T is for Trespass

T is for Trespass (2007) by Sue Grafton. Starting with "A is for Alibi," Grafton has crafted a stand-out series of mysteries featuring the plucky private investigator Kinsey Millhone. This one features an up-to-date story, though set in 1987-88, about identity theft. It's very interesting as she shows details from the perpetrator's point of view of how easily someone's identity can be stolen by anyone unscrupulous enough. The subplots are fun, too. Grade: B+

Then We Came to the End

Then We Came to the End (2007) by Joshua Ferris. Life in an upscale advertising agency is explored in this novel, covering the late '90s through 2006. The story is told in the first-person plural, which is quite unusual. We never do find out the name of the person telling the tale. But it scarcely matters, as the book is entertaining without fail, at times funny, at times poignant. Anyone who has ever worked in an office environment will be able to identify with the shenanigans that go on in "Then We Came to the End." Grade: A-

Born Standing Up

Born Standing Up (2007) by Steve Martin. The stand-up comedian tells the story of how he developed his act, from his early days at the magic shop in Disneyland to his final days as a rock-star comic. Somewhat surprisingly, this is not a funny book, nor does it try to be. It's reflective and philosophical. Those who were fans of Steve Martin during his days on stage and on "Saturday Night Live" will enjoy reliving those times with him. Grade: A-

The Yiddish Policemen's Union

The Yiddish Policemen's Union (2007) by Michael Chabon. Chabon has created an alternate universe in which the Jews settled, not in Israel, but in Alaska (don't ask). The action of this novel all takes place in and around Sitka, Alaska, where Meyer Landsman, the protagonist, lives. Landsman has the misfortune to be flopping in a hotel where one of the other residents turns up dead -- murdered. In the process of investigating the murder, Landsman runs up against all the villains you can imagine, in all kinds of settings. It's a fairly entertaining book, but not one of my all-time favorites. Grade: B