Megan Coughlin's Books Read in 2001
# Title Author Comment
1 Two Old Women Velma Wallis For work
2 Prodigal Summer Barbara Kingsolver Not as good as "Poisonwood Bible," but pretty damn great
3 Dr. Death Jonathan Kellerman  
4 Silhouette in Scarlet Elizabeth Peters Her Amelia Peabody series is better, but not bad.
5 Trojan Gold Elizabeth Peters Not what it sounds like!
6 The Hungry Ocean Linda Greenlaw Swordfish captain who survived "the perfect storm" writing about her career & life
7 Killing Time Caleb Carr Not as good as his two historical novel/mysteries
8 Freaky Deaky Elmore Leonard  
9 The Hearse You Came In On Tim Cockey Fun, Baltimore-based mysteries
10 Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned Walter Mosley Amazing short stories featuring Socrates Fortlow
11 Honest Doubt Amanda Cross  
12 The Girls' Guide to Hunting & Fishing Melissa Bank Excellent short stories
13 Bee Season Myla Goldberg First novel, incredible, weird
14 Cold Case Stephen White  
15 Pop Goes the Weasel James Patterson  
16 On Island Time Hilary Stewart Cute, chatty essays about living on Quadra Island in BC
17 Death in a Tenured Position Amanda Cross (reread) Good bedtime reading
18 Horse Heaven Jane Smiley Two great horse characters (Mr. T and Justa Bob).
19 Jonathan Livingston Seagull Richard Bach Lots of people have wanted me to read this forever; I finally did. Some similarities to "Two Old Women."
20 Hearse of a Different Color Tim Cockey  
21 Humpback Island F. Bruce Steadman Alaska-based stories/novel; could use a better editor & proofreader
22 Private Practices Stephen White  
23 Manner of Death Stephen White  
24 Gone Fishin' Walter Mosley Depressing, but good
25 Death in the Off-Season Francine Mathews The other name for Stephanie Barron
26 Monk's-Hood Ellis Peters This is the first Peters I have read; I'm hooked.
27 Dress Her in Indigo John D. MacDonald First MacDonald I've read; hooked on Travis McGee. Incredibly current, even though written in the 60s
28 The Bad Beginning Lemony Snicket Great series of kid's books, sort of reminiscent of Gorey
29 The Reptile Room Lemony Snicket Can't get enough of that name
30 The Wide Window Lemony Snicket I have to read something in bed
31 A Morbid Taste for Bones Ellis Peters  
32 The Miserable Mill Lemony Snicket It just keeps getting worse for the Baudelaire orphans....
33 The Austere Academy Lemony Snicket  
34 When the Cat's Away Kinky Friedman I noticed that he's written a ton of mysteries that I hadn't read...
35 Frequent Flyer Kinky Friedman ...correcting that oversight
36 Roadkill Kinky Friedman Also starring Willie Nelson
37 Darker than Amber John D. MacDonald  
38 The Cutout Francine Mathews Pretty good spy novel
39 Blast From the Past Kinky Friedman Origins of Kinky's detective "career" and the Village Irregulars
40 Spanking Watson Kinky Friedman  
41 Walkin' the Dog Walter Mosley  
42 The Mile High Club Kinky Friedman  
43 The Body in the Cornflakes K.K. Beck  
44 Jump Mike Lupica Turns out this was a re-read, but I didn't realize it at first.
45 The Ersatz Elevator Lemony Snicket  
46 Claws & Effect Rita Mae & Sneaky Pie Brown  
47 The Collected Stories Amanda Cross  
48 The Dreadful Lemon Sky John D. McDonald  
49 An Unsuitable Attachment Barbara Pym I think these are the books Jane Austen would have written had she lived 150 years later..
50 1st to Die James Patterson  
51 Death in Holy Orders P.D. James She's so darn good!
52 Aliens in America Sandra Tsing Loh Saw her perform this, which is more amusing than reading it.
53 Girl in Hyacinth Blue Susan Vreeland First of the books I read during my Galapagos/Ecuador trip. Follows a Vermeer painting through the ages.
54 Side Effects Woody Allen Woody annoys me, but few people write more amusing essays.
55 Birds of Prey J.A. Jance The new Beaumont mystery
56 Malice Domestic 10 Nevada Barr (ed.) Didn't want to start on Moby Dick
57 No Safe Place Richard North Patterson  
58 The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern Lillian Jackson Braun These "cat who" books sort of irk me, but I found this a readable no-brainer. It's too hot in the Galapagos to think!
59 Billy Bathgate E.L. Doctorow His sentences are three pages long. I kept waiting for it to grip me, although I also kept reading it.
60 The Judas Goat Robert Parker One of the 2 I was able to pick up at the South American Explorers clubhouse in exchange for my Billy Bathgate. And turns out I hadn't read it before!
61 People of Darkness Tony Hillerman Can't believe I hadn't read this before.
62 Murder in the House Margaret Truman  
63 The Deer Leap Martha Grimes Another one I couldn't believe I hadn't read before.
64 Angels Flight Michael Connelly  
65 The Grilling Season Diane Mott Davidson I was getting pretty desperate by the time I found this at Yachana Lodge.
66 Jack & Jill James Patterson  
67 Unnatural Causes P.D. James Re-read.
68 Coyote Waits Tony Hillerman The last of the books I read on vacation.
69 Potshot Robert Parker What more is there to say about his Spenser series?
70 The Basic Eight Daniel Handler I like him better as Lemony Snicket
71 The Black Ice Michael Connelly  
72 Robert Ludlum's The Hades Factor Robert Ludlum and Gayle Lynds Airport purchase. I wonder if Ludlum did more than just lend his name to the project?
73 The Godwulf Manuscript Robert Parker Re-read. I have this theory that I should read all the Spenser novels in order.
74 Dead Air Mike Lupica Great sports columnist, very Spenser-like mysteries.
75 Extra Credits Mike Lupica  
76 Limited Partner Mike Lupica  
77 The Vile Village Lemony Snicket I was like the 800th person in the hold line at the library.
78 Bump & Run Mike Lupica  
79 A Darkness More Than Night Michael Connelly  
80 I'm a Stranger Here Myself Bill Bryson I was reading this on Lopez, and my mother kept saying, "boy, you're really enjoying that, aren't you?" I think all the laughing and snorting kind of gave it away.
81 The Whitechapel Conspiracy Anne Perry   
82 Last Ditch G.M. Ford These are really enjoyable Seattle-based mysteries, and this was a particularly good one.
83 Lord of the Silent Elizabeth Peters Gooood one!
84 The Deader the Better G.M. Ford  
85 The Harlequin Tea Set and Other Stories Agatha Christie  
86 The Program Stephen White I don't care much for a lot of his characters, yet I keep reading his books.
87 Shooting at Loons Margaret Maron  
88 Windy City Blues Sara Paretsky

