Books I’ve Read in 2012
Here are the books I’ve read so far in 2012. I rate them with 1-5 stars. The book must be truly phenomenal to get 5 stars.
- ***Top Secret America (Dana Priest and William Arkin, 2011). An investigative report into the mushrooming number–thousands of them–of secret government agencies created in the aftermath of 9/11. 1/1
- *The Scorch Trials (James Dashner, 2010). The second book in his Maze Runner trilogy, set in a future which is part dystopian, part post-apocalyptic. Juvenile fiction. My review. 1/5
- ****Legend (Marie Lu,2011). A superb piece of young adult fiction, starring two 15-year-olds in a dystopian Los Angeles. My review. 1/10
- ****Smoked (Patrick Quinlan, 2006). Hitmen are on the trail of Smoke Dugan, who had dropped out sight 3 years before after making off with $2.4 million. A madcap thriller also involving 2 pornographers, a mousy library, and Dugan’s girlfriend, who knows karate well. My review. 1/16
- ****Fun & Games (Duane Swiercyznski, 2011). The first of a trilogy starring ex-cop Charlie Hardie, here caught up with a movie star targeted by The Accident People, who make assassinations look like accidents. Really great fun. Can’t wait to read the next book. My review. 1/24
- ***The Mourner (Richard Stark, 1963). Parker gets involved in a plot to steal a valuable statuette. 1/30
- ***The Score (Richard Stark, 1963). Parker gets involved in a major plot to rob an entire remote town in North Dakota. 2/1
- ****Savages (Don Winslow, 2010). Ben and Chon are good-guy marijuana dealers. The Baja Cartel kidnaps O, the girl they both love. A roller-coaster, wonderfully written ride. My review.
- ***Only Child (Andrew Vachss, 2002). Burke looks for the killer’s of a mobster’s daughter. The 14th Burke novel (I’ve read them in order).
- **Seven Slayers (Paul Cain). Seven short stories involving mostly bad guys and murders.
