Read ‘Em and Weep, Laugh, or Think

Reading is a huge part of my life. I have noticed in other blogs that many people provide Summer Reading Lists. Hmm… I tried but I just can’t do that; I read on a whim and always stay caught up with my favorite authors.

Genre’s of choice are mystery, true crime, and biographies. And I tend to read by author until I suck the life out of them. So here’s my list:

Mystery

• Robert B. Parker!!!  Must admit that I think the Spencer series is my fav; 39 books and luv every one. His last, SixKill, is my next read (when I finish what I am currently reading).  I also enjoy his Sunny Randall series and Jesse Stone series (which has resulted in successful made for TV movies, starring Tom Selleck. What could be better!). The characters grow through each series and characters in each series often appear in the other series. And I know them!
• Sue Grafton.  Kinsey Millhone is my hero and such a loveable one. Starting with A is for Alibi, and waiting until November for V is for Vengeance; all weave sleuthing with interesting characters. Again, I know Kinsey and  Henry and am always waiting for what’s next.
• Diane Mott Davidson.  Author of the Goldy Schulz culinary whodunit series (14 tasty books). Not only are the main characters hilarious, but the books contain marvelous recipes; Goldy is a caterer ya know. I just finished her latest, Crunch Time, and can’t wait to try her Crunch Time Cookie recipe.
• Janet Evanovich.  Creator of the irreverent Stephanie Plum series, from One for the Money, to the upcoming Smokin’ Seventeen–is on my list for actual laugh-out-loud laughs. If I am ever down, I just open an Evanovich book and am immediately uplifted! Besides, I have the hots for Ranger; who doesn’t — if you know what I mean.

True Crime

• Ann Rule. Is there anyone better than Ann Rule? I have read most everything she has written, starting with the frightening The Stranger Beside Be (about Ted Bundy) and even her only novel, Possession. I guess Stranger was too close to home; one of Bundy’s victims was a high school friend. And I then lived in Florida when he was executed and that brought a sense of relief or safety or something.
• Dominick Dunne.  His books range from true crime to fiction, though sometimes they are intertwined, such as his novel A Season in Purgatory inspired by the 1975 murder of Martha Moxely by a Kennedy clan member. Dunne’s daughter was murdered and he brings that emotion to his books, fiction or not. Unfortunately, Dunne died in 2009 so no more of his gifted writing.

Biography

• David McCullough.  Wow, can that man bring you into the life of his biographical subject. Who has not enjoyed John Adams!  Mornings on Horseback, 17 years with Theodore Roosevelt is one of my favs, along with the Harry S Truman biography,  Truman.  And a must-read (especially for Sarah Palin who can’t get her history correct) is 1776.
• Robert Massie.  Nicholas and Alexandria opened a great chapter of Russian history for me. And it continued with Peter the Great, His Life and World. Massie brings just life to his books, I felt as if I was there (in Russia). Massie’s son, Bob Massie, was born with hemophilia. Massie and his wife, Suzanne Massie, wrote Journey, a heartfelt book about their journey with hemophilia and health care. It was Journey that got me into Massie’s other books. Interesting enough, Bob Massie is campaigning for US Senator from Massachusetts.

So that’s my list of authors for now.  Enjoy their books; I have and still do!