Swan Peak, by James Lee Burke

Do I seem like a cranky or over-demanding reader to you? I didn't think so. Yet I don't seem to have found any good novels recently. This one did not break that streak.

It is sluggish, uninteresting, silly, not credible, did I mention not particularly interesting?

Sigh.

Third Degree, by Greg Iles

Once again, I found myself at an airport bookstore. I'd had enough time before the flight to deal with email, and besides, my seat wasn't going to be conducive to opening a laptop. This book - barely - got me through the flight.

And that's the most positive thing I can say about it. The only other comment that comes to mind is, "yuck."

The Ghost War, by Alex Berenson

Another fast paced, highly entertaining thriller from the author of The Faithful Spy.

The Janson Directive, by Robert Ludlum

I bought this at an airport bookstore when I learned my flight was delayed. The best thing I can say about it is that it took the delay and most of the flight to read, thus giving me something to do.

The Last Patriot, by Brad Thor

The thunderingly uninteresting and possibly religiously bigoted patriot would have been a more appropriate title for this poor excuse for a thriller.

I had to skip several pages of turgid writing to make my way through this to the end.