My Reading List - Nelson DeMille

I started reading Nelson DeMille's book when local library ran out other authors' books. Not because I didn't like the author, I simply didn't know much about his work. A colleague of mine mentioned Nelson's name, and his FBI ATTF special agent John Corey. Sounds good to me, I started with the Wild Fire and only have complete two of them so far. I think that I will get more.

Overall, I like Nelson's work. His sarcasm and his dark humor. Comparing to other cat and mouse games,Nelson's game was straight, we all know who the bad guy was. There is nothing to hide. Lots of conversations, clues are hidden inside the conversations. The character John Corey (and often his wife, Kate Mayfield) were very well developed via talking, behavior and action. Looked like John has a super instinct to know who and what to after. They are always running against clock. Solutions were always at the last 10 seconds. The stories were intense, fast paced and kept readers going.

John Corey

Wild Fire (2006) - MAD and ELF. John saved us from a nuclear disaster from up state New York. A+
The Lion (2010) - The Libya assassin Asad Khalil (the Lion) is back to complete what he didn't year ago.  Very violent. A+

My Reading List - Johnathan Kellerman

Johnathan's mystry novels has clear story and complicated plots. They are twisted enough to keep you turning the pages. Faye Kellerman, Johnathan's wife, is also a crime novel writer. They wrote some novels together, but I dont think that was a good idea. Not enough plots and no deep. I didnt quite like the ones that I read.

Johnathan created a couple of series for his mystry series, Alex Delware, a forensic psychologist, is good at profiling criminals.Together with his LAPD detective Milo Sturgis, they often responded to some detective requests coming from either Alex's formal patients or some other referrals. Johnathan himself is a psychologist, together with other background he had, it is hard not to think that Alex is a image of himself. Petra Connor, a LAPD detective, sometime helped Alex solve his case, but herself is also smart and dedicated to solve tough cases.Alex and Petra helped each other in many of those stories. Out of those two characters, Alex seemed to be more mature and we can feel him. Petra is more on the tough side.

Alex Delaware Series

A Colde Heart (2003) - Who murdered those young artists?
Obsession (2007) - What did Tanya Bigelow's monther mean?
Mystery (2011) - Alex found out who did the murder of sugar daddy's sweetie named Mystery. Good start and middle but too rush at the end... seemed the author wanted to end the story. While the book showed all leads led the police nowhere, I was disappointed at the end when out of blue all mysteries were resolved because Alex "did some investigation" himself. B
Guilt (2013) - The story uncovered complex connections of a set of baby bones buried 60 years ago and two newly murders of a baby and a young woman.A

Petra Connor
A Colde Heart (2003) - Who murdered those young artists?
Twisted (2004) - Why June 28 is so special? Issac Gomez helps with the investigation and the answer.
Obsession (2007) - What did Tanya Bigelow's monther mean?

Stand alone stories

Double Homicide (2005) (with Faye Kellerman) Two short stories - Boston: who killed the basketball player, he had heart problem? Santa Fe: art dealer murder case. Boston is better. I didn't complete the Santa Fe.
Capital Crimes (2007) (with Faye Kellerman): I didn't complete this one.

My Reading List - Dean Koontz

Dean Koontz’s work often involve super natural elements, not sci-fi stuff, but ghosts or some spirits, even not in an ugly way. When I first read it, it felt odd and strange. Dean’s writing is beautiful. He describe things vivid, such as the nature, the surroundings as well as human thinking, mind and inner world. I started picking Dean’s books when I was out of other selections. Not saying that I don’t like Dean’s detective suspense book, it is simply because that I more enjoy the close to “real” world thrillers.

Chase is the first book that I read by Dean Koontz. The “bonus” short story that comes with Chase is what I like even better, even with the super natural element. His language, words and description impressed me a lot.

My Reading List - Jeffery Deaver

Jeffery Deaver's fictions have a few series characters: Licoln Rhyme, Kathryn Dance and etc. I read a few of them. his story lines are clear, plots are good, there are some twists. Off the Licoln Rhyme and Kathryn Dance novels, it looks like that Jeffery Deaver wanted to go with high tech crime topic, not the traditional cop stories. What I like the best is "Edge", although it is not from those series.

The Licoln Rhyme Series

Licoln Rhyme, a quadriplegic NYPD detective with sharp instinct and vast knowledge to profile a killer.

The Broken Window (2008) - Lincoln's cousin case and the Data mining and identity theft case. Knowledge is power.

The Kathryn Dance Series

Kathryn Dance, a kinesthics, body language, specialist in California Bureau of Investigation.

The Sleeping Doll (2007) - Prison escapee Daniel Pell and his "Charles Manson" cult. OK+

Roadside Crosses (2009) - Murders of the social network, The Chilton Report. OK.


Stand alone

Edge (2010) - Corte, a game lover, applied rules to protect Ryan Kessler from information lifter Henry Loving. A+

My Reading List - Stuart Woods

Stuart Woods novels are fun to read. They don’t usually have complicate plots. The stories are like from cookie cutters. Readers can easily tell the writing style and find a template of Stuart’s work (I can only comment on the Stone Barrington novels). Stone, a former cop, is a lawyer of a New York City law firm. Together with Dino Bacchetti, his ex-partner NYPD, a funny character, Stone solved many cases that trouble the law firm’s clients. 

Stone’s series, usually involve a luxury life style with high class. Stone likes fine food, flying, boating and of course, woman, especially mystery women, spies and murders. 

