The Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr
Historical mystery with Dr. Kreizler, a character established in one of Carr’s previous novels.  Full of evil psychology – very good read.

Under Pressure by Kathy Brandt
Set in the British Virgin Islands, this is a good entry in this whodunit series.  Her writing has improved as the series has evolved, though I can’t tell if I like them so much because the settings are so familiar or because the plots are truly good.

The Dark Opals of Harrow Island by Beverly C. Warren
This is a classic gothic romance, complete wth the woman in the long dress running away from the dark castle with one lighted window.  I loved these as a teenager, so I picked up a few (they’re very hard to find) on Amazon.  Not good literature, but decent escapism.

What Time Devours by A.J. Hartley
This is the first of Hartley’s books that I read, but I loved it.  Centered around a lost Shakespearean play, it had a lot of surprise twists to it, and Hartley’s writing kept me trying to stay awake when my eyelids were heavy.  I thought the subplot of his marriage was unecessary, but I’m sure the author had some purpose in it.

The Hooded Hawke by Karen Harper
I’ve read most of Harper’s Elizabeth I’s mysteries and this was a very good one, and a quick read.  Harper provides a lot of interesting period details; any historical novelist could learn from her descriptive prowess and research skills.

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
Amazing how much action is packed into this 24-hour period.  Written before the Da Vinci Code, I think this was better.

The Suspicions of Mr. Wilcher by Kate Summerscale
Detailed and factual history of a mysterious and unsolved murder in turn-of-the-century England.

Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers
One of my favorite bookstore ladies recommended this to me. Since I love P.G. Wodehouse, she thought I’d enjoy the Lord Peter Wimsey character. But somehow, alas, he didn’t grab me. Probably my first and last Dorothy L. Sayers book.

Permit for Murder by Valerie Wolzien
I picked this up in a used bookstore. It’s the second in the Josie Pigeon series (I haven’t read the first), and it was an easy read, a mystery that I didn’t solve right away.

Showboat by Edna Ferber
The basis for the Oscar Hammerstein musical, the boat was somewhat different than the plot of the musical and subsequent films. Ferber’s writing was lyrical and magical, and I think I’d like to read more of her. I didn’t want the book to end, and it’s one I’m going to keep. Besides, it’s a 25-cent paperback, so that tells you how old it is.

Darkness at Fairwinds by Charlotte Douglas
Another formula gothic novel – with a slight difference since it’s set in Florida instead of on some windswept English moor or coast.  Great escapism.

Resurrected Holmes, edited by Marvin Kaye
A strange conglomeration of Sherlockian tales, written by numerous diverse authors, who were writing in the style of other (now deceased) authors. Clear as mud? For example, Richard Lupoff wrote one of the stories in the style of Jack Kerouac, while Craig Shaw Gardner wrote one in the style of Edgar Rice Burroughs. I enjoyed it, some stories more than others.

The Fugitive Queen by Fiona Buckley
One of the Ursula Blanchard mystery series, and a very good one. If you like Elizabethan mysteries, Fiona Buckley (along with Karen Harper) are authors you should check out.

The Patient’s Eyes by David Pirie

The Mischeif of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig

The Betrayl of the Blood Lilly by Lauren Willig

Jane and the Canterbury Tale by Stephanie Barron

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach

Undead and Uneasy by Mary Janice Davidson

The Girl In Blue by P.G. Wodehouse

Leading An Elegant Death by Paula Carter

Red Wine Goes With Murder by Paula Carter

Diary of A Mad Bride by Laura Wolf