The Book Nurse

Finished these!

2012-01-11T15:16:00.000-06:00

Recent Reads

2012-01-11T15:12:00.000-06:00

	Trackers	Meyer, Deon
	The Silent Girl (Jane Rizzoli & Maura Isles, #9)	Gerritsen, Tess *
	Night Road	Hannah, Kristin *
	Abandoned (Smoky Barrett #4) McFadyen, Cody

January 2012

2012-01-11T15:09:00.001-06:00

I was tired of writing book reviews -- it got to where it was like having homework and I procrastinated. I decided that I would not keep writing a review for every book I read in many different places and would just do a quick review on Goodreads.

I'd love to have more friends on Goodreads and have the ability to see what everyone I follow is reading as well. I like that people who read my reviews can't mark NOT HELPFUL but they can leave comments for me to answer or "like" my opinions about a particular book. I've had some great discussions with others on this site as well.

A remarkable event for me this year is the fact that I finally took the plunge and got an e-reader. Long an opponent, merely on principle I'm sure, I went ahead and told my daughter that I would indeed like to try this and thus I received a Kindle Fire for Christmas!

So, my first book on the Fire was Night Road by Kristin Hannah -- a great experience reading on this new format and I'm hooked already. On to the next book: Room (which I'll review on Goodreads).
I like it a lot -- and I hope to diminish my collection of hardcover bestsellers as I trade them off on Paperback swap or give my ARCs away after I read them.

Traveling is going to be great -- tons of books available and no extra weight and space consumption in the luggage.

More to come as I get comfortable using the Fire and figure out all the bells and whistles. Mostly right now, I'm just reading. Ok, I'm playing a few games too :)

Done blogging!

2011-12-03T15:34:00.000-06:00

I've decided to quit posting these reviews! If you're interested in what I'm reading, head over to amazon.com and check out my profile
http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A1WKQ94M45D8MG/ref=cm_cr_pr_auth_rev?ie=UTF8&sort_by=MostRecentReview

or find me on Goodreads
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2657711-denise

Thanks to all those who were following me at one time or another.

Denise

Distant Shores by Kristin Hannah

2011-11-19T09:42:00.000-06:00

3.5 out of 5 stars - "We're all afraid. It's the going on that matters."

This novel highlights the pain of unfulfilled dreams. It is better to try and fail than to never give yourself the chance to find out.
An empty nester with an ambitious husband wonders who she is and decides to take some time to find out of there is anything left of the girl she once was or if she has sublimated everything in her devotion to her marriage and family.

Possible Spoiler:
I would have rated this higher if it had not had a too pat, fairy tale ending

Now You See Her by James Patterson

2011-11-19T09:38:00.002-06:00

3.0 out of 5 stars - Fast and entertaining even if totally unbelievable!

This is James Patterson so just go along and enjoy the ride, suspend your disbelief at the perils survived, and then turn it off just as you would a mindless movie!

Faith by Jennifer Haigh

2011-11-19T09:36:00.000-06:00

4.0 out of 5 stars - Pertinent and discussion-worthy...

Sheila's beloved brother, Art, a much-respected Catholic priest, is accused of abusing a boy whom he had taken under his wing. Although she believes that he can't possibly be guilty of the charges against him, she has doubts when he refuses to defend himself and answer the many questions she has.

Sheila's parents and her other brother, Mike, are staunch Irish Catholics who are blindsided and humiliated by the outpouring of anger against their family and try to find some explanation for how and why this has happened.

A great family story -- love, redemption, sacrifice -- and much to discuss considering the current state of this topic in the news today.

The Night Eternal by DelToro and Hogan

2011-11-15T16:57:00.001-06:00

3.0 out of 5 stars Vampire apocalypse--no sparkles here...

The third and final book in this series almost screams MOVIE! As I read it, I couldn't help but see the cinematic version on the big screen. That said, I liked it well enough. This was not a "touchy, feely" vampire novel; it mainly consisted of scene after scene of completely implausible battles between the small band of human rebels who hadn't been turned or corrupted and the vampires who were in control of the entire planet. The reader must suspend disbelief at the peril this ragtag band endures and escapes!

Starting off where the second one ended, Dr. Eph Goodweather and the motley crew he leads, are trying in vain to figure out how to get Eph's son back (Zach was kidnapped by his mother and taken to the Master) and how to find the Master and destroy him. In between hiding in their various hidden lairs and combating marauding vampires, they acquire a nuclear weapon that lacks a detonator. Meanwhile, Nora and Fet are drawn closer together and the other supporting characters are dealing with their own personal issues. Guided by The Born (aka Mr. Quinlan, an offspring of the Master), they also seek to discover the place of the Master's origin so they can detonate the bomb there, kill the Master, and bring vampire rule to an end. This new world has undergone a lot of changes since humans were subjugated as blood suppliers (type B+ is preferred) and the darkness descended. There are no computers, cell phones or other modern devices, and any humans not in captivity serve the Master or have been corrupted into the various occupations that keep the vampires fed and humans controlled. The main characters survive unbelievable peril as they try to decipher THE LUMEN, an old silver-edged book that tells about the rise of the Ancients and its relation to the Biblical "fall of the angels" battle. Convoluted? Yes, but it all sort of makes sense in a way that another explanation might not. Some have complained about the religious aspect of the epic, but I thought it fit.

Does this ragtag band of fighters save the day and restore the planet to the humans? The narrative moves at a fast pace and reaches a somewhat predictable conclusion. If not wholly satisfying, the reader will at least be glad to have reached the end. I can't imagine reading this book without having read the previous two. I'm not a huge fan of this genre, which I would call futuristic horror, but I did enjoy this alternative "end of the world as we know it" novel with its unique approach: apocalypse by vampire.

Never Change by Elizabeth Berg

2011-11-06T10:25:00.001-06:00

3.0 out of 5 stars - We are all in the business of numbing ourselves...

OK story about a visiting nurse who takes care of an old crush when he comes back home to die of brain cancer. Romance. Sappy.

The Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz

2011-10-26T07:45:00.000-05:00

2.0 out of 5 stars

Annoying character with author trying too hard to be funny.

I had to force myself to keep reading this when I wanted to toss it aside after the first couple of pages. I had read the first book in the series a long while ago and apparently forgot how ridiculous the family members and their business operations were. When a book is praised by authors, I'm suspicious because I am fairly sure they're just trading bon mots on an exchange program, so when these raves were from the likes of Entertainment Weekly and People magazine, I should have known to skip the book just as I avoid all tabloids. Pass unless you like juvenile humor, annoying characters and a very lame plot.

Even though this is the second in a series, you don't need to have read the other one to "get" this -- you're repeatedly reminded of every last detail from the previous book with footnotes and appendices.

