I love a good mystery or thriller. Here are a few I've recently come across that I really enjoyed.

The Look of Love

By Mary Jane Clark

Avon, $7.99

This is another book in the Piper Donovan series. Piper takes a trip to Los Angeles to make a wedding cake for Jillian Abernathy, owner of an exclusive spa. What can possibly go wrong? Piper will enjoy a stay at the spa, bake and decorate the cake, and head back to the East Coast, or so she thinks. Alas, when a guest is murdered in a neighboring bungalow, Piper uses her investigative skills to find out who is behind the killing.

Nightwatcher

By Wendy Corsi Staub

Harper, $7.99

You can't miss by picking up a thriller by Wendy Corsi Staub, and this one kept me on the edge of my chair the entire time. Set in New York around the time of the 9/11 events, the book not only tells the story of what it was like for those whose loved ones were missing, but weaves a great murder mystery in as well.

Allison Taylor's neighbor, Mack MacKenna, is looking for his wife. When one of their other neighbors is murdered, Mack comes under suspicion as homicide detective Rocky Manzillo tries to find a killer called "The Nightwatcher" in the middle of all of the 9/11 confusion.

Defensive Wounds

By Lisa Black

Harper, $7.99

Looks like someone is following Shakespeare's advice "First kill all the lawyers." Marie Corrigan, a defense attorney who has too many enemies to count, is found dead in the presidential suite of the Ritz-Carlton in Cleveland. Investigator Theresa MacLean, no fan of Corrigan's, is called on to process the scene. Then two more bodies turn up, and it seems that a serial killer is at work.

To complicate matters, Theresa's daughter is working at the Ritz-Carlton, along with a young man whose past isn't quite clear.

Phantom

By Ted Bell

Harper, $9.99

Bell offers a book that is difficult to put down. Featuring Alex Hawke and his MI6 colleague Ambrose Congreve, the book begins at an American theme park at which the computers seem to take control of the rides. Other strange events occur, and it becomes quickly obvious that a cyber war is taking place.

This book will make you think about what could happen.

Murder of the Cat's Meow

By Denise Swanson

Obsidian, $7.99

I always enjoy the exploits of Skye Dennison and the other characters in Scumble River. Skye is a school psychologist who also helps the police department on occasion. When Bunny Reid, who owns the local bowling alley, starts an online dating service and organizes a combination speed-dating and cat show event, Skye knows things will not go smoothly. And when one of the cat show judges is found dead, is the motive feline or passion?

Haven

By Kay Hooper

Berkley, $26.95

North Carolina writer Kay Hooper scores again with the 13th novel in the Bishop/SCU series. Emma Rayburn lives in the small town of Baron Hollow, NC. Ever since a riding accident, she's had horrible dreams of women missing or dead, but no one local has been reported missing. Her sister, Jessie, a psychic who works for Haven, a private investigative group, comes home to resolve some issues, and Emma finds out that perhaps her dreams are rooted in reality.

Judgment Call

By J.A. Jance

William Morrow, $25.99

I enjoy this author's series about Joanna Brady, the sheriff of Cochise County. Joanna is looking for the murderer of the local high school principal, whose corpse was discovered by her own teenage daughter, Jennifer. It's determined that the principal did have enemies in the community from students, parents and colleagues.

I always find one of these novels difficult to put down because Jance is a master plotter.

Contact Faye Dasen at fdasen@thepilot.com or (910) 693-2475.