RUTHLESSLY CANDID, fresh memoir looks at a writer’s addiction to sex and love with a series of inappropriate men. B PLUS

LOVE JUNKIE: A MEMOIR
Bloomsbury USA
2008

FUNNY, CLEVER, IRREVERENT, this third private-eye family comedy in Lisa Lutz’s magnificent Spellman series rocks. SOLID A

REVENGE OF THE SPELLMANS
Simon & Schuster
2009

BREEZY, CHATTY BOOK by senior astronomer at the SETI Institute gives overview of scientists’ search for alien life. SOLID B

CONFESSIONS OF AN ALIEN HUNTER: A SCIENTIST’S SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE
National Geographic Society
2009

A POET’S MEMOIR of injury, pain, surgery, and recovery is candid and eloquent. Not an easy read, but rewarding. A MINUS

THE BODY BROKEN: A MEMOIR
Random House
2009

UK JOURNALIST’S LOOK AT Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine conflicts works best in moments of pure battlefield memoir. SOLID B

THE SPIDERS OF ALLAH: TRAVELS OF AN UNBELIEVER ON THE FRONTLINE OF HOLY WAR
St. Martin’s Griffin
2009

FAST-PACED, FUNNY MYSTERY takes on media consultants, Eastern European celebrities, California crazies, FBI drones. A MINUS

A DATE YOU CAN’T REFUSE
Broadway Books
2009

SPRAWLING NOVEL of 1970s Tennessee politics, high finance has charm, rich detail, but an oddly old-fashioned feel. SOLID B

THE MILLIONAIRES
Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
2009

WELL-CURATED COLLECTION of the best American true crime writing covers three centuries of fascinating malefactions. B PLUS

TRUE CRIME: AN AMERICAN ANTHOLOGY
Library of America
2008

APPEALINGLY GEEKY LITTLE BOOK about the culinary and cultural history of pie has offbeat facts, interesting recipes. B PLUS

PIE: A GLOBAL HISTORY
Reaktion Books
2009

GRIM, GORY LITTLE HORROR TALE with a touch of noir, a lot of cynicism about the state of love and law enforcement. SOLID B

EMPTIES
Golden Gryphon Press
2009