but a fun exploration of a side character and a key mystery ...
930629
Wish it went deeper, but a fun exploration of a side character and a key mystery from Force Awakes
3563518
This was a fun, light read. PI Runtime's adventures in a mixed fantasy/film noir world are clever and work well with the data structures and algorithms they detail. I found the problem set ups very engaging and the explanations crystal (ball) clear. The world was a fun place where people of Boolean descent know right from wrong, and pickled eel regulations lead to perfect data structures. That said, I wasn't too into the actual mystery. It seemed a little too obvious because it relied on the silliness of the world, so nothing was subtle. A good mystery needs something the reader can familiarize themselves with and draw them in. All said, I enjoyed the algorithms and writing style enough to read it all. I think this sort of book would be even better as a series of mini-mysteries a la Sherlock Holmes, and I look forward to a sequel like this.
1013872
Eric Lafferty is returning home for the first time after the death of his bullying father. Eric has struggled his whole life with his ability to detect "vibes"--sort of like reading a person's mind, or at least understanding their emotions on a deep, vaguely supernatural level. Emjay is a young woman in quest of...vengeance? She isn't sure. But she has an ability to "sync" people into a hypnotic trance. She learned it after the murder of her boyfriend, the only person he ever felt close to, and now she's utilizing it in her pursuit to track down his killer. In their separate journeys, the two encounter Nola Lantri, who is investigating the disappearance of her friend and fellow tracist Anna Villagomez while dealing with the intrusions of the shady Grayson Bryant.

Readers might initially be put off by the fact that Lantri is essentially a supporting character in this novel (ingeniously told in two parts, with two separate protagonists). But this is the TraceWorld series, after all, not the Nola Lantri series, and while Lantri is an interesting character, there are others to investigate. VIBE/SYN is engaging, fun, and full of new characters who (hopefully) will be featured in further installments.
2292126
The library where Charlie volunteers is setting up a classic girl detective display when they discover that the author of the Veronica Thane series is not dead. They visit her to see if she is able and willing to come to the library to give a talk. She agrees and collectors of her books are coming out of the woodwork to meet her. Then the president of her fan club is found dead. Why?

I love Charlie and Diesel as they solve mysteries. I, once again, failed to discover the murderer before Charlie explained it. I enjoyed the story and would love to see what Diesel looks like. Everyone has an opinion. The characters are an interesting lot. The side mystery was fun especially when solved. I like the recurring characters as well as the new ones brought in for this book. I learned a lot about the girl detectives series of the past.
3350987
There's something about the character and the way the book was written that appeals to me.
3991515
Being a frequent visitor to Maui, a friend gave me this book. Several planned trips to the Big Island never materialized, but it's back on the agenda. With a background in products forensics, this book was doubly fun. The characters were well drawn and the mystery did not unveil itself early. While there were some hints about a direction it might go, it still kept me guessing. It gave me some insight into the Big Island and its similarities and differences to other Islands. Listening to pidgin is fun, but it can be overdone. Ms Hoff did a good job using it to respectfully add color to her story and the Hawaiuan family or ohana. The glossary of Hawaiian words was special fun. Many common words and place names were known to me, as was the pronunciation. But I realized I often did not understand the background or meaning of many familiar place names. So, whether you are a frequent visitor to Hawaii, have the islands on your wish list or are an armchair traveler, there's something for you in this book, along with a good mystery. While the book hints at others to come, it stands alone.
4915958
Loved this little book that explains a main character's back story.
2348599
R. M. Clark's "Center Point" is a historical mystery in the mold of "National Treasure" and the "Da Vinci Code," but with a few unique twists of its own that will keep readers guessing until the end.

The book's protagonist, Dennis Kozma, is a 25-year-old slacker who has spent his time dabbling at getting a college degree in a small New England town. However, with the money to fund his education running out, he has to make some decisions about what to do with his life. On his birthday, he gets a mysterious package from his late father containing a list of names, along with drawings of native American artifacts and a legendary local warrior who supposedly lived in the town hundreds of years earlier.

Naturally, Kozma starts looking into the information his father left him, and he begins to discover that it ties into the town's history, dating back to a famous battle in Revolutionary War days. More recently, there seem to have been some funny goings on in local politics as well, which resulted in Kozma's father losing his position as a city official years earlier.

The mystery at the center of "Center Point" is a suitably complex one that Clark explains reasonably well by the book's end. Readers who are familiar with this type of book will be able to guess some of what's happening, but the exact way in which Clark ties the plot strands together is fairly surprising.

Also surprising is the main character. Dennis Kozma is not the eager beaver, Hardy Boy type amateur detective readers are probably expecting, but instead, more of a "go with the flow" type of guy who takes his time getting involved with the mystery. In fact, he shows so little interest in some of the bizarre plot developments that readers may become a bit frustrated. However, as the book (as well as Kozma's investigation) picks up its pace in the last third, readers will be caught up in the action.

