Charcoal Joe, an Easy Rawlins Mystery by Walter Mosely (fiction 2016)

I would highly recommend the entire series, although some offerings are better than others.  This offering is one of them, so good it had me from Ch. 1.  Suspense, sex, action, death, beauty.  Mosely is such a fine mystery writer.

Saladin by John Man (nonfiction 2016)

I have read a lot about the Crusades, fiction and nonfiction, mostly from a European perspective.  This book gave me a lot more nuanced information to think about, and a great portrait of the man in question.  He was certainly unique.

The Devils of Cardona by Matthew Carr (historical fiction 2016)

16th c. Spain, the Inquisition, murders, adventure.  This book is awesome fun and suspense.

Only in Naples by Katherine Wilson (nonfiction 2016)

I picked this up because I love Napoli.  It's sort of cute and fun here and there.  It struck me that the preoccupations of a privileged woman from the east coast who goes on to marry into a privileged family in southern Italy make up the whole book.

The Bible Doesn't Say that by Dr. Joel M. Hoffman (nonfiction 2016)

A fairly enlightening book is made less convincing by the mistakes made when choosing a format.  Several of the chapters should have been grouped together, cut out, or consigned to a footnote.

Jesus before The Gospels by Bart D. Ehrman (nonfiction 2016)

Ehrman breaks down the differences and similarities in The Gospels in light of memory research, trying to get at who Jesus was and how early Christians thought of him. Exciting and insightful, though might have used another round of editing.

Daughter of Albion by Ilka Tampke (historical fiction 2015)

I enjoyed this bit of fluffy historical fiction about an abandoned girl in the time just before much of Britain became a Roman province.  She's got a dog, a couple of boyfriends, and a mission.  I would be into a sequel.