I think this may have been a re-read, but I don't really remember if so.

89 Home Fires Margaret Maron   
90 Early Autumn Robert B. Parker Re-read.
91 Fugitive Colors Margaret Maron  
92 Service of All the Dead Colin Dexter I'm not all that sure why I keep reading Inspector Morse mysteries....
93 God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. KVJ, reporter on the afterlife.
94 Black Holes & Time Warps: Einstein's Outrageous Legacy Kip Thorne Just fantastic! Physics "for the educated lay reader."
95 Looking for Rachel Wallace Robert B. Parker

Re-read.
96 One for the Money Janet Evanovich Birthday present. Amusing, but I probably wouldn't spend any more money on the series..
97 Crow in Stolen Colors Marcia Simpson Quite good Alaska mysteries; birthday present.
98 Sound Tracks Marcia Simpson

See above.
99 Ceremony Robert B. Parker Re-read.
100 Three to Get Deadly Janet Evanovich  
101 The 50 Greatest Mysteries of All Time Otto Penzler, ed. I'm not convinced that a short story can be one of the 50 greatest mysteries.
102 The Widening Gyre Robert B. Parker Stumbled on one I hadn't read before.
103 Valediction Robert B. Parker Re-read.
104 I is for Innocent Sue Grafton Hadn't read this one before, either.
105 Two for the Dough Janet Evanovich  
106 The Shortest Way to Hades Sarah Caudwell I really like her books.
107 Four to Score Janet Evanovich I'm not sure what the fuss is, but they're amusing and I'm somehow compelled to read them all.
108 High Five Janet Evanovich  
109 A Catskill Eagle Robert B. Parker

