The State of the Art by Iain M. Banks

 I'm not a fan of short stories--I get involved in the story and characters, and then it ends abruptly, transitioning to an unrelated story. These were no different, but their saving grace was the stories related to the Culture series. There were stories unrelated to the series, but they were interesting.

Banks brings back characters from Use of Weapons in a story that not only expands on the characters, but also on our knowledge of the Culture. In the titular story, a ship visits Earth, and one of the characters wants to stay. The author does an excellent job of examining our history and cultures in a way that brings into focus both the positive and less positive aspects of humanity. This was my favorite story in the collection.

This book doesn't change my stance on short stories, but I did enjoy them. There is humor and moral reckoning in them. These stories are a good addition to the series. 

4/5 stars.

For more information: 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

White Nights by Ann Cleeves

In this second book of the series, Cleeves again depicts life on the small Shetland Island in such a way as to bring beauty to a rough landscape and populate it with interesting characters.

The sun never fully sets midsummer on the Shetland Islands. These white nights wreak havoc with the residents' biorhythms and lend an eerie atmosphere to the islands. When a stranger is found hanging from a rafter after an elaborate art exhibition given by local artist Bella Sinclair, it is up to Jimmy Perez to determine if it was suicide or murder. When a second death occurs that is linked to the exhibition, all doubt is erased.

Cleeves brings back characters from the first book, Black Raven, and sets it a few months after those events. Jimmy's relationship with Fran Hunter is progressing, and he is once again teamed with DI Roy Taylor to solve the murders. I love the setting for this series, although I wonder at the number of murders that can occur on such a small island. If I lived there, I'd think about finding a safer place to live!

This book has an interesting plot, and I like Jimmy's relationships with Fran and Taylor. There are subplots that are resolved nicely. This is an excellent addition to the series. 

4.5/5 stars. 

For more information:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby

 

I'm a fan of S.A. Cosby. His books are gritty, contain interesting characters, and have unique plots. This latest book is no different. 

Roman Carruthers has forged a successful career as a wealth manager in Atlanta, far from his roots in small-town Virginia. Still, when his father ends up in a coma after a car accident, he comes home to a less-than-ideal situation. His sister, Neveah, now runs the family's crematorium, and his younger brother, Dante, has become entangled with a group of deadly criminals. Roman immediately uses his financial acumen to try to free Dante from the gang's clutches, but the more he tries, the deeper he gets involved with the gang--endangering all of their lives.

This is a fast-paced story whose moral dilemmas fascinated me. It is a suspenseful crime thriller that captures the reader and poses the question of just how far one would go to protect loved ones. There is violence, but it is used effectively and adds to the story. I highly recommend this book and the author. 

4.5/5 stars.

For more information:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Raven Black by Ann Cleeves

When I heard that Ann Cleeves was bringing back her Jimmy Perez character in a new series set in the Orkney Islands, I decided to reread the Shetland Islands series featuring him. It's been years since I've read the books, and I wasn't surprised to find I couldn't remember much of this first book. It's like discovering an old friend. 

When the body of a teenager is found strangled, Shetland detective Jimmy Perez, with the help of his colleagues from the mainland, sets about to find the killer. The island residents are convinced that the culprit is Magnus Tait, a man of low intelligence who has had recent contact with the victim. Preliminary evidence also points toward him, but Perez is determined not to be seduced by the easy solution. Complicating things, the disappearance of a young girl eight years earlier also pointed to Tait, with the islanders anxious for their safety, pressure mounts on Perez and the investigation.

I loved this series the first time I read it, so I'm looking forward to rediscovering it. I like the characters and the setting, and the writing is excellent. Cleeves always has interesting plots, and I never figure out the ending. Her books are suspenseful page-turners that never fail to entertain--even on a second reading. 

4/5 stars.

For more information: 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Northwest Angle by William Kent Krueger

 

I've been enjoying getting immersed in this excellently written series. All of the books have good plots with interesting characters, and enough suspense to keep me turning pages. I didn't love this book as much as the previous books, primarily because of the heavy-handed use of religion. I understand that the O'Connor's are a religious family, but the excessive praying and focus on beliefs in this book was too much.

Cork wanted a family vacation on the remote Lake of the Woods on the US/Canadian border. When a superstorm hits and splits up the family, each faces unexpected peril. Jenny discovers a baby and her murdered mother, then she and Cork must try to escape a killer hunting them. Then there is a doomsday cult that also wants the baby. Why are there so many after the baby? It's up to Cork to solve the murder and the mystery behind the baby.

Following the storylines of the different family members made for a disjointed read. Plus, the constant recounting of feeding and diapering the baby was tiresome. I was also disappointed in the ending. I enjoyed exploring the moral dilemma that Jenny and her family faced, and adding Henry Meloux to the mix is always a treat. 

3.5/5 stars.

For more information: 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Orbital by Samantha Harvey

 A friend whose taste in books generally coincides with mine recommended "Orbital," so I thought I'd enjoy it. I saw it won the 2024 Booker Prize and, although I've been disappointed in Booker Prize-winning books before, I decided to give it a try. Were it not so short, I would have given up after about 50 pages. This book is not for everyone.

The book focuses on the lives of six astronauts aboard a space station for 24 hours and the 16 orbits they make around the Earth. There are side trips involving a typhoon that is developing, a family affected by it, as well as a space shot to the moon, all of which I found interesting. Mostly, it was a geography lesson as the space station orbited the Earth. 

I'm sorry to say I am not a fan of this book. I found myself skimming over the navel-gazing about the beauty of sunrises over different continents and the dreams the astronauts had. There were interesting parts, but they were few and far between. 

2.5/5 stars.

For more information:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz

 

I enjoy this series by Anthony Horowitz, as well as his Hawthorne & Horowitz series. Both have interesting plots and great characters. They are also intricately written and challenging murder mysteries.

Susan Ryeland is trying to rebuild her life in England after her relationship and her venture at a hotel on a Greek island failed. Now a freelance editor, she is tasked with editing a continuation novel in the Atticus Pund series by a struggling writer who happens to be the grandson of a famous author. Susan's past work on this detective series didn't end well and almost cost her her life, so she is less than thrilled with the job. Furthermore, the author, Eliot Crace, is portrayed as an arrogant jerk whose ties to his famous family serve as the inspiration for the current book. As more of Eliot's story is revealed, Susan questions the dividing line between fact and fiction.

This book-within-a-book story shifts between two timelines with characters whose names and situations are so similar that it gets confusing at times. I always had to remind myself who was who when the storyline switched. Despite this, I got caught up in the book and the two storylines. I don't know how Horowitz was able to keep both storylines straight, but he did a remarkable job. I don't know if this will be the last book featuring Susan and Atticus, but I hope not. 

4.5/5 stars.

For more information: 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble