Summer reading: Beyond the bestsellers

I'd like to (belatedly) call attention to two delightful online projects that spotlight older or obscure books that are simply too good to be forgotten. You'll find "You're Still the One" (in several parts) on The Rap Sheet, the January Magazine crime fiction site run by J. Kingston Pierce. (What book did I nominate for the project? Check here. )

Over at Pattinase, Patti Abbott blogs every Friday about "forgotten books" and has challenged other crime fiction reviewers and bloggers to follow her lead.

If you're looking for great summer reads, start with these sites and then head to your local used book store -- or Amazon.com, where out-of-print books from affiliate stores are often available for a few pennies, plus shipping.