Sorry by Soran Drvenkar (translated from German by Shaun Whiteside)

2011-10-19T09:59:00.000-05:00

2.0 out of 5 stars SORRY - this was not for me., October 19, 2011

This suspense thriller about four disaffected friends whose unique business venture goes dreadfully wrong was not for me. I would call it a complicated mess. As a device, the author used shifting points of view throughout the narrative as well as all different voices (first, second and third person) alternatively so that the reader was often confused. Not only that, but there were also backward and forward movements in time so that any sense of an unfolding sequence of events was absent. In addition, often things that happened were hinted at rather than fully described which also left the reader constantly guessing about what was going on.

Ordinarily I like a thriller that makes me think and gives me a lot of clues to analyze or things to ponder, but this was all over the place. Themes of child pornography and sexual abuse, torture, gratuitous killing, etc. advanced the plot: someone is using the concept of "sorry" to commit revenge murder. The ending wasn't satisfying nor am I sure that I completely understood the whole point of everything or who did what to whom. I didn't like it. It was hard work to read. I'm glad I finished it, finally. And I won't be recommending it. PASS.

The Stranger You See by Amanda Kyle Williams

2011-10-16T10:19:00.003-05:00

4.0 out of 5 stars Murder and mayhem - southern style..., October 16, 2011

I love suspense thrillers and this one kept me turning the pages as I wanted to find out two things: first and foremost -- who was this monstrous serial killer dubbed "Wishbone"? and who was this ex-FBI profiler turned private investigator and skip tracer named Dr. Keye Street? With many twists and turns and an almost unbelievable climax, we do get an unequivocal answer to the first question and a desire to learn more about the female protagonist in this debut of what will be a new series by this author.

The setting is Atlanta, Georgia, in the waning days of summer. Mutilated bodies of all ages, races and gender have been found and the killer is taunting the police team led by Keye's friend, Lieutenant Aaron Rauser. He brings Keye into the case when he receives the first letter and wants her to help him by developing a profile and listening to him discuss the case. She was a brilliant criminologist and profiler before alcoholism ended her career with the FBI, but she is drawn in and begins to delve into the psychological and behavioral aspects of the investigation. In addition, Keye continues her private work for local attorneys and bondsmen.

Since I don't "know" Georgia, the atmosphere and detail about the southern culture and lifestyle were intriguing and made me want to visit. I enjoyed the novel because the main character, Keye Street, is imperfect and interesting and I want to follow her into a complete recovery from her past and addictions. I imagine that the rest of the cast of supporting characters, now sort of cardboard stereotypes, will be fleshed out as the series develops. I was a bit chagrined about the romance but it seems inevitable in this type of book. I'll be looking for the follow up novel to see how it all holds up.

One of the BEST books I have ever read!

2011-10-15T11:23:00.000-05:00

5+ stars!

I finally finished Cutting for Stone -- I put the first disk in my car CD player in July. To say it was magnificent and a masterpiece is true for me, but it was so much more than that. An experience. I felt like I KNEW those people and loved them dearly and I'll miss them from now on. This is one of the best books I have ever read. I had to wait to write some sort of review because I could barely breathe after I finished and I wanted to go back and start the story all over again. How lucky to be a person just beginning to learn the history of the Stone family... To say it's one of my favorite books is not an understatement. There are many reasons why it touched me, I don't know if the book resonated so much because of the medical and OR stuff or because of the story, but the combination was overwhelming!

I have read thousands of books in my lifetime and this is one of my top five. At this moment in time, I can't even name others besides Gone with the Wind as far as a book having a deep and lasting impact on me.
This is going to be ONE OF THOSE......Sure there are books I liked a lot --but not many like this come along for a person in her lifetime. This was that book for me. Perhaps a lot of it was because I was first and foremost once an OR nurse who lived and breathed and loved surgery. But it was more than about surgery. It was about family and struggles and survival -- ultimately forgiveness and redemption.

Anyway, take it for what it's worth and please read it. I was lucky enough to get to listen to the audio version which I've packed off to mail to my daughter today and I also read the actual book. I'd listen in my car while driving to work and then catch up to where I left off when I got home. Hearing the words spoken and pronounced with that fantastic voice and accent really made the book come alive for me. I would urge everyone to get this audiobook version instead of reading it if you can! ENJOY!

Roadside Crosses by Jeffery Deaver

2011-10-09T00:39:00.000-05:00

3.0 out of 5 stars - Convoluted and implausible, a thriller involving blogs and gaming

This was just OK. I doubt I read another Deaver novel that features Kathryn Dance as I don't like the character. Really wasn't very suspenseful and way too many red herrings and subplots. The main message: people spend too much time on the internet, they accept rumor, speculation and innuendo as fact -- and reveal far too many personal details.

Skip it or borrow if you're a huge fan.

Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos

2011-10-02T09:23:00.002-05:00

2.0 out of 5 stars - Romance and self-discovery, but a very long journey...

I have not read any previous novels by Marisa de los Santos so I had no expectation of this book purportedly about a strong and "magical" friendship tested by a separation. I read other reviews that praised this highly, so I was excited to read it but thoroughly disappointed when I did.

The main themes in the book center around the following: when you love someone, you have to go 'all in' -- and that there is always room for one more (in your heart? your house?) -- and people in your life may be "gone but here." Hmmm, really? That seems obvious enough to most of us and nothing new to any adult who's had some life experience including tragedy and loss.

The characters did not seem fully developed into more than stereotypes of romantic fiction nor did they captivate me in any way and I just did not like any of them. The plot is trite and unbelievable with a "seek and find" game as three adults and a child traipse across the world in a frenzy to find an old friend who had left them behind years ago and moved on with her life.

If you like predictable and slow moving novels with little tidbits of facts that are meant to tell rather than show, you might like this. At times, I felt the author was trying to "show off" as she went on and on about every little thing from the color of something to a thought in the head of a character. I will not look for another by this author.

Pass. I need to go clear my palate with a good thriller!

Cold Plague by Daniel Kalla

2011-09-24T09:23:00.002-05:00

4.0 out of 5 stars

"The purest water on earth" is deadly...

The two doctors with the World Health Organization who appeared in the novel, Pandemic, Dr. Noah Haldane and Dr. Duncan McLeod, join forces with the European Union's department of agriculture representative Elise Renard to analyze several recent cases of what appears to be a variant of Creutzfelt-Jakob Disease. When the team arrives in Limoges, France, to begin their investigation into seven mad cows, they quickly discover that this rapidly accelerated vCJD is not a straight-forward situation of contaminated cows leading to human infection. They delve more deeply into the case and find what they believe is a link between the dead human victims -- is the link connected to the cows or to water all consumed before their deaths? Water that was given to them by a mutual acquaintance -- water with supposed healing properties that came from the huge recently tapped underground lake in Antarctica - Lake Vostok. The purest water on earth, untouched by pollution. The market for this drinking water will be huge and those that discovered and tapped it definitely anticipate the huge profits they will get when it is bottled and brought and sold to the type of people who will pay a hundred dollars or more for a single bottle. They need to solve the mystery fast.

