Here are some books read this year and a letter grade attached.

This Land is Your Land by Beverly Gage. I was thrilled to find my old hometown Festus, Missouri, mentioned in this book. I enjoyed some of the places she visits but her incredibly bleak view of America that she pounds away with turned me off. D

Dance with the Dead by Richard Perry. This series has the adventures of an incredible woman who helps people being sought to be killed by bad people disappear into a new life. Perry has died. He loves detail, too much at times in all the books, but the action scenes and story is terrific. B+

Booked by Alison Gaylin. This is the Robert P. Parker legacy empire, this series features Sunny Randal. She is no Spenser but the books are good and this one holds up well. B+.

Paradox by Douglas Preston. Our lead character chasing down the bad guys is pretty irritating and this series set in the southwest is running out of juice. C.

Ironwood by Michael Connelly. He is at the top of his game, great stuff. My only concern is the lead character works out of Catalina Island and there can’t be enough mayhem on the island to keep this going like this. A.

Just Fly Away by Andrew McCarthy. I like his travel adventures and approach. I read them all. A-.

This Vast Enterprise by Craig Fehrman. This retelling of Lewis and Clark”s trip is fresh and sharp and fascinating. A.

Vermeer by Andrew Grah-Dixon. A deep dive into his life and the paintings. I am a huge fan so I am a sucker for these books although too much detail for my ADD. B.

Best of Strand Magazine by Andrew Gulli. A big compilaton of mystery stories and as usual with these books the stories range from bad to average to good to a gem here and there. B.

Hope Rises by David Baldaccie. Second book in this series a lot of good but a little long. B+.

Hadacol Boogie by James Lee Burke. A great writer who turns mystery stories into fantasy and droning. He needs a break. D.

Revenge Pray by Sandford. At the top his game, one of the better Davenport books. A