Above Suspicion

Above Suspicion (2001) by Lynda La Plante. Young detective Anna Travis has been assigned her first murder case -- she joins a team investigating a serial killer. All signs point to a handsome, famous movie star, who has nothing to gain and everything to lose by being a suspect in a murder. The actor seems to be making overtures to Travis. Is he really interested in her or just using her to get closer to the case? Meanwhile, Travis seems to be falling in love with her boss, DCI Langton. The resolution to the stories is satisfying, if a bit abrupt. And the whole thing feels a bit improbable. Nevertheless, an enjoyable read. Grade: B

13 Steps Down

13 Steps Down (2004) by Ruth Rendell. A strange man named Mix Cellini idolizes Reggie Christie, an infamous serial killer who was hanged 50 years ago. Mix is a lodger in an old house owned by 80-year-old Gwendolen Chawcer. We watch in horror as Mix makes the slow descent from slightly eccentric tenant to deluded stalker to cold-blooded murderer. A good read. Grade: A-

Playing with Boys

Playing with Boys (2004) by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez. A fairly typical chick-lit novel, this time with a Latina angle. The main character is Alexis, a Mexican-American woman who lives in Los Angeles and works for a talent agency. She discovers new talent, starts her own agency and finds true love. Grade: B-