Unfortunately, as the reader suspects immediately, the water contains prions that act very rapidly to destroy the brains of those who consume it. In a race against time, the WHO team and Elise Renard try to find and stop the greedy owners who don't seem to care that they are selling a very horrible death along with the water. The reader knows the major characters involved in this complex coverup, but is not fully able to separate the good guys from the bad guys until almost the very end of the novel. It moves along at a nice pace, back and forth between the settings of French provincial farms and small cities, to the cold ice of the Antarctic.

My favorite genre is the medical thriller and I read them mainly for the science and this idea of the CJD was original and well done. I knew that the doctors would save the world from drinking the contaminated water and having a massive CJD outbreak, but the story of how they solved the case was interesting and I really enjoyed it. I saw that Kalla has written another novel, Of Flesh and Blood, and I may have to read it at some point, but I'm really waiting for another with the Haldane and McLeod characters as I want to see what happens to them next!

The Burning by Jane Casey

2011-09-20T08:32:00.000-05:00

4.0 out of 5 stars - Solid investigative police procedural

The Burning Man is the name given by the press to the killer who has attacked and beat four women to death before setting them on fire in various places in the city of London. Maeve Kerrigan, a detective constable and one of the few women on the team, is called to the scene of a fifth victim. As she begins to delve into the crime and interview friends and relatives, some questions about this particular murdered woman, Rebecca Haworth -- make Maeve wonder if Rebecca is really the victim of a copycat killer instead.

The narrative is told in the alternating voices of Louise, Rebecca's best friend, and Detective Kerrigan. Although the ending is somewhat predictable, the story is good and the characters are well developed. It's not a typical fast paced suspense thriller but more a well plotted and deliberate by the book report of the investigation into the crimes. I understand this is the debut of a new series and I will most likely look for the next one when it comes out.

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

2011-09-12T11:30:00.000-05:00

4.0 out of 5 stars

RED: the color of blood, the color of murder, the color of sin...

Hannah Payne wakes up in a cell after being injected with a virus that has turned her skin completely red -- her crime: she aborted her illegitimate pregnancy in a new American society where that is illegal. She will not name the father of her unborn child, a famous married minister, nor the abortionist, and is charged and convicted of murder. What happens to Hannah when she is released from the temporary post-chroming seclusion and is thrust back into a society where she is stigmatized and humiliated by everyone who sees her as a Red? Prevented from returning to her home by parents who will not allow her to live with them, Hannah must navigate a scary road to regain her dignity and make a new life for herself in a world where there is no longer separation between church and state -- and no protection for the Chromes.

I've just paged through all the wonderful reviews written on this product page about When She Woke. I agree wholeheartedly with those who suggest that you obtain and read this book if you like dystopian, futuristic novels about family, religious controversies, crime and punishment, relationships, and self-discovery. The author weaves a very interesting tale -- yes it does have themes similar to those found in some of the classic literature mentioned in other reviews, but it brings all of those together in a new and very thought-provoking way. This would be a fantastic book for a book group discussion, and though probably more appealing to women, I'd love to hear from any men who read it as well.

I will be recommending this!

The Accident by Linwood Barclay

2011-09-11T10:17:00.000-05:00

4.0 out of 5 stars

How well do you really know those people in your circle of family and friends?

I have read all of Barclay's previous books so was looking forward to the latest one! This suspense novel had a fast pace with an interesting subject presented immediately in the prologue - the illegal sales of counterfeit merchandise and the seedy, dangerous underground -- and it kept me turning the pages well past bedtime.

A quiet suburban neighborhood is rocked first by the car accident death of a housewife and mother, Sheila Garber, whose inexplicable car crash while driving drunk results in the unraveling of the lives of several interconnected families. As her husband, Glen, and daughter, Kelly, try to come to terms with this tragedy, discoveries are made that make Glen wonder if indeed "the accident" was what it seemed. As the narrative goes on, suspense mounts as first one character and then another comes to light as involved in a ring of sorts that centers around the sale of various items and a stereotypical villain who wants "the money." The novel has several plot twists but a savvy reader will not be too surprised as events unfold and the climax is reached.

My main complaints, and the reasons I don't give this novel 5 stars: I felt that the death toll was unnecessary -- it didn't advance the plot, and it seemed overmuch. In addition, I've come to notice that the protagonist, in this book he's named Glen Garber, is one that Barclay duplicates in every single book -- a decent ordinary man, husband, father driven to extremes by events he didn't anticipate and now must avenge. This man is always a bit naive and ignorant about things going on under his own roof until the moment when he's spurred into action and then pretty much has to take matters into his own hands and figure out the truth even though he's facing some pretty unrealistic scenarios that cause the reader to suspend some disbelief.

Despite feeling sometimes that I keep reading the same Barclay novel over and over, I would recommend this for any of his fans and others who enjoy a suspense mystery with lots of layers and a well-constructed (though not completely unpredicted) conclusion.

The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian

2011-09-09T12:40:00.001-05:00

We all might have demons that drive us...

This was a good story IF you like paranormal (ghosts) and books that tend toward the horror side of the spectrum. I don't tend to like that type of fiction, but I did want to give this novel a chance.

What I liked: the details about the pilot, Chip Linton, suffering PTSD in the aftermath of his plane crash and its relevance to current events and present day airline activity. Reading about Chip's attempts to come to terms with the tragedy was interesting to me. I also liked the details about the plants and tinctures which I assume that the author researched thoroughly.

What I did not like: the fact that the mother seemed clueless and naive, and I could never generate any empathy for her. The twins seemed like stereotypes and the "bad guys" were so obvious that I couldn't believe they weren't all run out of town! The foreboding and ominous feeling that I hope to get from the narrative when reading a thriller was lacking, and events were predictable. I also didn't care for the second person voice of Chip throughout the book.

Ultimately, I liked The Night Strangers: A Novel well enough, but it won't be one I'll urge others to read as I have with his past books. It might just be me -- I'm not a paranormal, supernatural, ghost and haunted house person. I don't care to read about covens and witchcraft, spells or potions used for harm. When I read the book was a "ghost story", I was just expecting something a little different.

If you want to check out other Bohjalian books, I urge you to consider the titles I liked better: Midwives (Oprah's Book Club), Skeletons at the Feast: A Novel, Trans-Sister Radio or even Secrets of Eden: A Novel.

Warning Signs by CJ Lyons

2011-09-02T09:04:00.000-05:00

*** stars

Not much to say about this one. I hoped I would like it more than I did. I really only read it for the clinical/medical details. Don't like all the romance stuff. And, I don't like ANY of the characters really. Scenarios unrealistic in my experience, but realize it is what it is - fiction. Will likely read the rest of the series.

