A Midsummer's Equation by Keigo Higashino

When a retired Tokyo police detective, Masatsugu Tsukahara, is found dead in Hari Cove, the police wonder who would have murdered him in the small ocean town. Tsukahara was attending a hearing about a corporation seeking approval to mine precious metals off the coast of Hari Cove. Local resident Narumi Kawahata, whose parents own the Green Rock Inn that Tsukahara was staying at, is very involved in the campaign to stop the mining operation. Another guest at the inn is physicist Manabu Yukawa, who is consulting for the corporation. Yukawa, also known as "Detective Galileo," has assisted on Tokyo murder cases before. Soon, both the local police and the Tokyo authorities (with help from Yukawa) are delving into Tsukahara's past and the goings-on in Hari Cove to try and uncover the culprit. In this leisurely-paced third book in the Detective Galileo series, Higashino presents an interesting mystery, but at times I found it hard to keep all the characters straight.

The Passenger by Lisa Lutz

When Tanya Dubois' husband, Frank, accidentally dies after falling down the stairs, she decides to leave town. In fact, Tanya is not her real name and, fearing that she will be found out after being on the run for over ten years, she feels has no choice but to flee. Throughout The Passenger, the reader follows "Tanya" around the country as she takes on new identities and as her past is slowly revealed. Not being able to settle down anywhere is stressful and dangerous for "Tanya" and the people who cross her path. The Passenger is a page-turner that is reminiscent of the Jane Whitefield novels by Thomas Perry and "Tanya" could be the criminal sister of Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone.

Death of a Nurse by M.C. Beaton

Policeman Hamish Macbeth and his new assistant, Charlie Carter, are investigating the death of Gloria Dainty--nurse to wealthy, crotchety Mr. Harrison. Hamish had asked Gloria out on a date, but she disappeared before they could go out. Shortly after, she was found dead on the beach and it looks to Hamish like she was thrown over a cliff. Soon, he has many suspects and more deaths occur. Will Hamish again be able to solve the case, besting his superiors?