Clue:  The Graphic Novel
by Paul Allor

I had heard about this comic before it came out when they talked about how the first issue would have three different endings.  I figured I would wait until the trade came out to read it and I’m glad I did.  Getting all three of the first endings gave a better setting overall.  I really enjoyed what they did with the characters, reinventing them and adding new ones made the comic really work.  It’s a fully self-contained story, which is good to see.  I really enjoyed it and solving the mystery along with the comic.

The Girl From the Well
by Rin Chupeco

This was a very interesting take on the “girl in the well” story of Okiku, where she’s a vengeful spirit taking out child murderers.  She starts protecting a teenager who has a spirit bound into him.  We follow Okiku and the boy’s cousin as they try to solve the mysteries of his binding.  It’s a good horror story, slow-paced, but compulsively readable.  Some of the descriptions of Okiku’s kills are a bit gruesome, but not anything worse than any typical horror story.  I recommend it especially for those looking to get a feel of Chupeco’s writing, particularly if you’re interested in The Bone Witch or the upcoming The Heart Forger.

Down the River Unto the Sea
by Walter Mosley

I really enjoyed this one.  The relationship between our main character and his teenage daughter was really good, a solid relationship with respect on both their sides.  The mysteries are solid and keep you guessing, and every character has their own life and feels like a real person.  I could picture every scene and characters within them, which I always take to be a good sign.  There was a little too much “oh poor cops” for my taste (like cops need any sympathy), but overall it was a solid book and I’d recommend it for the mystery.

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark
by Michelle McNamara

This was a tough read.  A readable one, but tough because of the subject matter.  The focus is on finding the Golden State Killer, another name for the East Area Rapist who ran wild during the late seventies and on.  There’s a ton of information in here, both on his crimes and on the steps taken by police trying to stop him.  I recommend reading this one in spurts, with something lighthearted in between just to keep from burning out.  The memoir parts of the story are really poignant and especially so is the afterward by her husband.  I recommend this for true crime fans.