End of Days by Robert Gleason

2011-08-28T17:59:00.000-05:00

2.0 out of 5 stars Finally done! I could barely make it to THE END of this book.

I'm a person who always feels compelled to see a book through to the end, regardless of how I'm feeling once I hit page 50; by that benchmark I usually know if I'm going to like it -- or not. I laboriously read my way to that page and knew I was doomed. I forced myself to finish this wordy tome, and words fail me as I try to convey my message to unsuspecting readers who might be tempted to snap this up because of a completely ludicrous set of blurbs proclaiming that this apocalyptic novel is the next great epic of nuclear annihilation. Really? I want to read whatever book those people read -- honestly, the excessive praise by "bestselling authors" and award winners stuns me and makes me question forever if they actually really ever read the books or if they just trade bon mots and write rave reviews for each other on some sort of exchange program?

Here's my review in a nutshell. Do not waste your time on this book unless you enjoy torturing yourself with visions of talking rats, cogent machines, thinking warheads, trash-talking characters who have no redeeming qualities, a heroine who requires you to suspend disbelief as she survives unbelievable peril (not to mention nuclear detonation, radiation fallout, and multiple surefire death scenarios) and an old woman reminiscent of a similar character in Stephen King's The Stand (a far superior novel). I didn't like any one in this novel and really didn't care if they survived or not.

Frankly, there's nothing redeeming this book from the dumpster -- I can't think of a single person I'd pass this one to. I love a good apocalyptic novel - but this wasn't one of those. Skip it!

Crashers by Dana Haynes

2011-08-21T09:31:00.000-05:00

4.0 out of 5 stars The job of a Crasher is not to save lives, but to "find out why an aircraft crashed.",

I enjoyed this suspense thriller about a passenger plane crash in Portland, Oregon, and the investigation into the cause of it. When the NTSB's "Go-Team" comprised of a pathologist, voice recorder specialist, bomb and engineering experts assembles at the site of the downed plane and finds only a few survivors, they begin their painstaking and meticulous assessments and are quickly forced by obvious clues found in parts and data to accept an unpalatable conclusion: pilot error. As the team continues picking up the pieces and reassembling them at a nearby hangar, another subplot unfolds further south in California. Could there possibly be a terrorist connection to this doomed flight, and if so, since there seems to have been no bomb, how was the plane brought down? For it soon becomes apparent to the Crashers that this plane was indeed brought down deliberately.

The narrative moves at a very fast pace and comes to a quite satisfying conclusion. This is an action novel and the characters are interesting and though a bit stereotypical, I thought they were well described and believable. I admit I know NOTHING about airliners, aviation, or aeronautics, but I can see where professionals who work in this field might have some issues if the details about the plane's operation and such are incorrect. I, however, had no such distractions and just enjoyed the ride.

Recommended for all but the most white-knuckle flyers! I can't wait to read this author's new book, a sequel: Breaking Point due out in November 2011 when the Crashers find themselves with another situation to investigate.

Shut Your Eyes Tight by John Verdon

2011-08-15T15:44:00.002-05:00

3.0 out of 5 stars "Don't we...place ourselves in the positions in which we find ourselves?",

Not long after I had read and reviewed the debut novel in this new series, Think of a Number (Dave Gurney, No.1) (A Dave Gurney Novel), I had the opportunity to obtain this one as an ARC through the amazon vine program. The premise of the new book was really compelling: a bride, newly wed to a famous psychiatrist, is beheaded shortly after the ceremony! Ostensibly retired NYPB detective Dave Gurney is once again drug into a case that proves to be a complex mystery needing his special deductive skills.

The police originally believe that the murder of the beautiful but reportedly sociopathic bride, Jillian, was committed by a missing Mexican gardener who had apparently lived in the cottage where the body was discovered on the property where the wedding was celebrated. Dave is hired by the bride's super rich mother to find out the truth when the police haven't found a trace of the absent gardener after 4 months of investigation.

The narrative focuses on the techniques and thought processes used by Dave Gurney to discover and solve the mystery of who killed Jillian and why. I found some of the book quite slow and plodding and had to suspend disbelief a few times with some of the more unbelievable approaches or "ah ha" moments Dave manages to use to his advantage. The revelations about the complexities of the case are indeed like peeling an onion...layer upon layer. The denouement was not wholly unexpected, just took about 500 pages to get there. By that time, however, I was sick to death of Madeleine. I didn't want to read any more about her and Dave's marriage and I didn't care what she thought about anything nor did I want to hear any of her brilliant "insights" into the investigation. Dave seems to be an introverted intellect and I'd much rather see him tackle future cases alone without all his angst over his home and hearth. The book covers many different criminal elements (don't want to reveal any spoilers) with lots of super bad guys thrown in for good measure. I was ready for the end long before it finally came.

The story is definitely a multi-layered mystery, but really not a suspense thriller. I can't decide if I want to read another in this series or not.

Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian

2011-08-12T16:49:00.000-05:00

4.0 out of 5 stars Predictable but entertaining...

Alice Haywood is found dead by strangulation in the family home the night after her baptism. Her husband -- a brute who beat and abused her regularly -- is also there, but he died of a what appears to be a gunshot wound. Was it self-inflicted or is there someone else who entered the house that night and murdered George Haywood after he had passed out in a drunken stupor?

I enjoyed this mystery about an apparent murder-suicide of a married couple though, probably since I read so many, I was able to solve the whodunit after the second chapter. Even though it was predictable to me, I did like the way the author told the story in 4 parts through four of the main characters so that the reader could see the different points of view. I could have done without all the "angel" stuff as I really didn't find it germane or very interesting as I don't think it added anything to the story line. In fact, I thought it detracted from the thriller.

Part of this novel examines the day to day life of an abused woman and how that violence affects her daughter. In addition, it reminds the reader that we rarely know what goes on behind the closed doors of our neighbors, relatives, and friends. "None of us ever knows as much as we think we do" regardless of how many confidences are shared and how much time is spent around other people. Even what is said in secret might be suspect as many tend to hide, to prevaricate, or to lie -- perhaps minimizing or maximizing an event or situation.

I have read most all of this author's books and look forward eagerly to see what topic or issue he tackles next! Recommend to all current fans and encourage those who haven't read him to try one. They're all different so be sure to read the synopses first. My favorites: Skeletons at the Feast, Midwives: A Novel, Trans-Sister Radio: A Novel and Before You Know Kindness.

Keeper of the Light by Diane Chamberlain

2011-07-30T12:25:00.002-05:00

3.0 out of 5 stars -- Soap opera at the Outer Banks!

The one thing that can ruin an otherwise good book for me is the ending of it. I don't know why I am so picky, but that is the big thing for me. I want the characters to be people I can admire and whose actions follow that quality. I was really looking forward to this book as I have come to expect great stories and in-depth relationship development with a Diane Chamberlain book. As this was one of her earlier novels (1992), I can see how she has really grown as an author in the last 10+ years.

