Tatiana   Martin Cruz Smith
Latest Arkady Renko novel set in Kaliningrad in the new Russia. Murder, a lost corpse, trouble with Zhenya and his girlfriend, all while being targeted by Russian mafia. Complicated plot develops well, characters are interesting, and an enjoyable and believable ending. I have really enjoyed all of Smith’s novels, this one now included on that list.

The Twelfth Department   William Ryan
Second of the very enjoyable Chief Inspector Korolev novels. This time he is investigating murders at a psychiatric institute run by the NKVD. Well written, well plotted, and an excellent character. Kind of wished it didn’t end.

Ecclesiastes
My annual re-reading of this book that doesn’t really fit in a bible for believers. “How sweet is the light, what a delight for the eyes to behold the sun! Even if a man lives many years, let him enjoy himself in all of them, remembering how many the days of darkness are going to be. The only future is nothingness!” (11:7-8) That about sums it up.

Rivers   Michael Farris Smith
Well-written novel about a very believable near future U. S. ravaged by constant storms. Excellent prose, compelling narrative, and some good characters. Couldn’t put it down.

Tenth of December   George Saunders
Outstanding collection of short stories propelled by the characters. Magnificent use of changing perspective and each character’s inner world. Excellent, idiosyncratic prose. Characters remind me a little of Larry Brown. Can’t believe I knew nothing of Saunders until recently. Very, very good.

Dead Brides: Vampiric Tales by Edgar Allen Poe   Edgar Allen Poe
Some of my favorite (Berenice, Ligeia, Morella among others) Poe tales collected with two critical essays, H. P. Lovecraft’s mere homage to Poe’s greatness and Jeremy Reed’s interesting analysis of The Fall of the House of Usher as a description of Poe’s growing madness. Well worth it.