Re-read.
110 Repair to Her Grave Sarah Graves Another in the enjoyable series based in Eastport, Maine.
111 Son of Fletch Gregory McDonald If your only Fletch experience is the Chevy Chase movie, you don't know what you're missing.
112 Killer Market Margaret Maron   
113 Kill the Hundredth Monkey Richard Hill More proof of the theorem that those who work hardest on a good name tend to be less creative in the actual execution.
114 P is for Peril Sue Grafton Fortunately, Cathe bought it, because I was 900th in line at the library
115 River Horse William Least Heat-Moon This is everything I hoped it would be.
116 Gunman's Rhapsody Robert B. Parker Parker does Wyatt Earp.
117 High Fidelity Nick Hornby Dobbin present. Thoroughly enjoyable.
118 God Save the Child Robert B. Parker Re-read. I'm a big Spenser fan. You probably couldn't tell.
119 Mortal Stakes Robert B. Parker These early ones were hard to find.
120 Hot Six Janet Evanovich This one really was funny. I'd say skip right to it.
121 The Sirens Sang of Murder Sarah Caudwell    
122 A Savage Place Robert B. Parker Re-read.
123 Taming a Sea-horse Robert B. Parker Re-read.
124 The Singing of the Dead Dana Stabenow Another good one in the Kate Shugak series.
125 The Sibyl in Her Grave Sarah Caudwell   
126 The Phantom Tollbooth Norton Juster I can't believe I never read this as a kid.
127 Edwin of the Iron Shoes Marcia Muller My first of hers.
128 Revision of Justice John Morgan Wilson   
129 Ask the Cards a Question Marcia Muller   
130 Bright Orange for the Shroud John D. MacDonald He was so far ahead of his time, it's amazing.
131 Pale Kings and Princes Robert B. Parker Re-read.
132 Managing Transitions William Bridges For work; I'd read his previous book in grad school and recommended it to many people dealing with changes.
133 Dying for Chocolate Diane Mott Davidson How embarrassing. I needed a true no brainer. These are cute, but they're pretty silly.
134 One Corpse Too Many Ellis Peters Brother Cadfael's second chronicle.
135 The Rainy City Earl Emerson This is the first in the Thomas Black series. I know I must have, but I had no recollection of having read it previously.
136 Steppin' on a Rainbow Kinky Friedman  
137 Brother Cadfael's Penance Ellis Peters  
138 The Wind in the Willows Kenneth Grahame I'm on a kick of reading "classic" kiddie lit that I somehow missed when I was in the target age group.
139 Popcorn Ben Elton "Blackadder" writer takes on Hollywood.
140 Murder on Astor Place Victoria Thompson Really good mystery set in 19th century NYC.
141 Influence: the Psychology of Persuasion Robert B. Cialdini For work.
142 A Dangerous Mourning Anne Perry The first of her William Monk series that I've read.
143 The Blue Last Martha Grimes  
144 Death in Paradise Robert B. Parker  
145 A Traitor to Memory Elizabeth George  
146 Fury G.M. Ford I was resistant to a book with a new protagonist, but it was good.
147 Paradise Lost J.A. Jance I wish she'd quit writing Joanna Brady books and start writing more Beaumont books.
148 Fatal Voyage Kathy Reichs My only complaint is that she can't write them as fast as I can read them.
149 Total Recall Sarah Paretsky Good V.I. Warshawski book.
150 The Hostile Hospital Lemony Snicket  
151 The Silent Cry Anne Perry  
152 Fearless Jones Walter Mosley This guy can really write.
153 Dumb Witness Agatha Christie Also published as "Poirot Loses a Client."
154 The Forgotten Faye Kellerman  
155 Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in our Busy Lives Wayne Muller For work.
156 Bagombo Snuff Box Kurt Vonnegut Collected short fiction.
157 Paragon Walk Anne Perry  
158 Except the Dying Maureen Jennings  
159 A Sudden, Fearful Death Anne Perry  
160 Back When We Were Grownups Anne Tyler Good one.
161 "The Casting Away of Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine" and"The Dusantes" Frank R. Stockton Old book (1890s) about two middle-aged, middle-America women who get shipwrecked, stranded on a desert island, and trapped in a blizzard.
162 Three Men in a Boat (to say nothing of the Dog) Jerome K. Jerome Another 19th century novel, this one about 3 men (and a dog) who decide to row the Thames.
163 Seven Up Janet Evanovich Not as funny as 5 and 6.
164 The Cape Murders Dolores Weeks

Not bad, not great. They take place on San Juan Island.
165 Miss Zukas and the Library Murders Jo Dereske

Another Washington-based mystery series that is so-so.
166 The Friday Harbor Murders Dolores Weeks  
167 The Best American Travel Writing Bill Bryson, editor Excellent.
168 A Few Green Leaves Barbara Pym  
169 Not So Funny When It Happened Tim Cahill, editor Given the talent involved, this should have been better.
170 Flesh and Blood Jonathan Kellerman Another series to which I'm addicted, even though I don't like most of the characters.
171 The Thief-Taker T.F. Banks Mystery set in London in 1815.
172 Isle of Dogs Patricia Cornwell So-so.
173 Murder on Gramercy Park Victoria Thompson I'm enjoying this series.
174 Wreck the Halls Sarah Graves  
175 Mystery of Crocodile Island: Nancy Drew #55 Carolyn Keene I recently got back several Nancy Drews that I'd lent out, so now I can't resist reading them. Definitely a bit dated, but I would still let my kid read them...with some guidance or explanation.
176 The Strange Message in the Parchment: Nancy Drew #54
177 The Sky Phantom: Nancy Drew #53
178 The Secret of the Forgotten City: Nancy Drew #52
179 Mystery of the Glowing Eye: Nancy Drew #51
180 The Secret of Mirror Bay: Nancy Drew #49
181 The Crooked Bannister: Nancy Drew #48
182 The Mysterious Mannequin: Nancy Drew #47
183 The Invisible Intruder: Nancy Drew #46
184 The Spider Sapphire Mystery: Nancy Drew #45
185 The Phantom of Pine Hill: Nancy Drew #42
186 The Monk and the Riddle Randy Komisar with Kent Lineback For work (SIM).

Last updated: January 3, 2002
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