This book was fine though it had a little too much romance for me -- a love triangle -- or should I say, quadrangle, but the way it ended left me feeling a bit let down and irritated. It was as if the author had to create extreme character flaws in order to make the story turn out the way it did. As I'm finding, I do not like the way that Diane Chamberlain concludes her books! I did not like the resolution of the love dilemma nor did I find it realistic or believable. In fact, I was hoping that she would surprise me this time. Without writing spoilers I can't say more. Frankly I didn't think any of the characters in this novel were likable or worthy of respect so was happy to turn the last page with a sense of relief that I was done hearing about their antics and behavior.

I will likely continue to read more of this author's books hoping that eventually there will be an ending that I think fits before giving up.

Memory in Death by JD Robb

2011-07-29T15:04:00.003-05:00

3 stars

My guilty little escapist pleasure. Love Eve and the rest of the characters in this "in death" set of novels that I've read from the beginning. This one, #22, uses the same formula as the rest in this futuristic cop procedural series and I always enjoy them. As each book comes and goes, the reader learns a bit more about Eve's past and her efforts to become a new woman as she starts to appreciate her life now. I am going to keep reading them until the end!

Recommend.

Think of a Number by John Verdon

2011-07-25T08:09:00.000-05:00

3.0 out of 5 stars "Everyone wants to be recognized as justified"

This debut novel featuring former homicide detective Dave Gurney is a nice introduction to what seems to be a new series.

The premise: someone is sending taunting letters to random men. The letters purport to know of secret misdeeds from their pasts -- and the sender seems to be able to read their minds as he asks them to "think of a number" -- which he identifies.

Murder follows. Is this really the work of a true serial killer? What are the motives for the unusual rituals that the killer uses, patterns that repeat in subsequent cases. How are the murders related?

Dave Gurney is known for his logic and puzzle solving skills. Though he had retired, he is called back to help the local police investigate the crimes. His wife, Madeline, is not happy about his return as he has the unfortunate problem with becoming completely absorbed in his work.

The mystery is solved, and though predictable if the reader is paying close attention, the conclusion is satisfying.

So why 3 stars? The story was good enough but I just couldn't get past the superficiality. The characters are not fully developed and though the author hints of situations and issues from the past, nothing is explained and they seem aloof and I didn't connect with them nor empathize with them. I did not care at all for Madeline nor her role in basically giving this 'famed detective' many of the answers to confounding clues in the book. I wondered who was actually solving the case! That was a real irritant to me while reading.

I am interested enough in Dave Gurney to contemplate reading the second book in the series, Shut Your Eyes Tight (Dave Gurney, No. 2): A Novel, but won't rush right out to obtain it.

Death Pact by William Manchee

2011-07-20T10:34:00.006-05:00

3.0 out of 5 stars Predictable but entertaining,

This audio MP3 of Death Pact is described as a romantic mystery. I would definitely agree with that assessment and I enjoyed listening to this predictable but entertaining book while driving in my car. The novel is about a 30-something lawyer, Rich Coleman, who is put into the position of trustee for 17-year-old Erica Fox when her divorced, wealthy father dies in a skiing accident.

Though she is not of legal age, Erica and Rich begin an affair and he breaches his fiduciary duty on both moral grounds and because of the reckless way he handles the estate left to Erica. Though they try to keep their relationship a secret, they are found out by Rich's partners at his law firm who fire him, as well as by Erica's Aunt Martha and her son Arnold and who both try to get control of Erica and her money. During the course of the contest over the trustee situation, Aunt Martha is found murdered and Erica is arrested and goes on trial. Erica plans to plead temporary insanity but is afraid she will be convicted and urges Rich to enter into a 'death pact' with her -- if she is found guilty, they will both swallow cyanide capsules and thus be together for eternity.

The audio-book, read by Jeffrey Kafer in a capable manner, is not particularly suspenseful and I didn't find surprises or unexpected twists though the author definitely tries to set up some red herrings. The character of Rich seemed a bit immature but I did think it implausible that he would become embroiled in this situation with an underage charge, and his constant unnecessary references to God and going to Mass and such seemed a bit forced for a person who was going to commit suicide and who was having this type of affair. Erica was portrayed as being older and wise beyond her years thus seeking and gaining emancipation, but I did find the love affair a bit disconcerting. The fact of this affair (actually statutory rape) and the breach of fiduciary duty, however, were what set up the focus of the plot -- who really killed Aunt Martha?

I really liked that the entire book was recorded on one CD rather than having to constantly be changing out disks while also attempting to drive. I noticed there was a second book in the series, Plastic Gods (Rich Coleman Novels, 2), and read the blurb before I finished this one so I knew they didn't kill themselves! I don't know if I will read that one or not because of it being so far into the future of Rich and Erica and not focused on them. As an aside, I did find the fact that this book was set in the late 1970s to be a bit disconcerting as certain plot points would have been impossible with cell phones and other present day technology. I also noticed that the author has another series featuring a character named Stan Tuner, and I wonder if they are set more in the current time. I may or may not check them out.

All in all, I'd recommend this book for a quick and easy read (or listen) on a plane, train, or in the car.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

2011-07-18T08:27:00.000-05:00

3 out of 5 stars - part biography, part science, part moral and ethical treatise, this book provides an examination and historical perspective of the changes that have occurred in the medical and scientific communities with regard to informed consent and use of human tissue after the 1950s.

This non-fiction work that reads somewhat like a novel tells the story of Henrietta Lacks -- a black woman who died of a very aggressive cervical cancer (perhaps triggered by an HPV infection) at Johns Hopkins at the age of 30 in 1951. Doctors removed a piece of her malignant tumor and grew it in a culture medium transforming the cells into the immortal HeLa line still used for research purposes today. The author seeks out Henrietta's family and focuses her attention on the sons and daughters, specifically daughter Deborah, and their reaction to finding out that those cells grew into a billion dollar industry without them receiving the compensation they feel they deserved.

I didn't "love" this book as many others seem to. My perspective is different though I empathize with the sons and daughters of Henrietta who did not understand what happened to their mother nor were explanations given to help them see the fact that these tumor cells were not a "part" of their mother's normal body tissues nor their legacy. No one to this day knows why those particular malignant cells -- medical waste that is normally disposed of after diagnosis -- became so prolific.

Although I think the author depicted what she saw and heard directly from the Lacks family, and how sorry she personally felt for their situation, I do not think that the family deserved any compensation for the money made from those tumor cells for this reason: the cells alone were worthless; it was only because of the scientific community that they became valuable and allowed researchers to make hugely important and life-saving discoveries because they could use them for experiments instead of live humans. If the family had been given the tumor cells instead of them being given to Dr. Gey, what would they have done with them? Should they have been asked, yes indeed, but at that time and place there was no such thing as informed consent and tumor cells were considered trash to be used for making the diagnosis and then thrown out.