Both the book's central mystery and its main character will be an interesting change of pace for readers. It's refreshing to have a hero who has to juggle figuring out how a key Revolutionary War battle was won with the more mundane tasks of finding a place to live and dealing with a highly anal retentive stepfather. "Center Point" is Clark's first novel for adults (and there's some adult language in the book for sure), but it's a highly promising debut for a talented author.
4867927
M.C. Beatons mysteries are pretty much the lightest mysteries out there, but thats ok sometimes. When I get to this late in the school year, I often just want a quiet, pleasant, light diversion. That is what The Death of an Outsider offered. It is not a fantastic mystery, but I enjoyed it.

Basically, I really liked one unique aspect of The Death of an Outsider, and I was annoyed by one other. What I liked is that, like the other entries in the Hamish MacBeth series, this one offered up a charming setting (that Id love to visit someday) and some quirky characters. In addition to those normal features, I think that I got to see some interesting sides of Hamish in this novel. Hamish is taken away from his home village and away from Priscilla. As a result, the reader gets to see his interactions with someone new, and we get, particularly, to see Hamish romancing a woman other than Priscilla. I won't give away details with regard to this fling, but Beaton shows us a side of Hamish that is pretty noble and a little bit sad. I enjoyed seeing a little more substance added to Hamishs depiction.

The weaker part of this novel was the mystery. In particular, I thought that the way it was wrapped up (Ill give away no details) really relied on a pretty stretched deus ex machina. Hamish lucks into a situation thats truly not organic to the plot that tidily provides him with the solution to the mystery. It was a little too tidy, too neat, too convenient, and too sudden for my tastes.

So, The Death of an Outsider was still an enjoyable mystery--just this time, the pleasure in the book did not come from the mystery itself.
3510107
A little wierd hypothesis, but a fun read which held my attention wondering what was behind the tension
2693303
This was a good collaboration with a number of elements to keep the reader engaged. Admittedly, I enjoy Christian mysteries, but even those who claim not to would find nothing to complain about. Dex is a former chaplain who tries to follow where God is leading him. It in no way tries to "convert" anyone, and is no different than a main character who was a former teacher tries to continue educating those with whom they come into contact, or a scientist bringing those elements of their lives into the context of every day activities.

The mystery involves an old mansion, thought to be haunted by several ghosts, that was converted into a hotel. Since it's in a small town in the Ozark Mountains, the owners use the draw of a ghost tour to bring guests to the hotel as well as an adventurous evening with dinner and the tour. On the first night, the death of a principal actor in the drama creates even more excitement and interest in the ghost tour. Dex, who was on hand with his sidekick Mazie, feels compelled to figure out how and why the death occurred.

In addition, Dex is becoming more attached to Mazue, and their relationship grows. Dex also tries to lessen the friction that occurs when he seems to be interfering with the police investigation. I enjoy the interaction between the recurring characters in this series. I also appreciate that the police aren't depicted as bumbling idiots who obstruct justice through their stupidity. There is nice development of characters who work together and grow in their relationships.

I recommend this as a quick read with an interestinteresting  plot. It's a stand alone book, but it creates a desire to know more about the characters involved. I'm anxious to see where Dex finds himself in his next adventure.
4781514
This is a fun mystery that I enjoyed a lot.  However, I will admit that I don't think this book is for everyone. I loved the 80s Oxford University setting and the constant references to pop culture and fashion, but I can see how some readers would not "get" those references at all.  I loved the characters of Ursula and Nancy as well, and am excited to read the next installment in this series.  This is just a fun read. It would be the perfect book to take along to the beach and I devoured it in an afternoon.
2937059
A well written mystery about books and baseball. While not a fast paced novel, the author's writing style drew me into a world I don't know much about. I enjoyed getting to know the main character and taking the journey with him.
4893341
It's not American Gods, but it was a very fun read
4063120
Short story mysteries are difficult to write and often frustrating for readers. We barely get to know the characters, the setting, the era, and poof! It's done. Worse, too few clues can usually be dropped to be subtle and yet reward those of us who enjoy detangling at least some of what's at stake. Rhys Brown has subverted most of those difficulties with "Masked Ball," especially for those of us reading it as a prequel to a series we've already devoured. Our clumsy, determined, and honorable Georgiana is quite familiar to us, though more a girl than a woman here, as is the post-WWI era London setting. But I suspect even new readers to the fun of Her Royal Spyness series will probably also feel attracted and even delighted with this princess practically in rags who is guileless yet keenly observant and quite funny too. I think she is able to pull that off by writing a mystery that is barely a mystery.  This story is really a character piece and a chance to introduce us to a royal scandal that brews throughout the series at its very onset, with a surprise romantic suggestion that left me smiling. Die hard mystery buffs might be miffed, of course, but they can go grab a novel then. May I suggest Her Royal Spyness?
2563024
A little humor, a little romance, a little mystery, and a whole lot of fun.
4146047
I loved this! I don't want to say too much, b/c it's essentially a mystery, but it kept me intrigued and I enjoyed it very much! The main character sort of annoyed me at times, but the rest of the book was good enough to overshadow it for me.