The Probability of Murder by Ada Madison

Finished circa 5/16

Although there is some discussion of probability and statistics - or at least about a statistics course, it has nothing to do with the murder. Having murdered the least popular member of the faculty in the first book, this time she gets Sophie's good friend, the head librarian - who turns out to have a Past - with an intentional capital "P."

Meanwhile back at the ranch, I think I forgot to mention that Sophie's hunk of a boyfriend is a helicopter pilot for a medevac outfit and a rabid ice climber, at least that's what I think they called this particular brand of suicidal insanity. Rock climbing, at its best, is hardly a safe activity - but these uber macho dudes go out and climb rocks in winter - with ice and snow and stuff. So, instead of being supportive and helpful, this time Bruce (is that a macho boyfriend name, or what?) is off on the ice in a blizzard or avalanche -- or both.

Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer

Finished circa 5/15

Apparently there are three novels in which Heyer had continuing characters. This is the second of the three. The first is a few back in this listing - back in January, actually - and is entitled These Old Shades. My sister and I were both secretly big Heyer fans, and she now tells me that the three Alastair novels were her favorites. They weren't mine - I don't recall ever having read any of them.

This one features the son of the hero in the first of the three, who, instead of purchasing the fair beauty as his father did, kidnaps her.

And, of course, after all sorts of complications, everything works out in the end. I don't really know how I missed them back in the olden days when I was secretly reading her books.

I have also been wondering why we were ashamed to be so fond of these books. I suppose we had been raised on a diet of science fiction and fantasy with a fair dose of contempt for romance. Murder was acceptable, but romance was out. I suppose I still have the same prejudices - but they have become settled matters of taste by this time. Formula romance tends to be pretty boring - at least to me. I occasionally run into a writer of romance that manages to dodge the stereotype, but not many. Heyer dodged quite successfully. As my sister and I observed, her books are actually well written and have great characters.

The Square Root of Murder by Ada Madison

Finished circa 5/13

First of a series with a math professor as the accidental detective. Love the titles, but the connection between the titles and the plot is minimal at best.

They are set at a small New England liberal arts college just going through the transition between being an exclusive women's college and going coed. It probably bears a striking resemblance to some actual college, but I certainly wouldn't know what it was. This is the story that many academics would like to write; the victim is the faculty jerk - the faculty member least likely to win friends and influence people - colleagues or students. I took a stab at it once while I was teaching high school, someday maybe ---

Shades of Kate Fansler, English professor and detective, in the series by Amanda Cross (Carolyn Heilbrun), who was actually an English professor. Ada Madison (whatever her real name is) was a physicist before and her previous series (written as Camille Minichino) had to do with the periodic table of the elements.

All of which reminds me that it has been a long time since I have reread Amanda Cross, better add her to the list.

Raven Black by Ann Cleeves

I read Ann Cleeves years ago. Solid, very British mysteries. But it has been years. This is a new series, set in the Shetland Islands. Actually, it is billed as the first book in the Shetland Quartet - or some such. So maybe the character plot is continuous - interesting characters. She balanced it well between clues to the murderer and red herrings. I enjoyed it and will pick up the others when I can afford them.

Wings of the Falcon by Barbara Michaels

Another pick-up from the free book table. I used to read her stuff faithfully, but I didn't remember this one.

My favorites of Michaels stuff are the early ones, where you actually had supernatural creepy stuff. She retreated to conventional gothic romance at some point. They are still pretty good stories, but just don't have the same zing.

This is one of the later ones, where everything is rationally explained at the end. Oh, well.

Lt. Leary Commanding by David Drake

As a reward for saving the republic from devastation and all that, Lt. Leary has been granted command of the ship which he captured, and his partner in heroism, Adele, has been awarded a commission in the Republic of Cinnabar Navy. And they sally forth on another adventure to the greater glory or the Republic.

This time Leary's ship, the Princess Cecile, is sent on a diplomatic mission under the fleet command of a crusty old naval idiot - and they encounter a rather rough form of diplomacy - but of course, nothing is quite that simple. Naturally, they pull it off in the end.

I am looking forward to the rest of the series - which at this point numbers some ten books. But - I like space opera ---

Gun Games by Faye Kellerman

Kellerman, Faye, that is, is on my "reread in order agenda," but my sister finished this fairly recent one while she was here last visit and left it. I started it - then it disappeared, so I bought the kindle version to finish it. By the way, the missing paperback did turn up - well, the pieces of it did. I guess the dog didn't like it all that much. At least he returned the pieces when he was finished with it. When my dog finishes a book, he really finishes it.

There must be at least a dozen books between where I'm rereading and this one. The boys are all grown up, Hannah is away in college, and the Deckers have semi-adopted a teenaged piano prodigy, son of --- all that is a little complicated.

A lot less Rina and Peter in this one, but a good solid story with a chilling ending.

Firebird by Mercedes Lackey

I like most of Lackey's stuff. This one was great fun. She took the basic outline of the Russian folk tale of the Firebird, which also inspired Stravinsky, and built a story which has all the elements of a proper fairy tale upgraded to an adult level.

We have the fantasy quest of the younger son - with a few added wrinkles - and all the bad guys are properly served in the end. What more could you ask?

High Deryni by Katherine Kurtz

The enemy King of Torenth, whose daughter murdered Kelson's father and was in turned destroyed by Kelson, is moving against Gwenydd. He first sets out to destroy Morgan's lands and people and finally offers Kelson a devil's bargain. He and three of his people will meet Kelson and three others in an arcane duel, winner take all - since the four losers will be dead.

Murder, betrayal, and all the rest. And, again, previously hidden allies surface and save the day. The ending of this one was a surprise to me, Kurtz sneaked this one in, although, after revelations in the previous book, I suppose I shouldn't have been quite so surprised.

Good read. I enjoyed these years ago - and reread them a number of times. And I enjoyed them again.

Deryni Checkmate by Katherine Kurtz

Okay, it has been a while since I updated, but the semester from hell is over and, not only that, I have finished writing my comprehensives. So maybe I can get this caught up - while we redo the house and have out of town guests and spend most of a week at a retreat - before school starts up again. I expect that most of these "catch up" posts are going to be rather brief.

One of the things that has delayed me here has been trying to remember (short of actually going back down the hall and taking the books off the shelf) where the lines fell between this book and the third in the trilogy. I may not have them exactly right. I have officially decided that it doesn't really matter. If you enjoyed Deryni Rising, you will probably read the other two as well - and you can determine that for yourself.

It is still early days in King Kelson's reign and the fanatical Deryni hater at the head of the church has decided to go after Morgan and Father Duncan.

The church of these novels is nominally Catholic, as the country, Gwenydd, seems to be nominally Wales, but both have deep differences between the familiar and the fantasy setting. This church is organized rather differently from my understanding of the Roman church, and that allows some rather interesting situations - for one thing, the head of the church is subject to correction by his council of bishops. And the bishops are not necessarily assigned to a specific region, there are wandering bishops who do not have the same responsibility to a group. Makes for interesting dynamics when the archbishop tries to force his will on the entire council.

Anyway, Morgan and Duncan are set up and accused of heresy and all sorts of stuff. And survive by the skin of their teeth and the intervention of a surprising ally or two.

In a parallel, but related plot, Morgan's sister, Bronwyn and her fiance are murdered by magic on her wedding day which fuels the anti-Deryni sentiment in the country.