I do not think that the Lacks family was exploited more than any other person who had a malignant tumor or other tissue removed and I do not think that Henrietta's cell removal was deliberate or only done because of her race. I would postulate that any person's tissues that were so abnormal would have been of interest to scientists at that place and time. Perhaps the real crime here is that Henrietta never told her family what was wrong with her, the doctors who treated her never met with the husband or children to offer any medical information, and they were left without knowing the full story. No one really knew what exactly had happened to Henrietta; they didn't understand what she died from or why the treatment didn't work. The sad story here is that this family didn't ever know anything about their mother and thus were left in a void of ignorance. Times were different then and many changes have been made so that this type of thing is unlikely to happen again. I guess the real question is whether or not people who read the book feel that the Lacks family was intentionally wronged and that the doctors and scientists should have not used those cells that went on to help make lifesaving treatments that benefited all of humanity. The cell line didn't make money until much time and work was invested in them.

Yes there are many interesting moral and ethical issues that come up every day in biological science. Those who work in this field walk a very thin line between what can be done vs what should be done. I don't envy them.

Because of the inception of informed consent this situation won't likely occur again. I hope that the book at least helps people who aren't familiar with how tissues and cells removed from the body might be used to make their own personal decisions about its use. New procedures and technologies in the rapidly changing world of medicine make it essential that every person undergoing care and treatment take it upon themselves to investigate, ask questions and ensure their own understanding.

After you read the book you can reflect and make your own decision about what happened.

Very Bad Men by Harry Dolan

2011-07-13T09:38:00.006-05:00

3.0 out of 5 stars "We all want to be seen for who we really are..."

This is the second novel featuring David Loogan and his live-in partner Elizabeth Waishkey. David is the editor and publisher of mystery stories for a magazine called "Gray Streets". Elizabeth is a detective for the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan. In a very unlikely scenario, David becomes involved in a whodunit when he discovers an envelope propped against the door of his office. Inside that envelope is a message and a confession from someone who claims to have killed a recent murder victim. Who left this confession and why? This is the first of several apparent executions. The victims are all connected to a failed heist - the Great Lakes Bank Robbery, that occurred many years previously. In addition to David bumbling along in the investigation, there is also a young tabloid reporter named Lucy Navarro hot on the case. The chapters skip around and focus on different characters and move back and forth in time. This is a story that has a large cast of good guys and bad guys and a lot of background information is provided that moves the narrative forward.

I didn't find this novel to be particularly suspenseful or very thrilling. Also found it to be very slow moving with way too many completely unrealistic, and frankly sort of uninteresting, plot points. The story was very predictable with its characters all running around playing amateur sleuth a la Nancy Drew. It seemed as if the author was trying to imitate other writers with his dialog; the back cover compares his writing to Elmore Leonard. The way that David and Lucy insert themselves into the hunt for the killer and involve themselves in the case seemed completely unbelievable -- and what detective would allow her boyfriend and daughter to actually skulk around town carrying out this clandestine investigation? I had a hard time suspending disbelief. After all, these are supposed to be VERY BAD MEN.

The resolution was OK but quite drawn out. The real purpose of the tale was explained in the first chapter -- it's "about the motives people have for killing one another."

I did not read the first book in this series, Bad Things Happen, and it will be unlikely that I'd read the third. Despite raves from the publisher ensuring that it will "keep your mind racing and your hand eagerly turning pages," I simply did not find this mystery very compelling or interesting.

The Genesis Key by James Barney

2011-07-06T10:25:00.001-05:00

3.0 out of 5 stars -- If science can do it -- should we use it?

This novel has elements of science, anthropology, religion, archeology, history, mythology, mystery, conspiracy, covert governmental machinations -- and more...whew! And that's part of the problem with this book about the longevity gene (INDY = I'm not dead yet -- a Monty Python reference) and a scientist's experience finding and sequencing it.

Of COURSE everyone wants this new information that sets someone up to make billions of dollars, and the ensuing action in subsequent chapters is filled with scenes of car chases, spying, shootouts, double crosses, murders and the like. Naturally the US government also has an eye out and an interest in this technology. Dr. Kathleen Sainsbury receives a single tooth that was rescued from a sarcophagus deep in a 5000-year-old tomb from an old friend of her parents and starts the lab process to examine its DNA. When she begins the experiments on that tooth and her lab discovers the gene sequence that allows a human to live well beyond the current life span, chaos ensues.

At this point, when this INDY gene is discovered and sequenced making it potentially useful, is when the narrative turns reflective and ridiculous with its sudden moral and ethical lecturing -- surely any scientist that is delving into the human genome would have thought about the implications of increased life span?? But no, all of a sudden there is conscience and questioning of whether or not science can be stopped or when it goes too far. Indeed, what would happen to the planet if its population suddenly mushroomed and everyone lived for hundreds of years reproducing and consuming resources for much longer periods of time??

Moral and ethical debate aside, the novel was an OK tale perfect for reading without too much analysis of the veracity of the science or the religious references. Enjoy for what it is -- an action-packed read that might give the reader a thing or two to contemplate.

The Sixes by Kate White

2011-07-03T11:03:00.002-05:00

3.0 out of 5 stars

Secret society of mean girls causing trouble -- but capable of murder

This is a formulaic mystery involving a possible serial killer, a secret society of mean girls bent on causing damage, and several other sinister activities at Lyle College, located in a small town in Pennsylvania.

Phoebe Hall -- a 42-year-old disgraced reporter who left New York in the wake of a plagiarism accusation, is asked to fill in for a teacher on maternity leave at the behest of the college president, her former roommate and friend from boarding school, Glenda Johns. Phoebe is also healing from a recent romantic breakup and retreats to this small college to recover and wait until her reputation is repaired. Shortly after the fall term starts, a female student whom Phoebe talked with briefly on a walk in the rain across the quad, is found drowned. Was the dead girl a victim of a tragic accident or was she murdered? If so, who might be the killer? Because of rumors around campus of a secret and powerful women's sorority, and because of Phoebe's past experience of having been a target of such a group while in boarding school, Glenda asks her to look into this group -- known as The Sixes -- and to see what her investigative skills can uncover.

The rest of the narrative is fraught with predictable scenes and red herrings as Phoebe puts herself fully into the search for answers about the dead girl, the secret society, and other cases of missing persons that occurred over the previous two years. Are all of these deaths related? As she noses into details surrounding the events, she is targeted and harassed with home invasion and other warnings to back off the investigation. The death count rises the closer she gets to the truth. Although I thought I had figured out the entire 'whodunit' by the fourth chapter, I ended up being wrong. That's not to say that the conclusion is realistic or believable; just not what I had anticipated, and somewhat unsatisfactory. I did like that the main character, Phoebe Hall, was middle-aged.

