The Greeks of Beaubien Street (2012)

Set in Detroit, this book tells the story of homicide detective Jill Zannos and her very close extended family living in Greektown. Extremely close to her father, Jill manages to combine daily meals with her dad in his shop with her busy life as a police officer. Jill's mother, Christina, died in a car accident when Jill was only eight on her way back home from visiting Jill's disabled brother who lives in a residential home. This book starts off with a homicide. Victim Gretchen Parker appears to have the perfect life - she was absolutely gorgeous and doted on by her parents. When she fails to return home from a date with boyfriend Mike, Gretchen's parents are rightfully concerned. Their daughter has never broken her curfew in all of her 26 years. Her father, a retired police officer, reports her as a missing person and both parents go in search of her. When Gretchen's naked body is found dead in an alley behind a hotel, Jill and her partner Albert Wong begin their investigation. At the same time as investigating Gretchen's murder, many secrets also come to light from within Jill's own family and from her relationship with her long-term boyfriend Alex. I couldn't put this book down - it had me hooked right from the first page. (LM)

Prayers for the Dying (2012)

This is the fourth book in the series about Jack Smith and his wife Pam and their families. Like all of the other books, it doesn't matter if you have read the books in the series or not, as they can be read individually. This book starts off with Pam being newly engaged to Jack and looking forward to the life that lies ahead of her whilst Ash, Jack's lover since their teenage years, is left devastated that Jack has chosen a woman over him. The book continues with Ashley and Jack's story from the past and Pam's story from the present where she has been left dealing with being HIV positive, a legacy she shares with others courtesy of Jack. When Marie, Pam's sister and another of Jack's AIDS victims, finds she is pregnant with her new partner Steve's child, life continues to throw a few curve balls. I have enjoyed reading all four of Suzanne Jenkins' books and would recommend them to anyone. (LM)

Dream Lover (2012)

The third book in the Pam of Babylon series picks up where the previous one left off but can be read independently. After Jack Smith dies suddenly of a heart attack on the train, a whole secret life comprising of multiple lovers - both male and female - is revealed to Pam, Jack's previously unsuspecting wife. Many of these people visit Pam at her home in Babylon to seek comfort from her and to share their stories of Jack and what he has meant to them. Pam deals with all these visitors compassionately and with a quiet strength. With her own health in jeopardy, Pam seeks to protect her children from as much as possible whilst assisting as many of Jack's lovers as she can. (LM)

Don't You Forget About Me (2011)

After Pam's husband Jack dies of a heart attack on the train, three women - Pam, her sister Marie and Sandra - are drawn together in a way they never thought would be possible. Both Sandra and Marie had been having a relationship with Jack and now Sandra is expecting his child. When Pam is hospitalised suddenly, yet another shock awaits the three women as Pam is diagnosed with a deadly medical condition which the other two soon find out they share. How many others out there are also affected? Pam also has to deal with both Jack's and her mother's and her brother-in-law Bill's problems. This is a beautifully told story which had me gripped from the beginning. Although this book is the sequel to Pam of Babylon, it is written in such a way that if you haven't read the prequel you will easily pick up, follow and enjoy Don't You Forget About Me. (LM)

Pam of Babylon (2011)

Pam always thought her life was great. Her husband Jack works in the city in a highly successful business with his partner Pete, while travelling out to Long Island each weekend to spend time with Pam and any relatives who happen to be staying. With two grown children off doing their own thing, Pam is able to focus on looking good and making the beach house the perfect oasis for Jack to come home to. When Jack dies of a heart attack on the train on the way home to his family, his widow Pam is left to cope with a whole pile of revelations that would leave the average person not only reeling but questioning their entire existence. Suddenly confronted with a young mistress who Pam feels an enormous affinity to, a sister who has lived with them throughout most of their married life and the discovery of a far from idyllic childhood, Pam sets off to farewell the husband she thought she knew and to build a life for herself after Jack that will continue to nurture all the people in it that Jack had cared for in his life. This is the first book in a series and each new twist left me more intrigued and wanting to read on in order to find out just what will happen to all the Smith family and their hangers-on. I look forward to reading the next book in the series. (LM)

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