FASCINATING TRUE-LIFE STORY of an American police reporter in Japan offers eyewitness account of crime, justice. B PLUS

TOKYO VICE: AN AMERICAN REPORTER ON THE POLICE BEAT IN JAPAN
Pantheon Books
2009

CHARM ABOUNDS in sweet, if slow, mystery starring a New Orleans house cleaner/sleuth solving a movie-set death. SOLID B

DUSTED TO DEATH
Kensington
2010

LYRICAL WRITING, wealth of detail are plusses in tale of rich, social New Yorkers; downside is meandering plot. SOLID B

THE PRIVILEGES
Random House Publishing Group
2010

AN INSIDE LOOK at the lives of twins, by a journalist who’s an identical twin herself. Fascinating interviews! B PLUS

ONE AND THE SAME ONE AND THE SAME: MY LIFE AS AN IDENTICAL TWIN AND WHAT I’VE LEARNED ABOUT EVEMY LIFE AS AN IDENTICAL TWIN AND WHAT I’VE LEARNED ABOUT EVERYONE’S STRUGGLE TO BE SINGULAR RYONE’S STRUGGLE TO BE SINGULAR
Random House USA Inc
2009

ZIPPY MYSTERY, 11th in the Puzzle Lady series, features a sleuth-off between Cora and her rival Sudoku Lady. A MINUS

THE PUZZLE LADY VS. THE SUDOKU LADY: A PUZZLE LADY MYSTERY
Minotaur Books
2010

CHARMINGLY WRITTEN tale of fae exiled to a mundane modern world is evocative, spooky, but a bit formulaic. SOLID B

EXCEPT THE QUEEN
Roc
2010

MAGNIFICENT 1920s country-house mystery; unforgettable Scottish sleuth Dandy Gilver goes undercover as a maid. A MINUS

DANDY GILVER AND THE PROPER TREATMENT OF BLOODSTAINS
Hodder & Stoughton General Division
2009

CANDID LOOK at pill addiction shares the author’s own experience, interviews with current and recovering users. B PLUS

PILL HEAD: THE SECRET LIFE OF A PAINKILLER ADDICT
Hyperion
2009

EVOCATIVE WRITING, a convincingly flawed protagonist, rich detail rescue this Big Gay Novel from soap-operadom. B PLUS

OBJECT OF DESIRE
Kensington Publishing Corporation
2009

RICHLY DETAILED BIOGRAPHY of the little-known 14th century Queen Joanna of Naples foregrounds medieval politics. B PLUS

THE LADY QUEEN: THE NOTORIOUS REIGN OF JOANNA I, QUEEN OF NAPLES, JERUSALEM, AND SICILY
Walker & Company
2009