"The Deserter" by Nelson Demille I enjoyed this thriller and gave it five stars. A fast paced hunt for a Delta Force deserter, in the fallen down country of Venezuela. Did he desert before or after being captured by the Taliban? This is one of many questions. A brilliant army investigator is partnered with a tenacious and smart female investigator to find him. There is humor and great wit as the mission moves forward. " A Woman In Berlin" by Anonymous A must read. An insightful look into the life of an intelligent woman during the war, as Berlin fell to the Russian army. Her strength, free of self pity, and ability to share her experiences is concise and astonishing. For eight weeks her journal depicts her fellow Berliners in all their humanity, and the indignities the women were subject to as a conquered city. The food shortage, lack of electricity and the mass rape suffered by all. Although the subject matter is difficult, she writes with great skill and I found myself staying up late and turning the pages. "A Conspiracy of Bone" by Kathy Reichs Written from a very dark place. This is novel 19 of the character anthropologist Temperance Brennan. She uses her tradecraft to discover the identity of a faceless corpse, its connection to a decade old missing child case, and why the dead man had her cell phone number. It has a good plot twist. however it falls flat. Her personal life and work life are muddled throughout and leaves the story lacking.
Barbara H.