This is an entertaining and mindless read -- perfect for passing time while on a plane, at the beach, or by a pool. It reminded me, at first, of another Gothic suspense novel that I read recently, The Raising: A Novel (P.S.), which I'd recommend if you like this type of suspenseful, secret girl society type of book.

The Year We Left Home by Jean Thompson

2011-07-01T12:31:00.003-05:00

3.0 out of 5 stars

Lives of quiet desperation...

I wanted to like this novel much more than I actually did. When I closed the book after reading the last chapter (which, in my opinion, was the best in the entire saga, actually), I was left with vague feelings of disquiet. As Blake states when his brother Ryan wonders how the "old-timers" felt about their lives: "They didn't think in terms of happy."

This novel was a series of disjointed vignettes spanning 1973-2003, told in alternating points of view, that give us a snapshot into both the banal and the significant moments in the lives of the large extended Nordic, Lutheran, Erikson family who were born and raised in the rural Midwestern small town of Grenada, Iowa. Each child tries to "leave" in his or her own way, and the picture that emerges as each person tells their story is one of hopeful alienation and the pain of self discovery. It was all somewhat depressing. The tales related in each section reflect the events going on in each of the main characters' lives -- Anita, Ryan, Blake, Torrie -- but also involve their cousins, parents and other relatives and how they all are a part of a family that was "built to last" despite all the trials and tribulations. There are some unfinished stories that left me with questions about what happened "after" or how things ended up the way they did, but though the author sometimes picks up that story line again in a later chapter, some were left dangling. The brothers and sisters seemed to limp painfully toward adulthood, but there are a few triumphs amidst their struggles. The last paragraph -- as one of the children sums up his analysis of his ancestral past and his hope for the future -- is absolutely one of the best parts of this book and one I will remember for a very long time. Any curious reader will simply have to get the book and read it.

Buried Secrets by Joseph Finder

2011-06-27T15:52:00.004-05:00

4.0 out of 5 stars -

How deep are your secrets buried?

This book contains all the ingredients necessary for a novel to earn the right to be called a true suspense thriller: enigmatic clever hero, young damsel in distress, horribly evil bad guys, ruthless, manipulative powerful men who like to get what they want, and lots of action.

Nick Heller is called to the home of billionaire financier Marshall Marcus, an old friend of the family who had employed Nick's mom, when his 17 year old daughter Alexa doesn't come home one night. Suspecting that she has been kidnapped for ransom, Nick sets his private investigation in motion using his own employees and calling in favors from all sorts of friends from his former experiences in the military and beyond. Who has taken Alexa? Where is she being held, and what will it take to bring her home alive? Although Nick moves at breakneck speed using all his resources, he's also suspicious that Marcus is keeping secrets from him that might prevent this from being a successful rescue. Will he be able to solve the mystery and uncover the buried secrets in time?

This is the second book in the Nick Heller series (the first one -- I did not read it -- was Vanished (Nick Heller 1)) and it stands well alone. To say that this was hard to put down is an understatement. The short chapters and change in point of view keep the narrative moving forward at a very rapid pace. I really enjoyed this novel and hope there's a third one in the works. Recommend for a great summer read -- but only if you have nothing else to do until you turn the last page!

Healer by Carol Cassella

2011-06-26T09:23:00.000-05:00

4.0 out of 5 stars What's left when you've lost it all?

This second novel by medical doctor Carol Cassella explores the answer to the question -- what is left when you've lost all your material possessions, your home, your reputation, and your previous world of friends and social interaction? The answer lies, for these characters, in the rustic, rural former vacation home they never renovated, in a small town in Hallum, Washington. What remains is simple: hard work and love.

Claire is a stay-at-home mom to teen-aged Jory (the only child she can have, born prematurely) when her husband Addison, a wildly successful biochemist who had made them rich by discovering a test to diagnose ovarian cancer early, gambles their entire financial portfolio on a new anti-cancer drug he's trying to bring to market. Almost ready for FDA approval, lab data from clinical trials is suspicious, and the fledgling research venture folds along with Addison's integrity. Gone is all the money they had received from Addison's former triumph, and they have to sell their house and possessions and relocate to Hallum while Addison goes begging at medical conventions for investors in the project he can't give up.

Meanwhile, Claire -- who was almost done with residency when Jory arrived early -- needs a job to feed herself and her daughter. Because she's not board certified, she takes the only job she's offered -- in a free clinic for migrant workers run by an aging physician, Dr. Dan Zalaya. The position pays little, and Claire is nervous and anxious about actually working as a doctor again and has also a little difficulty with translating the patients' complaints from Spanish since she doesn't speak the language. She is forced to be a single parent to Jory and works long hours in the barely funded clinic. This was the best part of the novel for me, watching Claire develop her confidence in the art of practicing medicine, being the "healer" as doctora to these migrant workers. I loved the interactions between her and the patients, and between her and the staff at the clinic. It painted a bleak picture of the life of the illegal immigrants and it felt to me that Claire was getting back some of her self esteem.

A constant irritant in the book was the teenage daughter Jory, whom I could not stand. I realize that many teenagers are self absorbed and narcissistic, but the amount of patience that Claire had to use to deal with her defied my tolerance level. I just couldn't stand Jory's character and in my view she never redeemed herself or grew up any in the book. Addison was shallow and also selfish -- forging ahead with his dream when he should have taken a bench lab job to provide for his family. I saw him, who had basically stolen away the family fortune without ever discussing it with his wife, as a complete failure as husband and father. I also couldn't understand where the money to buy the food and pay the other bills was coming from as they were buying jewelry and food and paying utilities on only Claire's meager salary. Despite these discordant notes, the narrative moved along hopefully as the family tiptoes around each other trying to work their way back to being a unit and the loving trio they once had been.

Then, for some reason, the last part of the book attempts to set up a mystery using a Nicaraguan refugee with a lost daughter. This part of the novel fell flat and seemed tacked on, but other than that - the story moves to a conclusion that is somewhat satisfying. There is redemption of a sort, and the restoration of trust -- though hard won -- and above all, there is love.

The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry

2011-06-21T09:36:00.000-05:00

4.0 out of 5 stars "Privateers are the nursery for pirates" (Captain Charles Johnson - 1724),

What a rollicking adventure! I really enjoyed this fast-paced historical fiction tale about a secret society of privateers (pirates), the Commonwealth, who joined forces and were spurred to action in defense of the colonies during the American Revolution. With a loose connection to actual events that occurred during the early years of our nation's birth and bringing the Commonwealth to still active status in the present day, author Steve Berry devises a plot that is both plausible and entertaining.

