A Christmas conundrum

Holiday time finds Boston PI Spenser confronted by a strange case. A young homeless boy named “Slide” has come to ask for help for his mentor, Jackie Alvarez. Jackie runs a shelter for street kids (not entirely legal) and is receiving threats and being told to cease and desist. Spenser and his sidekick Hawk decide to look into the threats and find themselves caught up in a web of deceit, family promises, fortune, and illegal business. Silent Night : A Spenser Holiday Novel was unfinished when author Robert B. Parker passed away. His long-time agent, Helen Brann ties up the story in faithful Parker fashion. Happy Holiday reading!DB

A Seaside Saga

The Cottage at Glass Beach by Heather Barbieri is a modern-day fairy tale for adults. Nora is a political wife from Boston who has suffered the scandal of an extra-marital affair. She has recently received a letter from a distant aunt and decides to seek refuge on Burke’s Island off the coast of Maine. Once there, she revisits her childhood memories and the mystery surrounding her mother’s disappearance. As she works to come to terms with her problems she is introduced to the mythical folklore the island dwellers believe. While this book is not terribly deep, it does put a positive spin on dealing with current issues and finding the strength to carry on. A good summer read. DB   

Gruesome!

Tess Gerritsen writes about murder and the evils of the criminal mind.  I didn't think I would ever go for this type of book, as it can be quite brutal, but the writing is so interesting.  Her books are under the series name "Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles" (to find what books are in a particular series, and in what order try our Reading Ideas link and click on "what's next").  The books have also been made into a television series called Rizzoli and Isles.  I started out reading book two, The Apprentice, and have to admit it didn't make much difference when I finally started The Surgeon, book one.  The Apprentice is about a serial killer terrorizing Boston.  Rizzoli, as the only female homicide detective, is fighting for the respect of the Boston P.D. while also trying to catch a brutal killer who is leading her into his trap.  SG