Books Completed Since January 1

  A Hertfordshire Christmas, compiled by Margaret Ashby

  'Twas the Night Before, Jerry B. Jenkins

  A Shropshire Christmas, compiled by Lyn Briggs

  Christmas in Puerto Rico, World Book Encyclopedia

  Ideals Christmas 2023, Ideals Publications

  Obsession, John Douglas and Mark Olshaker
FBI profiler Douglas, author of the popular Mindhunter (made into a Netflix series) once again delves into the criminal mind in this thick paperback filled with true stories of rapists, stalkers, and murderers. The depravity of some of these criminals will nauseate you, especially "big strong men" who murder children. In this volume, Douglas addresses some infamous serial killers like Ted Bundy and celebrity killers like Mark David Chapman, and also stories of celebrities who have been stalked and killed, like Rebecca Shaeffer, a rising young actress who was the front-runner for a role in The Godfather when she was killed by a "fan" obsessed with her. Some of the criminals seem to have been mentally disturbed since childhood (Ted Bundy sounded particularly creepy), others became twisted due to child abuse or mental illness. Some of them work silently, some taunt the police and wish to match wits with them. All are incredibly mind-bending.

There are also touching and painful chapters from the point of view of the victims' families: their grief, certainly, which broke up many of the families, but more importantly their fight for justice. One murderer beat off punishment for several decades because his attorney kept filing appeals. Douglas also speaks to counselors who have tried to help victims' families, who find it a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week avocation.

Not a book to be read at bedtime!

 The Vanderbeekers on the Road, Karina Yan Glaser
Sixth in the series and follows directly after the previous book: the Vanderbeeker kids (twins Isa and Jessie, only boy Oliver, Hyacinth the compulsive knitter, and little Laney), Mama, Mr. Beiderman (their landlord) and his ward Orlando, and the Vanderbeeker pets, including their big Basset hound and the two cats they're taking to Aunt Penny in California, are bundled into a van and making their way cross-country to pick up Papa Vanderbeeker in Indiana where he's helping a friend and then continue to California to take the road trip Papa's father never got to take with him. Along with way they get adopted by a chicken, stay at a spooky campground, make farm friends, see the sites, suffer from summer heat, and have engine trouble.

But something is bothering little Laney: she understands that both Jessie and Orlando are going to try out for a scholarship at a college in California. To fearful Laney, this means breaking up the Vanderbeeker family. So for the rest of the trip, Laney, and soon her helper siblings, are going to try to prevent that from happening!

There's also a subplot with Mr. Beiderman that's nifty for a children's book.

My only puzzle about this book is how you fit six kids (three of them teens!), three adults, a bunch of animals, and all that luggage into "Ludwig Van." It must be a TARDIS!

 The Boys, Ron Howard and Clint Howard
Ron and Clint share their memories of growing up in Hollywood and acting in this fast-moving memoir that always holds your attention. Ron—back then "little Ronny Howard"—experienced mostly positive vibes behind the scenes in the movies and television he did. He became fascinated by "behind the scenes," which eventually led him into directing. He also met his wife (they're still married) as a teenager and his mind never changed about her, despite his practical parents' efforts to dissuade him. Clint also had generally positive experiences, if his parts were a little different: his first role was as an alien on Star Trek and people still recognize him for that. However, where Ron went on to direct, Clint lost direction after parts disappeared and had problems with alcohol and substance abuse, which he finally conquered. We also gain insights into parents Rance (born Harold Beckenholdt) Howard, longtime character actor, and Jean Speegle Howard (she played Jim Lovell's mom in Apollo 13).

Throughout the narrative, the brothers support and tease each other until the end, and the result is a warm, wonderful book.

 The Adventures of Ellery Queen, Ellery Queen
I loved the 1975 retro series and bought a couple of the books, especially those around the character of Inspector Queen, but I'd never read any of the short stories until I received this book as a gift (thanks, Rodney!).

In the beginning, Ellery Queen was the erudite, well-dressed young man-about-town who was usually called in by his practical police inspector father on perplexing cases. Of course young Ellery spots the elusive clue that no one else saw and solves the crime. The stories themselves are snapshots of the 1920s and 1930s in which they were written, and the mysteries suitably confounding. I'm very glad to have met early Ellery! (Note: the last story in this book was adapted as an episode of the 1975 series.)

("Ellery Queen" the author was a pseudonym adopted by Frederic Dannay and his cousin Manfred Lee. Apparently the cousins had an adversarial relationship, but they sure could write a mystery story!)

  Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA, and More Tell Us About Crime, Val McDermid
Newspaper maven and crime author McDermid offers this very readable book about the different aspects of forensics, from the basic crime scene to specifics like entomology (for you CSI fans, Dr. Gil Grissom's specialty), pathology, fingerprints, DNA, and others, even profiling (which she doesn't seem to be fond of). Well illustrated with British case studies and photographs, and enjoyable if you're a fan of crime series or just curious about how forensic evidence helps law enforcement.

  Business or Pleasure, Rachel Lynn Solomon
Oh, dear God, thank you! A rom-com populated by adults. And three of the four parents are supportive. I may have to get Solomon's other books.

Chandler Cohen is upset after the celebrity "author" of a best seller that she actually ghost wrote for the woman doesn't even recognize her at the book signing (and can't even spell her name correctly). She's just lost her long-term boyfriend, so she takes a chance and has a one-night stand with a handsome guy she meets at a bar. The sexual experience that follows is underwhelming because while her partner is nice, he knows nothing about foreplay or pleasing his partner. So she's at a particular low when her agent offers her a new ghostwriting project: helping former television star Finnegan Walsh write a book. Guess what: Finn is the inexperienced guy who she shared her bed with!

So they strike up a deal: Chandler will write the book and she will also give him seduction lessons with the proviso that said lessons are just business.

Well, this is a rom-com; of course it doesn't stay that way. The two characters are very charming, and it's set against a background of books and science-fiction conventions (Finn's television character was the human friend of some werewolves who attempted to navigate college life). There are thankfully no goofy gay character (there are non-cis characters, but they're real, ordinary people, not funny goofballs) and all the parent characters who appear are not mustache-twirling villains. Both lead characters have weaknesses and problems, but they never drag you down. A plus: Jewish characters!

  Rivers of London: Here Be Dragons, Ben Aaronovitch, James Swallow, Andrew Cartmell, José María Beroy
Always good to have a new "Rivers" story, whether it be written or in graphic form. This one begins with a helicopter crash, and the story only gets wilder from there: elves slumming it in the real world, a police helicopter crew with different outlooks on the supernatural events they're seeing, a rock-music busker and his old friend the roadie—not to mention the "dragon" and Jimi Hendrix! Even Peter Grant's cousin Abigail and one of her fox friends get in the action. Beverley and the twins have a cameo, and Peter even asks his dad for help.

Only thing wrong with this story: No "Tales from the Folly"!