I liked them, for a long time, but sixteen seemed like kind of a lot.(And I think her boyfriend might be "Joe", now that I think about it.) I am even more impressed by Sue Grafton for pivoting away from writing the same book with the last few offerings. (I'm not exactly sure she's going to make it through the whole alphabet, though.)

Speaking of series, I read 9 Dragons, which is part of the Harry Bosch series by John Connelly. I really enjoyed it. Has anyone read them? Are the others in the series worth looking into?

Yeah, I like them, although I haven't read that one, I don't think.

I ate up Anne Perry's Thomas and Charlotte Pitt mysteries until they got really political, and all about some secret society. That had to be after twenty books, though. Probably the longest series I ever read.

And I loved Elizabeth George's Lynley mysteries with unholy, abiding love until ... two books ago? And then I just couldn't get through one and haven't gone back.

I don't want to sound like a snob, because I read nine of them myself I think, but anyone else think it's crazy there are now *sixteen* Stephanie Plum books? I hope she's still not deciding between(Guy With Short Italian Name) and Ranger, Mystery Man.

This is about where I left off on them, and with the same perspective. I also got to about that point or a little further before I had to drop the "A is For..." series some years back. Maybe that's worth picking up again?

I might have to revisit the JD Robb ones if people seem to see some real progression. I didn't really get very far with them since I had to get the early ones off eBay and lost motivation for that.

And I loved Elizabeth George's Lynley mysteries with unholy, abiding love until ... two books ago? And then I just couldn't get through one and haven't gone back.

Oh, Amy, the most recent one is SO much better than the previous two, which I agree were dreadful. Much more in the original spirit of the series, though of course the subject at hand is dreadful and disturbing.

I thought "S" and "T" were a bit more challenging...more of an experiment(Although even on their best day I wouldn't call them 'experimental", )but they are not quite so by-the-numbers...there wasn't even a junk-food binge lovingly codified in either(and I say that as a person who loves a Quarter Pounder with Cheese herself.) But I wouldn't expend a lot of writing passion on them...if you eat 'em, you get it, and if you don't, you're totes disgusted by every greasy syllable. Yeah, sj, I've read some of the Connelly books...I don't know why, they stop just short of turning my crank...well, I suppose it's hard to believe a second group of parents pulling the pin on "Hieronymus" but I don't think that would be enough to take me out of a story I really loved.

I have never gotten tired of Miss Marple, though.

I'm pretty sure his mom didn't know who the father was, and wanted to give him a fancy name... I feel like I usually buy Connelly at the airport or a drug store, so I like them, but don't usually seek them out.

I liked how the Brother Cadfael books ended up, with Cadfael's crisis of faith and how he came back and was forgiven in the end.

Good to know, Pix! I mean, the topic of the last two books was sort of off-putting, too, but they just seemed overly dense and boring. I'll try again, though! I loved those books so much.