It’s the time of year when newspapers and magazines publish their “summer reading lists”. On Sunday, Guardian Unlimited published their list of summer reading recommended by booksellers and writers. Jessa Crispin posted her scathing look at the new summer releases at The Book Standard.

So I decided I should post my top picks of books I want to read over the next two months. For some reason, summer to me always means reading mystery novels, so my top picks are mostly in this genre.

1. The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde – Just released this past weekend, I can’t wait for my copy to arrive! I’ve ordered a hardcover copy because this is going into my permanent collection. It may take a bit longer to arrive…

2. Aftermath by Peter Robinson – Somehow I ended up a book behind in this series so I need to read this before Piece of My Heart, the newest Inspector Banks mystery.

3. Season of Iron: a Dr. Rebecca Temple mystery by Sylvia Maultash Warsh – The Castle Street Mysteries imprint of Dundurn Group releases high quality mysteries. I have not read any in the Dr. Rebecca Temple series so I’m eager to try this most recent release.

4. Before the Frost: a Kurt and Linda Wallander Novel by Henning Mankell – The first Kurt and Linda Wallander novel. I haven’t read any of this great Swedish series but it comes highly recommended.

5. Jass: A Valentin St. Cyr Mystery by David Fulmer – This has been sitting on my to be read pile for a while. I loved the first Valentine St. Cyr mystery (Chasing the Devil’s Tail: A Mystery of Storyville, New Orleans), racing through it in record time so I know I’ll enjoy this one.