So I come back from GA, and not only had my wife finished Solomon vs. Lord on my recommendation–but she’d procured and finished the sequel. However, she warned “It’s not as good.” Only slightly daunted I dived in (no pun intended). She was right. 
But that’s not to say the book isn’t good, it is. But it doesn’t feel as fresh–that’s the nature of sequels. When I finished the book, I uttered a Nero Wolfean “Satisfactory.”
2 main story lines, and a few nice subplots to keep things interesting. Plot number 1: Victoria’s “Uncle” Griff (her dad’s old business partner) runs his yacht onto shore in the Keys–conveniently enough, he almost kills Victoria and Steve in the process, but at least they’re the first on the scene to discover that Griff’s passenger has a spear through his chest, so they can get to lawyerin’ as soon as possible.
Plot number 2: Victoria wants to split the firm up–get out on her own, so she’s not standing in Steve’s shadow. She’s not looking to split from him personally, but there are subconscious undertones in that direction.
Plot 2 is further complicated by Uncle Griff’s son, her first love, childhood friend, etc. who she hasn’t seen in years is back on the scene. And is a total hunk. And rich. And not a frequently uncouth jerk.
Some of the supporting cast from the last book wasn’t around, which is good, I think. But those present were still a pleasant addition. The cameo by (and several references to) a certain salt-shaker seeking musician was a nice touch. The mystery was craftier than last time, and I think the plotting was a little better. But the latter are secondary to me–esp in this kind of book. It’s about the characters–do I like them? Do I want to spend time with them? And for almost everyone in this book, it’s yes. I spent about half the book really not liking Victoria…seemed like a prissy little brat with a healthy dose of finicky on the side. By the end of the novel, I’d come around again, but that left a bad taste in my mouth.
Here’s my major complaint. Plot line #2. I never, not for one second, thought that Victoria would split up the team or the couple. So that entire thing was an endurance test “how much longer do I have to put up with this?” Contrast that compare/contrast to Kenzie and Gennaro in Lehane’s books–or even Spenser and Susan in The Widening Gyre and Valediction. Sure, those aren’t comic novels (esp. Lehane’s), but there was real risk of loss, there was real pain, real conflict. I think Levine is capable of putting these two in a situation where I could worry about them–but this wasn’t it.
That said, I’d give the first installment an A and this a B+. Well worth the time and money (or trip to the library). Looking forward to #3 in the series in a month–thanks Gerald, for the tip.
But at GA, Dr. Venema spoke during the 
I wasn’t disappointed at all.
It got me to Midway, and even gave me a few minutes of pre-sleep reading while at GA.
I picked up the next two Harry Bosch novels on my list to read to and from GA. I took care of most of 
is quite the handy guidebook. The premise is fairly straightforward, and can easily be figured out from the title. It’s a very funny satirical introduction to the strange North American creature called the “evangelical.”