I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman

Sometimes "Stand Alone" books by writers with a series do not captivate  a reader. This is not one of them. Ms. Lippman has shown that even without Tess Monaghan she can engage the reader and write a tight suspenseful novel. This "stand alone" novel proves that the author is more than capable of writing a book that does not rely on a particular character or protagonist. Some may find a correlation between recent events in the news but the book was written well before any of these crimes were brought to light. The author did not piggy back on the travails of recently discovered victims; it is merely a coincidence that this book was published at the time of present day court cases. That being said, there are some similarities to recent  news stories  which makes the book even more engrossing and relevant. I found her characters, each and every one of them, to have depth and a multi-layered personality. She writes with an empathy and an understanding of human nature that is not always the case with other authors. Other writers could have made the characters one dimensional and without foible. Ms. Lippman  gives all of the actors in this tale a  realism and none are painted as purely good or evil. I would highly recommend this "stand alone" novel for anyone who prefers depth in their characters and an excellent plot line.

Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane

Once again Mr. Lehane has proven why he is consistently at the top of the best seller lists. I flat out loved this book and could not put it down. The protagonists of previous mysteries, Angie and Patrick Kenzie are now married with a four year old daughter,Gabriella. Their P.I. business has been shuttered. Angie is working on her Masters degree and Patrick is working for a venerable old firm in Boston that investigates various alleged infractions that always end up with the least likable outcome. At least for Patrick. A midnight phone call and an encounter at a subway stop leads Patrick and Angie  back to a case that separated them ten years ago. Bound by his sense of compassion  Patrick sets out to find a young woman, Amanda McCready, now sixteen whom he returned to an unsuitable mother ten years ago, who is once again missing. The story is fast paced, tight and the characters well written with no stereotypical "bad guys". Even a Russian mobster is imbued with a sense of honor and humor. Mr. Lehane does not create cookie cutter personalities, everyone is fleshed out and given a humanity that is sometimes missing from other writers. He gives enough back story so that those who have not read his previous books are still able to follow along and understand the plot and the reasoning behind Patrick and Angie's actions. The novel is gritty but not overly so, although I would not recommend this book for readers who prefer "Cozies". I give this book a "buy it now" rating. You will not be disappointed.