The Windup Girl is very successful in creating a future Bangkok grappling with the social and political issues of its day. It has become a society of fugitives, foreigners, and the native Thai people who wish stubbornly for Bangkok to remain the sacred city of their ancestors. The Thai are now struggling against the manipulative corporate power of the Calorie Companies that are trying to ensure the country's dependence on them so they may make a profit. Bangkok has been spiraling down for some time and now everything is coming to a head as the ocean threatens to drown the city, the Environment Ministry takes bribes to allow illegal trade, and bioengineered plagues are feared to return.

Helen, on the run from the law and having assumed a false identity, works a variety of low-wage jobs where she can be paid in cash (and remain off the radar). In this book, Helen is working at a designer consignment store in Ft. Lauderdale. One day, one of their sellers is found dead in the dressing room following a fight with her husband. Helen, becomes a suspect when the lead detective turns out to be someone who suspected her of previous murders. In addition, Helen goes through some personal changes, including the illness of her mother and a return to her hometown to become legal again. This is a pretty entertaining book, although I admit to not feeling strongly about any of the characters.

This book is one in a series featuring Brandy and her mother Vivian. Brandy is out of work but helps her mother run their antiques booth. Vivian has bipolar disorder and in this book is mostly in a manic state. Her mental illness combined with her natural personality makes Vivian energetic and impulse, both annoying (to many) and fun. To help the towns residents, many of whom were victims of a flooding river, Vivian organizes a fundraiser rummage sale and auction. When the winning auction bidder is killed just after making the winning bid, Vivian and Brandy feel responsible and start asking questions. As others die, they become more involved, both as suspects and as mystery solvers.

This is the third book in the series featuring Katie McDonald, puzzle museum curator and former mathematician. Katie has returned to her hometown to run the Avondale Puzzle Museum. A man's body is found behind the local cafe but Kate vows not to get involved this time. However, when the killer sends Kate emails in the forms of puzzles, hinting the the next murder, she has no choice but to get involved. When the police chief is injured protecting Kate, she feels especially obligated to solve the crime, and is aided by her teenage protege, Harry. Kate is a likable character, smart and independent, but she doesn't quite feel that she fits in with the other townspeople.

This is the second book in the series featuring Katie McDonald, former mathematician and current puzzle museum curator. Kate hosts a sudoku tournament in her town when one of the least liked competitors turns up dead. Kate, worried that murder will reflect poorly on her tournament, gets involved in solving the crime. Plus, as she is a puzzler (and mathematician), she can't help but want to solve problems. She is aided by her teenage protege, Harry, as they work together. Newcomer police chief also works to solve the crime, but the townspeople prefer to confide in Kate so she is often in the middle. I enjoyed this book, which along with the mystery, also deals with individuals who are outsiders, or feel they are.

This is the third book in the series featuring gardener Paula Holliday who lives in suburban Connecticut. In this book, Paula learns that her friend has been living with a false identity for 20 years, after escaping from prison for a crime she was innocent of committing. Her friend's husband asks Paula to prove his wife is innocent, since she successfully solved crimes in the past. This is an entertaining book. Paula is independent and witty, and has several strong and quirky females friends. The plot is compelling and doesn't need a romance to be a good read!

This series features Paula Holliday who moved from NYC to suburban Connecticut to start her own gardening business. Paula visits the Titans Hotel to see their rare corpse flower which is due to bloom soon. However, while at the hotel, a man she chats with casually at the hotel bar is murdered after she gives him her business card. She gets more and more involved in this crime, as others suspect her of knowing the murdered man better than she does. I enjoyed this book which is quite funny and has several quirky female characters. The plot is also more complicated than it appears at the start of the book.