Brigid Quinn, a decommissioned FBI agent, was previously involved in the Route 66 serial killer case. She didn't get her man, but her man did capture and kill her protege, Special Agent, Jessica Robertson. So when it seems that he has reappeared after many years of inactivity, Brigid gets involved. Brigid is tough and disrespectful and very funny. She is also warm and caring. "Rage Against The Dying" is fast moving and totally engrossing. I will recommend this book to my mystery loving friends. I also hope for many more Brigid Quinn sequels.

This book is set in the Pacific Northwest. Lea is the central character. She was trained as an ethnologist by her father. Her father who, at the end of his life, arranged a marriage for her with an older man, Junius, who is also a collector.

I found this book very absorbing and, after I finished it, I wished that the story had continued. Throughout the novel, the reader learns more and more about Lea. I found my frustration with her being tempered by her circumstances. This is a wonderful story about a strong and resilient woman. I would recommend this book to my friends.

The Art of Saying Goodbye deals with loss. Primarily, it describes how each of five (including the stricken one) women and their families cope with terminal cancer. The insights about the neighbors and their reactions to illness are portrayed realistically. I experienced a sense of peace as this novel ended, believing that each character had found the gem that may be discovered in the loss of a loved one.