A late entry in the Top 5 Favorites list

Dylan Schaffer, author of the superb debut Misdemeanor Man, adds his contributions to Mystery Ink's Top 5 Favorites list.

• The Narrows by Michael Connelly -- I recently saw Connelly's book, and various other titles, on sale in an obscure town on the Vietnam/China border. Any writer who has infiltrated a former enemy this deeply deserves our awe. And it's an un-put-downable, thought-provoking, nearly perfect book.
• Devil in the White City by Erik Larson -- I realize I'm getting to this late, and everyone else in the world has read it, but the evocation of Chicago, circa late 19th century, and the portraits of two men, one essentially good, and one totally evil, was as compelling as I've ever read. Not exactly a crime/mystery, but definitely worth reading if you're one of the eight people left who hasn't already done so.
• Train by Pete Dexter -- Others have already said why, and I agree. A fabulous, moving, disturbing book.
• The Fortress of Solitude by Jonathan Lethem -- I came late to this one, too, but I loved it. If you grew up anywhere near the NY area in the seventies, this one will be like going home.
• Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick -- I'm researching a book about Elvis, and this one is at the top of the heap, particularly if you're interested in Presley's late career. It's eminently readable and profoundly sad. Even if you're not that interested in Elvis, it's worth checking out.