The end of a satisfying historical saga. This series is similar to Gilbert Morris' style - a clean, positive, Christian account of people whose lives are impacted by the events of American history. There is more exposition than in Morris' works, and more adult themes. But all clean, all great for teen readers.

Quotes:
Their lives belong to the sea now; the vengeful mistress Ocean required their fidelity as payment for the sin committed on her breast.… They would travel the ocean until she claimed their lives..." (page

My #2 Phryne Fisher mystery had two mysteries. Okay, great! They seemed unrelated for so long, and then at the end of the book, they were still pretty much unrelated. But Miss Fisher is saved by her quick wit, cool confidence, and Melbourne setting. As always, I love the culture and the time period. I supplemented my reading with frequent Instagram checks to @nationaltrustvic for photos and longings to visit Australia. #missfisher #missfishervic

Phryne Fisher is one of my many go-to books for a cozy mystery. I crave these books like I crave chocolate: they're fun, easy, female-power reads. Basically, I want to be Phryne Fisher and after a long day at work, I can get lost in her world.

An early warning: the only issue that I have with this book is that there are so many characters! I actually took to writing them all down in my Notes on my iPhone. Here's my list for Millennium, with little blurbs:

Millennium, Gotgatan
Erika Berger, Saltsjobaden
Greger Beckman, her artist husband
Harriet & Henrik
David Goldman, board
Christer Malm, Erikssom
Emil Granden, 36, won Investigative Reporter of the Year
Sofie Melker
Andrei Zander, 26, a temp and freelancer, parents killed when he was 11

... and the list goes on for many other organizations: Lisbeth's friends, family, Sapo, NSA, The Spider Society, etc... It drives me nuts when authors reference an obscure character that they've mentioned before, but I can't remember exactly why they're important.. or are they? Spoiler: its not important than Emil Granden won the Investigative Reporter of the Year. Its just an interesting fact.

Okay, that spiel is over. Onto the actual review. :)

I think that David Lagercrantz did an admirable job, staying true to Stieg Larsson's voice in the original three books. The characters remain unchanged, and it reads well, packed nice and tight with facts, Swedish place names, and a little exposition. The mystery is a little different this time, with one Frans Balder and his AI technology, plus an 8-year-old boy with autism. I can't reveal too much, of course, because I liked the fact that I had no idea what to expect. Then, almost suddenly, the book reverses course, and we're back on familiar territory. More of Lisbeth's past is explored, and we're set up for another Girl mystery. Because that's all we want anyway.

A solid read. Recommended for teen readers, anyone who loves a kicka** female heroine, reporters who actually stand up for social justice, and has a soft spot for the nerds of the world.

Complicated mystery involving auto insurance fraud. Not the typical guns blazing, stakeout work Kinsey is usually involved in. Grafton's writing seemed chunky, filled with Kinsey-type recollections alongside a commentary on insurance fraud. The book didn't seem to shed a positive light on Tourette's or Hispanics. Not one of my favorites.

Quotes:
Luis turned the gun so that it was pointing at my chest. It clarified my thinking most emphatically. (page 97)

Enjoyable, kind of beach-read feel. Kept me guessing, as always!

IMHO, this is one of the best "Christian mystery" books I've read. Its quite similar to Bones on TV, which I enjoy for its forensic science. Lisa and Quinn are interesting - although very idealized - characters. Its not as lovey-dovey as The Guardian (the second book of the series) and has better writing.