What I absolutely love about Lawson’s way of doing things is that she’s relaxed. She appreciates truly good food made with fresh, healthful ingredients, and she likes to share it with others. She’s creative and appreciative of the bounty and diversity of the foodstuffs available to us. Many of her recipes are decadent like her tarte fine aux pommes, an impressive apple tart that is unimaginably simple but impressive. Her commentary on entertaining takes a common sense approach which encourages the hostess to plan a party she can enjoy with her guests.

This is a stand alone thriller by the author of the Joe Pickett series, and it’s a winner. The ‘blue heaven’ in the title refers to North Idaho where retired L.A. cops go to live the good life. Two young local siblings witness a murder and go on the run, leaving their single mother distraught, and haunted by a life’s worth of bad decisions. The killers, all former cops, take over the investigation from the incompetent local sheriff, and the trail of bodies leading to the kids begins to draw suspicion, especially since a retired California cop is in town trying to solve an old case involving the theft of millions of dollars. The most intriguing character is Jess Rawlins, an old rancher who’s failed in every area of his life except for keeping his good character. He is a true hero.

This is a nice, easy read with all the trimmings, great plot, characters you love and love to hate, and a steamy south Florida locale. This is the seventh in the Jack Swytek series, but you can easily begin right here knowing that Swytek is a criminal defense attorney and the son of the former governor of Florida. His best friend is jazz bar owner Theo Knight whom Swytek rescued from death row. When he was a kid Theo belonged to a local gang. While he cruised with them one night, he happened upon his mother’s dead body. Portia Knight was a prostitute and an addict, and no one missed her when she was gone, but Theo could never stop wondering who slit his mother’s throat and left her on the street. When one of Theo’s old gang escapes from prison and calls on him for money and protection, he offers in exchange the name of Portia’s killer. Theo wisely calls Swytek who tries to keep Theo on the right side of the law. Swytek is contacted by FBI agent Andie Henning, a woman with whom he’s had some history. Henning is investigating the escape and later, a related murder. She and Swytek are thrown together again, and Swytek’s pals are hoping he does the smart thing this time.

It is 668 AD and Sister Fidelma of Cashel is about to be married when a murder brings the festive plans to a screeching halt less than 24 hours before the nuptials are scheduled.

Fidelma is 7th century relgieuse –a woman pledged to serve the Christian faith as a member of an order while working in the world as a lawyer and the sister of the King of Muman aka Munster. Royalty from around Eire have gathered at Cashel, the seat of Munster Rule, to witness her marriage. Preparations for the nuptials come to a screeching halt when the universally disliked and uninvited guest the Abbott of Ultan is murdered. Fidelma’s brother recruits her to defend the King of Connacht who stands accusded.

As Fidelma sets about to prove that seeing is not always believing, we are taken on a wonderful journey through Ireland at a time when Christianity was the "new" faith and Saxons still honored their dead with funeral pyres and gifts to Woden. The separation of the sexes in religious life was a new and mysterious practice and celibacy amongst the clergy was rare-even unheard of in some districts.

From the opening scene by the bay in Connacht to a boar hunt in the woods surrounding Cashel, Peter Tremayne (aka Celtic historian Peter Berresford Ellis) brings ancient Ireland to life. You can smell the sea and feel the sting of the nettles. The plot moves forward rapidly with crisp dialogue and carefully plotted action. Tremayne skillfully builds the intrigue and the conclusion is both surprising and completely believable.

For the historical whodunit fan, this is a great read for a snow day or any day that screams out for escape!

Oklahoma defense attorney and now junior senator from his state, Ben Kincaid, faces a national crisis after the First Lady is killed in Oklahoma City at the site of the previous terrorist bombing. While bullets fly, Kincaid’s life is saved by his best friend and former brother-in-law, Mike Morelli, who is so grievously wounded he may not make it. When the Republican president seeks Ben’s assistance in convincing the Senate and the country to allow him to suspend the Bill of Rights, Ben agrees. His new wife, also his chief-of-staff, however, disagrees.

If you’re new to this series, don’t start here-start at the beginning, or you’ll miss a bunch of truly entertaining books. Jake Tiptree was financial adviser to New York’s mob until her son’s drug addiction and her then husband’s womanizing caused her to ditch the city and buy an 1823 three-story federal in Eastport, Maine, an island at Maine’s northernmost reaches. Jake has been renovating the place for years, and the book includes some how to’s and don’t do’s with regard to home improvement.