Another featured character (of its own series) focuses on a CIA officer, Holly Barker, works with Stone from time to time. 

I take Stuart’s books as good fillers in between of some heavy duty thriller books. I read many of the Stone Barrington books. The quality is not getting better. especially the most recent one, the Unnatural Act.

Stone Barrington novels

1. New York Dead (1991)
2. Dirt (1996)
3. Dead in the Water (1997)
4. Swimming to Catalina (1998)
5. Worst Fears Realized (1999)
6. L.A. Dead (2000)
7. Cold Paradise (2001)
8. The Short Forever (2002)
9. Dirty Work (2003)                  - British spy Carpenter and assassin La Biche, at New York
10. Reckless Abandon (2004)
11. Two Dollar Bill (2005)
12. Dark Harbor (2006)                - Dick Stone's case and murders at Dark Harbor, Maine
13. Fresh Disasters (2007)            - Lawsuit against Carmine Datilla, the mob, for Herbie Fisher.
14. Shoot Him If He Runs (2007)            - Where is Teddy Fay? St.Marks Island.
15. Hot Mahogany (2008)                        - The missing antique mahogany secretary.
16. Loitering With Intent (2009)  - Evan Keating and the family business, at FL keys and CT
17. Kisser (2010)               - Kerry became a new Broadway star, and Derek Sharpe’s case.
18. Lucid Intervals (2010)            - Where is Stanley Whitestone? Herbie Fisher won the lottery, etc.
19. Strategic Moves (2011)  - Pablo Gelbhardt, the transported fugitive. Jack Gunn’s case.
20. Bel-Air Dead (2011)   - The selling of Arrington’s Centurion Studios to Terry Prince in LA.
21. Son of Stone (September 20, 2011)
22. D.C. Dead (December 27, 2011)
23. Unnatural Acts –  Herbert Fisher’s on a Investor’s son and drug case after Elaine closed.
24. Severe Clear (2013) - Terrorists planned to bomb at the opening of the Arrington Hotel where everyone mentioned in his earlier books, including the presidents, came to the ceremony. Who were Wynken, Blynken, and Nod? Looked like the author wanted to end the story in a rush.

Holly Barker novels

1. Orchid Beach – Holly’s early graduation from farm and hunt for Teddy Fay in New York.

My Reading List - Lee Child

Lee Child’s character Jack Reacher, an ex-military police, a huge, lonely but very curious man hitch hiked his way around America.  He didn’t like trouble but was not afraid of trouble. His curiosity always got him into big troubles while he is looking around the country.

I recommend every single one of his Lee Child book. Lee Child is a brilliant story teller. He usually spends his time to lay out all the background and setup the scene and surrounding. Once being involuntary involved, Reaches’s curiosity, his logical thinking and his wit always helped him to build up the big and complete picture.  The plot is deep and sometimes very involved (multiple parties and organizations) so that the story makes reader’s curiosity growing accordingly. I remembered someone commented out that Lee Child has a criminal mind, very detail and thorough.

1.       Killing Floor (1997) - Reacher was unwillingly involved in a case (E unum pluribus) that his
                                           brother Joe was killed in Margrave, Georgia.
2.       Die Trying (1998) - Reacher was kidnapped unexpectedly with Holly Johnson in Chicago and 
                                     shipped to Montana by a group of crazy militia.
3.       Tripwire (1999) – From Florida to NYC, Vietnam to Hawaii, with Jodie Garber, searched for the 
                                    MIA, Victor Hobie.
4.       Running Blind: US title/The Visitor: UK title (2000): Ex-military women were murdered around 
                                                                      country in their home's bath tub covered with green paint.
5.       Echo Burning (2001) - Pecos, TX, who killed Carmen's husband Sloop. "We don't call 911".
6.       Without Fail (2002) – Who wanted to murder the vice president in DC?
7.       Persuader (2003) – Investigated Zachary Beck as an undercover in Maine.
8.       The Enemy (2004) - 1990 New Year's murder of general and Delta special agents in Fort Bird, 
                                         North Carolina. Reacher's Mom passed away.
9.       One Shot (2005) – Jame Barr, the parking lot sniper case in Indiana.
10.   The Hard Way (2006) - Kidnapping of Kate and Jade Lane in NYC and 'private military' money.
11.   Bad Luck and Trouble (2007) - We investigate. We prepare. We execute. Revenge for his old
                                                          pals between LA and Vegas.
12.   Nothing to Lose (2008) – With Vaughan, to find the secret in Mr. Thurman’s recycle in a town of
                                                 Despair, Colorado.  The line between Hope and Despair was exactly
                                                 that: a line.
13.   Gone Tomorrow (2009) – Terrorist in a NYC subway? USB drive, Politics?
14.   61 Hours (Spring 2010) – 61 hours after a bus overturned in a snowy night in North Dakota. Set
                                                the starting point of Reacher going to Virginia.
15.   Worth Dying For (Fall 2010) – Duncan Family and the corn field of Nebraska
16.   The Affair (2011) – Railway crossing case in Carter Crossing, a military base in Mississippi,
                                       Reason why Reacher quit MP in 1997
17.   A Wanted Man (2012) – With Julia Sorenson solved a murder and kidnap involved Alan King,
                                               Don McQueen and Karan Delfuenso in a small town of Nebraska.
18. Never Go Back (2013) - Reacher was there to clear his name and Susan Turner's name.
19. Personal (2014) -  John Kott who was put in jail by Reacher was sought and accused by CIA and State Department of attempting murder. Reacher traveled to France and England to find him.