Here are a few good books Pilot readers might enjoy — if they are spending any time inside.

Return to Sender

By Fern Michaels

Kensington, 2010, $24

I much prefer reading Michaels’ books in this genre rather than the “Sisters” series. Lin Townsend finds herself pregnant. After being thrown out of the house by her father and her letters ignored by the baby’s father, Nick, Lin pulls herself together and gets a job. Nineteen years later, she owns the diner at which she went to work and has a wonderful son named Will.

Will wants to go to New York University, so they head up for a freshman seminar. It’s then that Lin sees Nick for the first time in years. The last thing she wants is for Will and Nick to meet because the similarities are apparent. She is still angry at all of those letters marked “Return to Sender.” With the help of a private detective and her best friend, Sally, Lin wants to take revenge, but soon finds that revenge may not mean as much as she thought.

Laughed ‘Til He Died

By Carolyn Hart

William Morrow, 2010, $24.99

This is the 20th book in the Death on Demand series featuring Annie and Max Darling, who live on Broward’s Rock Island, S.C. Annie owns a mystery bookshop named Death on Demand (of course), and Max is a detective of sorts.

Booth Wagner, who is pretty much a jerk, although a rich jerk, loves to manipulate everyone around him. After getting Jean Hughes to move to the island and take a job with the youth center, pretty much under false pretenses, he is now trying to get her fired because she refuses to continue a relationship with him now that she has discovered he is married.

After Booth is shot during a youth center event, suspicion falls on Jean. The sheriff is looking no further, but Annie and Max are determined to prove otherwise.

All of Hart’s lovable island characters return in this delightful mystery.

Deception

By Jonathan Kellerman

Ballantine, 2010, $28

I always look forward to Kellerman’s Alex Delaware books. I usually try to start a book during the weekend so I can read it without interruption.

Homicide detective Milo Sturgis brings his friend Alex in on a new case. A woman is found dead, and nearby is a DVD in which she accuses three of her co-workers with abuse. All are teachers at a local high-dollar prep school. Milo knows that he has to be careful because the police chief’s son attends the school.

Before the investigation is over, more people are dead and an interesting secret has been discovered.

Exciting as always.

Silent Scream

By Karen Rose

Grand Central, 2010, $7.99

Detective Olivia Sutherland is assigned to the investigation when a teenage girl dies in an arson-related fire. The four young people who set the fire are now the targets of a blackmailer who will stop at nothing. Olivia is also having to sort out her feelings for firefighter David Hunter, who is also involved with the case.

As always, Rose provides a good read from first to last page.

Contact Faye Dasen by e-mail at fdasen@thepilot.com.