#11: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Two teens in a support group for kids with terminal cancer start a relationship with a certain end in John Green's The Fault In Our Stars.

I was interested in this novel because of the buzz surrounding it as well as that it takes place in Indianapolis, where the author lives.  I also enjoyed an earlier young adult novel of Green's, Will Grayson Will Grayson.

Definitely produces sniffles, but also has some funny moments, and interesting characters.  A trip to the home of Anne Frank is curious, but of interest.  Really for teens and above, as there is enough sophistication to keep older readers interested but too much for young readers.

I listened to a very good audiobook reading by Kate Rudd, that I checked out from the Morrisson-Reeves Public Library in Richmond, Indiana.

#10: Summertime, All The Cats Are Bored by Philippe Georget

A cop, out of steam in his career and in his marriage, finds himself galvanized to find an abducted tourist as the disturbed kidnapper continues a cat-and-mouse game in Philippe Georget's Summertime, All The Cats Are Bored.

Georget's first novel comes from the World Noir line, quickly becoming one of my favorite imprints with (mostly) hardboiled noir from around the world.

This novel takes place in the French Mediterranean town of Perpignan, and in addition to a solid mystery interested me in someday visiting this area.

For mystery readers looking for a change of pace, this novel has a decidedly European flavor, both in its dealings with police life as well as marriage.

I continue to be very satisfied with the World Noir line and will also look for Georget's next book.

#9: Black Skies by Arnaldur Indridason

Dogged but unremarkable Icelandic cop Sigurdur Óli reluctantly tries to help a friend being blackmailed with explicit photos, but quickly gets involved in a complex, murderous scheme in Arnaldur Indridason's Black Skies.

 I am a huge fan of Indridason's police procedurals featuring flawed but insightful detective Erlendur (the first translated into English was Jar City) but this novel features a supporting character from the earlier novels, one of Erlendur's colleagues.  It is a change of pace in tone (including some lighter subplots), but still features much of Indridason's very solid storytelling.

I am always on the lookout for more of Indridason's writing.  This one I checked out from the Morrisson-Reeves Public Library in Richmond, Indiana and read quickly.

#8: Alley Girl by Jonathan Craig

A crooked cop interviews a murder suspect's wife, and finding her attractive, carefully begins to frame the husband for murder.  Meanwhile, his younger, less experienced partner begins to get suspicious in Jonathan Craig's hardboiled noir Alley Girl.

This, to me, was a very tough read for the 1950s, with plenty of sordid plotting and a fairly explicit conclusion.  The identity of the "alley girl" of the title is a surprise as well.

I didn't know anything about Jonathan Craig before seeing this for my beloved Kindle for the goodbye price of 99 cents. I will definitely look for more of his work.