Lush Life (Richard Price)

This is a kind of police procedural, a will-they-catch-'em mystery instead of a whodunit. It begins by introducing a collection of colorful characters, then bringing them together with a bang when one is murdered. The rest of the story tracks the aftermath of that murder on the victim's friends and family, the police officers trying to solve the crime, and the criminals involved, all set in a gritty New York City that was a character in itself. The story is a gripping one, though I often found myself lost in the no-doubt authentic street slang. In the middle my patience with some of the more self-destructive characters flagged, but not enough for me to consider quitting before the story came to its resolution. Was there closure, redemption, or healing for anyone? I doubt it. But the story did resolve, and it felt as real as anything I've read.

The Golem and the Jinni (Helene Wecker)

I really liked this intricate, touching story about a Golem (a woman of clay brought to life through Kabbalistic magic) and a Jinni (a magical creature from the Syrian desert) who find themselves adrift in turn-of-the-century New York City. Their separate worlds come together in complex, overlapping ways as they struggle with who they are and how they can live among humans. There are evil forces that would destroy them and those they care about, and lives are sacrificed as they fight for survival. It's amazing that this is a first novel. Though the sense of place could have been stronger, I was caught up in their lives and their tale. Recommended.

Secrets to Happiness (Sarah Dunn)

I liked this story about a young woman, still shell-shocked by her sudden divorce a year ago, trying to find love and happiness in New York City. She is earnest and open-hearted, and is surrounded by friends, exes, lovers, and co-workers who are quirky and complex.I really felt for her situation and her capacity to pick up and move on even when she was dazed by the blows life handed her. She has a great capacity for love, extending even to a gravely sick dog, that isn't rewarded as it ought to be, but she continues to try to do the right thing in every situation. I've made her sound like a goody-goody stick figure, but she isn't, and the book is a lot of fun,.

Rules of Civility (Amor Towles)

This is an elegant and touching story about the high life and lowlife in New York City in the 1930s. Katy, her friend Eve, and a high-class young man they recently met become entangled in webs of debt and dependence, trust and betrayal, even though pretty much everyone is trying to do the right thing. The story is a flashback, so you know Katy came out all right, but you have a hint from the beginning that all didn't go as well for Tinker.the young man they became tied to. There are surprises along the way that were satisfyingly unexpected. I enjoyed the story and the lives these people lived.