I read all four of these books at the beach, and started on Fern Michaels, “Hey Good Looking” which is based on Baton Rouge and is about the old guard of citizens, historic preservation and is generally quite light reading. “Book of the Dead” was another Patricia Cornwell, Scarpetta novel and it is based on Charleston, SC. It was very interesting to read about places I am very familiar with and the story is also quite good.
“a spot of bother” by mark haddon reminded me of the old man in “Michael Clayton.” The guy retires and goes through a series of panic attacks but all ends up well in the end. It is based in England.
Sandra Browns, “white hot” was also based in New Orleans pre-hurricane Katrina. It involves a daughter who hates her father and has moved away, only to return because of the death of a brother (similar theme to the “Hey Good Looking” book.
“Stone Cold” by David Baldacci seemed more interesting to me than the last book I read. It also involved a daughter who hates her father only to reconcile in the end, amongst all the high technology and hidden government facilities that we are not supposed to know about.