We're not a tough, no-nonsense ex-military policeman. We're not an "extraordinarily smart, almost supernaturally tough, self-sufficient wanderer who, when he decides something needs doing, gets the thing done with his own unique blend of brains and brawn." Our weight may be somewhere in the range between 220 and 250 lbs., but we're nowhere near 6'5" tall. And when we relate our adventures in first person, we scrupulously avoid the singular. But, just like Jack Reacher,......

We're pretty sure we stumbled across Nicola Griffith's The Blue Place at Bailey/Coy Books. It's been years since we first read it, and since then "You like mysteries? Have you read The Blue Place?" has been a regular part of our conversations. Aud Torvingen, Griffith's heroine, is a kick-ass, take-no-prisoners native Norwegian ex-cop who lives in the US. She's also a lesbian, which is both key to the plot (and her character) yet not really......