Devil's Due, Rachel Caine - the second in Caine's "Red Letter Days" series, this picks up just where the last left off, told from the perspective of the second heroine, Lucia. There's less of a central mystery here, and more X-Files-ish mythology gestures, complete with Lucia's strange abduction and the loss of four days. It may not be the most original world, but it's an engaging one, and I hope Caine offers some kind of a conclusion in a forthcoming entry.

Devil's Bargain, Rachel Caine.  Caine's first book in her new series for Silhouette which has remarkably little romance and a satisfying action/conspiracy twist. This is a bit clunky in the setup, but once the mysterious law firm pushes our two heroines into a detective partnership, it moves along nicely. Shadowy corporate psychics and a mysterious set of movers and shakers barely tie up the basic story before leading directly into the sequel.

Black Wind, Clive Cussler & Dirk Cussler.  A solid James Bondish entry in the Dirk Pitt series, where the protagonist's duties have fallen to the original Dirk Pitt's son.  An unremarkable plot, but Cussler hasn't gotten any worse, unlike some authors in the same genre.

Lost City, Clive Cussler, Paul Kemprecos.  More Robin Cook than James Bond, this newest Kurt Austin adventure focuses less on the title character and more on the centuries old Dr. Moreau-ish plot that leads back to the 16th century.

The Rule of Four, Ian Caldwell, Dustin Thomason.  Think The Da Vinci Code as a coming of age novel, with a craftier plot and more sympathetic protagonists. Some really great bits

Colonel Sun, Robert Markham (Kingsley Amis) - the elusive Bond novel published between Fleming's death and Gardner taking over as author, by the author of The James Bond Dossier. As a Bond novel it lacks the emotional depth of some of Flemings best, but it does perfectly capture all the elements that made the original Bond novels gritty escapist fun. Well worth reading if you can find a copy

James Bond: The Authorized Biography of 007, John Pearson - a disappointing amalgam of fiction and fictionalized 'fact.' This might have been more interesting if it were an actual biography of a man that inspired James Bond, or even if it were a fiction biography that exhibited some form of irony or deconstructionism. As it is, it's a disappointing shade of Bond's adventures mixed with the minutiae of every day life, which in this account, isn't compelling enough on its own. While some Bond ephemera is worth tracking down, this isn't among it.

The Prisoner of Zenda , Anthony Hope.  A classic swashbuckler (of sorts) that's actually fun to read.  Mistaken identity, royalty, duels and romance.

The Prometheus Deception, Robert Ludlum.  This otherwise average thriller was compulsively readable, for some mysterious reason I haven’t yet discerned. I read it in one sitting.

Golden Buddha, Clive Cussler, Craig Dirgo.   Yet another series from Dirk Pitt author Cussler, this time involving a crew of mercenaries with hearts of gold. There's nothing exceptional about the writing, and the plot's at times both too political and banal, but for those looking for light entertainment it's a worthwhile hour or two