Hope I'm not to late to add to your list, but I have 3 doozies. They are not literature, but they are great beach books, and I know you can buy them at used book stores. 1. "The Dieter" I laughed and cried. 2. "The Genesis Code" Very exciting and disturbing. 3. "The Big Picture" A thriller that is very thought provoking. Take them all and you've got romance, humor, mystery and suspense covered.

Hi Curious, Loved "Bridget Jones Diary" and ADORE a lot of the British "neurotica" type books. I love Isobel Wolff's "Trials of Tiffany Trott" and "Making Minty Malone". If you love Bridget, you will love these books! I GAURANTEE it. Also want to read Jane Green's new book too! Jane Mansell is good also!
Also loved "On Bear Mountain", by Deborah Smith, and "Firefly Beach", by Luanne Rice. Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum is a hoot! I love to read light fun stuff for summer too!
Happy reading, All! Judy

Captain Corelli's Mandolin.
Girl with a Pearl Earring.
My husband likes anything by Clive Cussler.
A.M.

Like many of the other posters, I would highly recommend the Bridget Jones books, as well as Jemima J for humorous light beach reading.

As for more suspense mysteries, while in Dublin earlier this year, I picked up a Tami Hoag book for the flight home. I got so hooked that I've been picking up a new one for each plane ride that I take.

For another good book, try The Quiet Game by Greg Iles.

The Witness by Sandra Brown. A good mixture of mystery, thriller, plot twists and turns, and a bit of romance. My very favorite book of all time is Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier. I've read it countless times and never tire of it.

hy...
I just love the books from Marian Keyes - an irish writer.

If you like mysteries, try the Sue Grafton alphabet series (A is for Alibi, B is for ...). She's up to P now, I think. I first read these on a beach, and they were perfect - not too heavy. Also, they take place in a fictional town based on Santa Barbara.

If what you are looking for is an "easy reading, entertaining, mystery you absolutely need to get something by Mary Higgins Clark. They are fun, easy, and good. A few of the titles I enjoyed were Loves Music, Loves to Dance; While my Pretty One Sleeps; and Weep no More My Lady.

Just finished "Storm Warning" by Carl Hiiasen. Good book! It's about Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. I couldn't put it down! I can't wait to read more of his books.

Anything by Kay Scarpetta, Mary Higgins Clark or Sue Grafton, all of which have been recommended. How about Jaws?

Sorry to be a nitpicker, Ginny, but it's called Stormy Weather. And you're right, it's great!

I don't know if they are still in print but the funniest books
i have read are the Topper series by Thortan Smith they made a series of movies based on these books years ago. Topper is an older married man and he alone sees the ghosts, Marion who is always trying to seduce topper{i.e. he'll find himself in the tub with three feet) the husband and the dog (all three, heavy martini drinkers) One of my favorite in the series takes place in Nice where topper and his wife are on vacation.

Great travel read--"Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris. It's a combination of essays in the first half and an almost novella-like second half. Absolutely laugh-out-loud funny stories about Sedaris' odd family, his observations about life (the riff on NY restaurants is hilarious), and a series on his efforts to learn the French language and culture. Not your typical beach book, but a clever vacation diversion. Also, a couple years old, but I read "A Widow for One Year" by John Irving and loved the vivid, intertwining stories.

Mary Higgins Clark and Nora Roberts are writers for idiots. Only read them if you want to confirm your own stupidity.

Well xx, I've read Dostoyevsky and I've read Mary Higgons Clark. Somehow I find Clark to be the better choice when lounging at the beach, sipping a corona and keeping an eye on the kids, don't you?

Christopher Moore's "Island of the Sequined Love Nun". It is soooooooo funny!

I thought Straight Man by Richard Russo was hilarious. It's about a college prof going through a mid-life crisis. Also loved Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry...good, thick book with great characters, plot. Funny as well as touching. Have a great vacation!

Second for Christopher Moore. _IotSLN_
is a great read, but all his books are fun. _Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove_ is
great as well.

I also really enjoy Elmore Leonard.
Jimmy Buffet's Joe Merchant book is a fun read.
_Confederacy of Dunces_ is fun read.

I definitely recommend "World Of Pies" (can't think of the author right now, but it's fairly new, so you shouldn't have to search). It's a very summery book and I absolutely loved it!

My wife, who read and listens to book very frequently, couldn't put down Luann Rice's Firefly Beach.

We went to the 3/ $4.50 used bookstore at the beach and bought other Luann Rice's books. They were read during the 3 weeks at the beach. Her vacation was spent reading 6 books [ I only did 1.5, sadly ]

Now we are home.. and she picked up two more Luann Rice books at the Library.

She must have been 'discovered' as all the books on tape and other of her books are checked out.