My January Reads

So, I'm behind on posting my books read.  Here's what I read in January.

All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

OLD WORLD MURDER by Kathleen Ernst - 3
Chloe Ellefson is taking over as the collections curator at the living history site Old World Wisconsin in the early 1980's. Her first day on the job, a woman comes in and demands an artifact she has donated back. When Chloe can't find it for her, the woman leaves only to die in a car crash. Chloe feels she must find it to find out what it was so important. Why did the woman care about it? I loved the setting, and the mystery was pretty interesting. However, I had a hard time liking many of the characters. The men were overbearing at best and many were jerks. Chloe herself could be a jerk at times, too.

MR. MONK ON THE ROAD by Lee Goldberg - 4
A mostly content Monk decides to share his newfound view of life with his brother Ambrose by kidnapping him and taking him to see the world from a motor home. With Natalie along as navigator, this unlikely trio set out. Will Ambrose appreciate the gesture? Will they have a murder free vacation? As always, the characters in these books are wonderful, and the development will please any fan of the show. Unfortunately, the mystery felt tacked on, even for a franchise where the mystery was often secondary. Still, I enjoyed this road trip.

THE PIGEON WANTS A PUPPY by Mo Willems - 5
Yes, a picture book makes my list. It's a hoot, and if you have or know young kids, take a look at this one because you'll probably wind up getting it for them.

THE LINCOLN LAWYER by Michael Connelly - 4
Lawyer Mickey Haller works out of his Lincoln town car. He's landed a high profile case of a man who is accused of trying to rape and kill a woman. Things seem too easy, but as the case progressed, Mickey worries that there is much more at stake than he first realized. Is he correct? This legal thriller isn't my normal choice, but I enjoyed it. I did find the courtroom scenes slowed things down (I know, I'm complaining about that in a legal thriller).