I just finished Michael Connelly's latest - The Overlook, Marth Beck's Expecting Adam, and The Year of Yes by Maria Dahvana Headley. Next up Blaze by Richard Bachman aka Stephen King. Jeff

Ok, I must confess: I'm reading The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown, this week. I'm a total anglophile, even got up early in the AM to watch every single royal wedding that has been televised since Princess Anne's first wedding in 1973. I also watched Princess Diana's funeral in 1997. And Tina Brown is such a good writer, she's got such a way with words. Plus, I like how she's set the story within its cultural context.Next book, though, will be Lisa See's Peony in Love, I swear!

The bok I am thouroughly enjoying these days is Whack-A-Mole by Chris Grabenstein. THis is the third in the John Ceepak series and I can't wait for a fourth. I just adore the ex-military boy scout code that the lead detective enforces in himself and inspires in others. The book also happens to be have engaging cast of characters and a serial killer on the loose.

Mostly on a whim, 'll guess Book #2; recommendation-wise, try The Company, by Max Barry-it's like Dilbert on acid, where the hapless cubicle dwellers of a management-fad happy organization finally rise up and literally beat the crap out of upper management... Black humor par excellence-

Well, I hope it's the Thursday Next book. I love that series and have been waiting for a new one. Plus the cover art shows pages burning from an explosion - same as the phrase you used!

Cleo has sound reasoning behind her guess, so I will agree with her. Yesterday I was curled up with the ARC of THE SPANISH BOW, a debut novel coming from Harcourt. It has hints of the same mood that 'Shadow of the Wind'evoked for me. I enjoy discovering debuts that grab you from the start - I hope future works are as creative and well written. There are so many ARCs on my nightstand waiting for me, what to choose next.. what to choose next.

I second Cleo's comment that I hope it's the new Thursday Next. My fellow Fforde-ian fan friends (say that five times in a row) and I are anxiously await the book's release. As for what I am reading, I'm nearing the end of Three Bags Full and I'm counting down the hours until I can get back to reading on my commute home!

I just finished reading "The Book of Joe" by Jonathan Tropper and LOVED it!

Kevin, glad to see you -- and 'Company' is wonderful. I'll confess now that I liked it better than 'Then We Came to the End.' They're entirely different books, so it's not fair but... Booker, someone mentioned the Tropper somewhere recently... now I have to remember where so I can ID you! Claire, I won't ask for your copy of the Brown, but I do want to let you know I just received 'Caspian Rain.' Can't wait to dive in! As for the correct guess... coming tomorrow...

Behanne - have you read any of Tropper's books? I've only read that one, but would be interested in reading more. I know he has a new book coming out this summer too.

I'm guessing New England White. I just finished The Road by Cormac McCarthy--I think about it every day--and am now reading Bangkok Haunts by John Burdett (I love Sonchai Jitpleecheep)

I just finished Michael Tolliver Lives by Armistead Maupin. No matter what the author says, anyone who read Tales of the City will see this as a sequel that takes us back to old friends. It was wonderful. Lesa Holstine (www.lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com)