It seems funny but I never seem to read the first book in a series. So I finally managed to find both of the first book in each series. It is always interesting to see how a series progresses.

I think Ms. Perry uses strong characters and also creates sympathy for some of the murderers, as well as the victims. You begin to feel an interest in the lives of the recurring characters who tend to make appearances in each of the books.

She uses the right amount of suspense to keep the reader's interest and keeps the endings a surprise.

My favorite books of hers in each series so far is:

"The Whitechapel Conspiracy." for Thomas Pitt.

"Slaves of Obsession," for Monk.

So, if you like mysteries you may like these series too.

If you believe this to be true, then, you are fooled. It is not impossible to solve the mysteries in her novels. Anyone may solve them. Here are only a few clues that may help you solve Agatha Christie's mysteries, along with the detectives.

First, remember that any character may be the murderer. Suspect every character. It could happen that the murderer may be the person you least suspect to have committed the crime. Look at everyone, at every character. Each character, each suspect, has a motive for wanting the victim dead. Look closely.

Second of all, the clues are in the novel. All the clues needed for you to solve the murder are present in the book. Agatha Christie made sure of that. The same could be said of other murder mysteries of the same kind that Agatha Christie wrote. All you need to do is pay attention to what is said and done. I know it is easier said than done, but you should try.

Thirdly, the detectives in each book may explaing and give out questions, which they deem important. Do not be fooled by these questions. These questions are not for you to answer. They are not meant to help you, but fool you. They are a trick. They are meant to lead you into the wrong conclusion. These questions are only meant for the detective to answer, whether it Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, or any other of Agatha Christie's detectives.

Lastly, do not forget, always rememeber, to enjoy the novel. Enjoy trying to deduce and see the detective(s) deduce the puzzle. After all, this is the reason for which a novel is written. It is written for pleasure, for the readers and for the writer's pleasure and entertainment. Most novels are meant to help you take your mind off your everyday lives. Agatha Christie's novels certainly entertain and divert one's mind from daily lives for many readers.

Remember these tips. And these advices may help you solve an Agatha Chritie puzzle, or another murder mystery novel. Her mysteries might be complex, but not impossible to solve. Some of her mysteries may be even simpler than you may anticipate or expect.

I started reading the Joe leap horn/Jim Chee series from Tony Hillerman in the late eighties and have not stopped. His books bring life to the wonderful culture aspects of the Navajo, Hopi and Zuni Indians and the beautiful country they live in.

I love it every time I see another Tony Hillerman book out. Another author is JA Jance, while she does not delve into the Indian aspect her heroine Sheriff Joanna Brady is a wonderful character and the stories are wonderfully told as well, although in more of a law enforcement air than cultural. I have also read Margaret Coel she has an Arapaho lawyer and priest combo in Colorado that is a nice read also.

My other favorite is the Molly Bearpaw series by Jean Hager. That has a native American investigator in the Cherokee's capital of Talequah OK, I guess being part native American I am probably a little biased also the fact that I have been to Talequah, along with Shiprock NM. and Window rock NM. and four corners AZ.

I just love that part of the country. I would encourage all who have not looked into these series to pick up a copy of each and see if you do not fall in love with the storylines and picturesque backgrounds also, along with the great characters.

Author Carl Hiaasen has no reverence for the ideals of humanity, seeing human behavior as just so much material for irony and satire. Such is the case when sociopathic, philandering Chaz Perrone throws his naive, beautiful wife Joey over the rails of the cruise ship on which they've been celebrating their two years of marriage. Get it? Skinny Dip.

But Chaz, an underachieving marine scientist with very shaky credentials and a desperate need to trade in on his inept education, forgets something pertinent to Joey. She's an ace swimmer and, by extension, diver. She's also loaded but, oddly, this is not about her money. His motive is more demented: he's afraid she knows about his cover up of agribusiness tycoon Red Hammernut's illegal dumping of chemicals into the swamp waters of the Everglades. Chaz has found purpose in life by doctoring false environmental reports for his employer and he thinks Joey recently discovered evidence of it. To avoid being exposed, he's ready and willing to do the unthinkable.

The last thing he thought he was doing by sending his joyous and spirited wife into the drink was that she'd wind up in the arms of another man -- one who will more than open her eyes to the sleazy degenerate she married -- as if attempted murder wasn't pursuasive enough. But, that's exactly what happens when she's rescued on the threshold of certain death by prematurely retired ex-cop Mick Stranahan, a fiftiesh loner who lives on an island and shops for sustenance with a baited hook, on the sea. He's as stunned as anyone when, on one of his fishing expeditions, he plucks a gorgeous, unconscious female from the swells.

After Mick slowly and gently brings Joey back to a wakeful state and to health, his task is to gain her trust. Anything beyond that, like partnering in bed with a man much older than herself, would be icing on the cake. Trust comes. As for the icing, it takes her awhile, but she eventually finds her savior too irresistible and hunky to pass up. Plus he's a more than able confederate in her plan to treat hubby to a little payback.

Before she can reveal her survival and, hence, the failure of his murder plan to that womanizing, cheating piece of scurvy called a husband, she needs to find out why the bastard did it in the first place. So, she treats Chaz to a little freaking out with taunting visits by an unseen "intruder," followed by a little blackmail -- all in the name of achieving justice in this unique pleasure ride of a murder mystery. Make that attempted-murder mystery with a strong dash of randy romance. Is there such a genre?

In any event, this is hilarious, gritty, fun stuff and it puts Floridian Hiaasen on a par for mystery-comedy with Robert B. Parker and Elmore Leonard -- as far as I'm concerned two of the authors who occupy, if not rule, that devilish roost. If some movie producer is smart enough to make a movie out of "Skinny Dip," it could turn into a better sequel to "Get Shorty" than the recent "Be Cool" and teach that sales clerk a thing or two about book titles.