The Galton Case, Ross Macdonald

A case that seems to be hopeless--finding a rich old lady's estranged son--turns out to be overly complicated instead.

Very convoluted mystery, but good.

Ultimate Iron Man, Orson Scott Card, Andy Kubert & Mark Bagley

This version of the Iron Man origin story gives him a condition where his skin hurts all the time and he has to wear a bacterial armor to kill the pain.

Interesting and a fast read.

Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers, Lois-Ann Yamanaka

This is a novel about growing up poor in Hawaii in the 1970s. Apparently it sucked, just like everywhere else.

Pretty good book, though.

If You Can't Live Without Me, Why Aren't You Dead Yet?!; Cynthia Heimel

Book of essays firmly rooted in the eighties. For one thing, we now have movies and TV shows about women who have adventures. And yeah, they ARE all made by men, but some are pretty good anyway.

Essays that don't deal mainly with pop culture hold up the best. And I love the title.