ENGAGING MEMOIR by boho punk-rock former stripper married to US Army officer works best when personal. SOLID B #beachread

I LOVE A MAN IN UNIFORM: A MEMOIR OF LOVE, WAR, AND OTHER BATTLES
Weinstein Books
2009

MORE WELL-WRITTEN SHERLOCK HOLMES stories from Donald Thomas; historical detail, Doyle-worthy characterization. SOLID B

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE KING’S EVIL: AND OTHER NEW TALES FEATURING THE WORLD’S GREATEST DETECTIVE
Pegasus
2009

HISTORY, MEMOIR BLEND APPEALINGLY in this look at Polynesian/Western relations by an American married to a Maori. B PLUS

COME ON SHORE AND WE WILL KILL AND EAT YOU ALL: A NEW ZEALAND STORY
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
2008

SEAMY, SORDID, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN 1930s noir from Megan Abbott. Fact-based plot pinches a bit, but wow. A MINUS #beachread

BURY ME DEEP: A NOVEL
Simon & Schuster
2009

CANDID AND RICH IN DETAIL but lacking insight, this memoir of a young woman’s life in sex work is short on pizzazz. SOLID C

THE EDUCATION OF A VERY YOUNG MADAM
Scribner
2009

SPOOKY, MEANDERING, evocative horror-fantasy offers real chills and nightmares, but suffers from lack of focus. B MINUS

DOMINO MEN
HarperCollins Publishers
2009

SCHOLARLY YET HIGHLY READABLE look at late 19th-century European terrorism and its impact on us today. Fascinating! B PLUS

THE DYNAMITE CLUB: HOW A BOMBING IN FIN-DE-SIECLE PARIS IGNITED THE AGE OF MODERN TERROR
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
2009

CHARMING, RAMBLING, HAZY memoir by founding Saturday Night Live writer, Al Franken’s comedy partner. Crazy 70s fun. SOLID B

THIRTY-NINE YEARS OF SHORT-TERM MEMORY LOSS: THE EARLY DAYS OF SNL FROM SOMEONE WHO WAS THERE
Grove Press
2009

CHARMING MYSTERY continues Simon Brett’s witty post-cozy Fethering series; this time, it’s a death at the bookie’s. B PLUS

BLOOD AT THE BOOKIES: A FETHERING MYSTERY (FIVE STAR MYSTERY SERIES)
Five Star
2008

CRASS, BITTER, WICKEDLY WITTY novel takes on UK music business. Vivid anti-hero in pop-star freakshow. B PLUS #beachread

KILL YOUR FRIENDS (P.S. SERIES)
HarperCollins Publishers
2008