Harry is called to the scene of a heroin OD found in some pipes used for runoff in the hills of LA. He finds that he knows the victim from his Vietnam days and the man is considered a murder victim.

The book moves forward at the pace of an investigation. No shortcuts, no ah-ha moments from nowhere. Very enjoyable and highly recommendable.

I give it 5 beans.

Book progress....

I am on tape 5 of 9, side 1 BLIND DESCENT - Nevada Barr in the vehicle, I finished JUDGEMENT OF THE GRAVE - Sarah Stewart Taylor last night while Lady K played her Noggin.com games on my laptop. I started the newest purse book, ILL WIND - Rachel Caine. This is the first book in her Weather Warden series and I am already diggin' it. I didn't read anything last night in bedside book, DEATH'S ACRE - Dr Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson, due to not feeling so whooptee-doo. I'm feeling bettah.
I'll get some listening time in today with the back and forth driving of Boulder to work and back to Boulder back to work and back to Boulder. I am looking for the silver lining, glass is half full thing and being able to listen to the lovely Barbara Rosenblatt read me a story is that silver lining.