A Few Good Mysteries in May

It's so much fun to lose yourself in a mystery, and this month there are so many different kinds from which to choose.

Rochelle Staab's latest is Hex on the Ex. Liz Cooper is a psychologist who turns to an occult professor for help when her ex–best friend ends up dead – in Liz's ex–husband's house. There's an omen of death, and lots of twist and turns that make this a fun read.

There's a lot said about Dan Brown's books, but they are always a fast fun read. In his latest one his symbology professor, Robert Langdon, is back in Italy. This time he's on the hunt for the secrets in Dante's Inferno. Once again he's searching through classic art, delving into secret passageways and dealing with bad dudes, all in an effort to solve the riddle of Inferno.

Standoff is from the lovely Sandra Brown. That chick knows how to tell a mystery. In this one, TV reporter Tiel McCoy is on her way to Mexico when she hears a wealthy 17–year–old socialite, Sara, has been kidnapped. Turns out Sara is pregnant and was kidnapped by her boyfriend. But through circumstances beyond her control, Tiel discovers she must find a way to help the young couple, before the FBI kills them.

I must admit it was Timothy Hallinan's clever title, Little Elvises, that caught my eye. If you like a bit of humor with your mystery, it sounds like this might be the ticket. Junior Bender is a burglar, who has a reputation for solving mysteries for L.A's underworld. One way or another, either his client or the suspect is going to be mad at him, so it's really a no–win situation. Add to that his ex and his daughter complicate his life, and you have one fun mess.

I just started reading Jane Casey's The Last Girl, and I'm hooked. Detective Constable Maeve Kerrigan is on the case of a wife and daughter murdered in their home. The husband and the other twin daughter claim they didn't see anything. She finds herself with so many leads, she doesn't know where to begin.

If it turns out to be a rainy spring—no worries. We have lots of mysteries to keep us curled up by the fire.