Short Girls Bich by Minh Nguyen

This is a debut novel about the Vietnamese immigrant experience in the Midwestern America. Two sisters, the short girls of the title, are polar opposites; one is somber and studious, one is a party girl/slacker. They both had the same teenage goal, to escape their immigrant home as soon as they graduated high school. The sister's stories are told in alternating chapters. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and learning about how Van and Linny, planned their escapes, how they lived, moved apart, then back to center.

Shadows Still Remain by Peter De Jonge

I'm pretty sure this is De Jonge's first solo novel. His previous books have been co-authored with the master, James Patterson.

This could have been a routine crime thriller set in New York City, but instead you get tough, skillful, sophisticated entertainment. At the end of the novel, as all the pieces begin to fall into place, you realize how cleverly it has been plotted. De Jonge conveys enough texture that it isn't hard to imagine this on the big screen. I'd be surprised if Hollywood hasn't already come calling.

Sweet Mary by Liz Balmaseda

First, let me say that I love reading both fiction and non-fiction written by newspaper people. They know how to say with needs to be said, without wasting words or my time. Balmaseda has won a Pulitzer, twice, for her reporting. This is a tremendous first novel. A woman is falsely accused of being a cocaine-queen. She's a successful realtor, but everyone is willing to believe the worst. She takes it upon herself, because no one else will, to find the real criminal. The story is a gripping, heartrending one, with a noir soul and plenty of surprising twists. You'll have a hard time putting it down and you'll love it.

Ravens by George Dawes Green

Psychological thriller at it's best. Take an ordinary small town Georgia family, Mom, Dad, two kids, winning a mega lottery. Add a pair of low level grifters, who hear about the big win, before it's announced and you have a frightening, comic, and suspenseful, wholly original and utterly compelling novel. The grifters figure out how to claim half of the winnings, through charm, threats and terror. This book will keep your interest until the very end; and you'll love the end.