"Dear Irene," by Jan Burke

This was a zippy read for me.  Finished it in two days, though that's because I was riding in a car for eight hours one of the days.  Actually had time to read!  Wheee!

This is the third Irene Kelly mystery, and they keep getting better and better.  This one involved a serial killer who sent messages to Irene with all these cryptic references to Greek mythology in them.  I'm fascinated by mythology, though I can't keep any of those gods and goddesses straight, so I enjoyed learning random stuff about them here.  Also, i appreciate that Irene usually does not get into Certain Peril by being stupid -- she's usually at the wrong place or whatever, though she does get reckless sometimes... but that's not usually when she crosses paths with murderers.  I like that, as too many female detectives don't get to be truly smart.  Also, Irene is a writer, so you know I dig that.

Anyway, don't have much else to say other than that this was an enjoyable, well-written mystery :-)

Particularly Good Bits:

I watched him struggling to learn that trick of functioning with grief -- that trick of remembering and forgetting all at once, of letting the ghost walk at your side, but not block your way.  I was learning it myself.  (p.84)

Each cover and spine seemed to long to be held again, the way a widower might long for his late wife's embrace.  (p. 150)

The waiting room chairs were apparently designed by the set decorator for the Spanish Inquisition. (p. 274)

If this was a movie, I would rate it:  R for violence and suspensefulness and bad language and implied bedroom activity.