AP - "Hit and Run" (William Morrow, 287 pages, $24.95), by Lawrence Block: John Keller, professional hit man, is on his way to Des Moines to take a life — one last job before retiring to spend more time with his stamp collection.

AP - "Conquistador: Hernan Cortes, King Montezuma and the Last Stand of the Aztecs" (Bantam Books. 330 pages. $27.50), by Buddy Levy: Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes met the mighty Montezuma during a brief but elaborate ceremony in the Aztec ruler's home city of Tenochtitlan on Nov. 8, 1519.

AP - Rap and opera — an unlikely combination. Then add "gay" to the mix.

AP - "Palace of the End" is a powerful contemporary political drama by Judith Thompson that will haunt the audience long afterward.

Reuters - As any fan will tell you, there are two faces of the Cure.

Reuters - "Finding Amanda," a misguided comedy directed by "Analyze This" writer Peter Tolan, sinks under the weight of misogynistic jokes.

AP - Amos Lee, "Last Days at the Lodge" (Blue Note)

AP - Alejandro Escovedo, "Real Animal" (Back Porch/Manhattan)

AP - G. Love & Special Sauce, "Superhero Brother" (Brushfire Records)

AP - Ry Cooder, "I, Flathead" (Nonesuch/Perro Verde)

AP - They call it "Summer Madness." OK, it's just an advertising slogan that loosely ties together the three works currently in repertory for the San Francisco Opera's June season. But the title character of Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor" offers more than enough insanity to go around, especially as portrayed by the dynamic French soprano Natalie Dessay.