Cotton Malone, previously a Justice Department operative, is called to New York for a meeting with an old friend and his former boss, Stephanie Nelle. He arrives in time to foil an assassination attempt on Danny Daniels, the US President! Discovering that the whole scene was a set-up, he and partner Casseopeia Vitt begin a hunt for the missing Stephanie and an investigation into the Commonwealth to find out who was involved with this plot and why.

This is great cross and double cross mystery adventure that uses some historical facts to create a complex situation that takes the characters from the quiet and secluded estates in Bath, North Carolina, to a deserted crumbling old fort in Nova Scotia. I raced through the pages as the action shifted from one point of view and scene to another. Along the way, the reader learns about the role of privateers in wartime and many interesting facts about early US presidents and a secret code devised for Thomas Jefferson that holds the key to the power the Commonwealth needs. It all makes for a nicely complex novel that readers and fans will find satisfying.

A short writer's note at the end of the book separates fact from fiction. All in all, a fun beach read with lots of action, short chapters, and a compelling story. Although this is part of a series, you don't need to have read the previous Cotton Malone books to enjoy this one -- but you might want to go back and start at the beginning with The Templar Legacy: A Novel, and read the author's other stand alone novels as well!

Pacific Heights by Paul Harper

2011-06-19T09:50:00.000-05:00

What a great summer thrill ride -- and a fantastic debut for a new series featuring retired SID detective Marten Kane. Two wives of well-known San Francisco entrepreneurs are seeing a psychotherapist -- they don't know each other, but one man, Ryan Kroll, knows both of them -- very well. In fact, he knows their most intimate secrets, fantasies, hidden horrors and insecurities. AND he intends to use that knowledge against them in the most personal way possible. He seeks them out, contrives to meet them, and begins a love affair with both Elise and Lore and uses the knowledge he has stolen from the therapist's office files to control and manipulate them. What is his goal? Enter Marten Kane -- the ultimate "fix it" man -- he has both the discretion and the intelligence to figure out what Ryan Kroll is doing and to try to stop him before he carries out his plans with the two women.
High recommend this book to all fans of the suspense thriller genre! I am eagerly looking forward to Paul Harper's (a pseudonym for David Lindsey) next installment in the Marten Kane series.

I read this ARC for the Library Thing Early Reviewers program.

Devil's Plaything by Matt Richtel

2011-06-17T20:32:00.000-05:00

3.0 out of 5 stars Step away from your computer!, June 17, 2011

This was an OK thriller that has to do with the bad guys using computer technology to secretly mess with peoples' brains and their memories. But why? The main character, a medical blog writer and former doctor named Nat Idle, and his grandmother Lane are running around San Francisco trying to figure out why her dementia is progressing so rapidly and what memories of hers have been tampered with or altered. Nat is detracted from solving the mystery by suspicious characters at every turn. He can't seem to get answers from the caregivers at the nursing home where Lane lives or from her neurologist, nor from a quasi military type venture capitalist named Chuck who appears out of nowhere to save Nat and his grandmother from an attack by a gun toting man in a Prius.

The action scenes are there and the ingredients for a fast paced thriller are in place, but the story and the main plot really don't go anywhere. The narrative seems to be more a social commentary about the danger to human minds because of multitasking and the internet than a real suspense thriller. The revelations about the "big secret" that Grandma Lane has and the resultant case breaking clues that are finally exposed aren't really very exciting and the story sort of limps to a less than compelling or satisfying conclusion. The moral of the story seems to be that humans should stop using computers and have more face-to-face interactions with their loved ones lest we all forget simple things, ruin our long term memories and our brains.

Fine, escapist beach read -- don't expect a high octane thrill ride because it's not found in these pages.

Sister by Rosamund Lupton

2011-06-14T10:50:00.002-05:00

4.0 out of 5 stars The bond between sisters can be very strong..., June 15, 2011

It's very difficult to write a review of a book that doesn't allow the reader to discuss particulars that would be spoilers for anyone wanting to know whether or not to buy a book. I will make every effort to avoid giving anything away.

To be honest, however, I must say that I have a pet peeve -- and that is with books that have an ambiguous ending (or a non ending). I don't like them. This is that sort of a book. Despite that aggravation, I must say that if you like a good mystery story with an unusual twist, you will like this book.

Reminiscent of Chevy Stevens' Still Missing and Never Knowing, author Rosamund Lupton has her main character, Beatrice, use both a letter format and a lawyer with the Crown Prosecution Service to tell her story. (Chevy Stevens uses therapy sessions notes and a therapist). The plot is simple -- Beatrice gets a call from her mother that her sister Tess is missing and she leaves New York to go to London to find out what happened. The narrative, in the form of a letter to her sister, describes what Beatrice found when she arrived and her own investigation into her sister's death. The police have ruled it a suicide but Beatrice knows her sister and knows that she would never have done that. Her discoveries about the life her sister was living give her pause; she wonders if she really did know her sister as well as she thought she did. Was the death of Tess really a suicide or was it murder? If so, who did it? Beatrice tells Mr. Wright, the lawyer for CPS, step by step what she finds as she delves into the mystery. Multiple suspects provide Beatrice with many avenues to explore. Lots of red herrings and a few surprising twists as discoveries are made and truths are uncovered.

There is foreshadowing and melodrama as the story comes to a shocking conclusion (you know something is off, but not quite sure what it is) and the reader is left momentarily holding her breath at the end. And then the reader says -- what the heck???

I liked most of the book really well, but I did not like how it concluded. If you like a gripping, dark and gothic type thriller, I think you will enjoy this book.

The Night Season by Chelsea Cain

2011-05-31T18:29:00.000-05:00

2.0 out of 5 stars Not suspenseful and not a thriller..., May 31, 2011

This review is from: The Night Season (Archie and Gretchen) (Audio CD)

I have read the other books in the Gretchen Lowell-Archie Sheridan series to mixed review. This one is so unrelated as to be understandable if read as a stand alone.

First off -- the reader of this audio version, Christina Delaine, was the WORST narrator I have ever heard! I almost threw the CD box in the trash but forced myself through to the end hoping for improvement. There was none. Her pronunciation of words (skele DON instead of TON and BOOO kay instead of Bow) drove me up the wall as did her hoarse-voiced raspy attempt at Archie (and all the other male characters come to think of it. He sounds like he has no personality and is almost dead most of the time -- no emotion. Anyway, the audio version was horrible. If you want to read more in this series, at least get the book.

Now for the review of the story. Well, hate to tell you, but it was not very good either. Victims are found in the waters of the Willamette river - they drowned -- but wait -- what is that puncture wound??? The killing method (blue ringed octopus???) = ridiculous and the whole motivation for the murders quite lame. There was absolutely nothing in this book to redeem the boring characters or the plot. The relentless and pedantic descriptions of the Willamette flooding and the water, water, water, were redundant and uninteresting. The only thing that got me were the needless deaths of some perfectly fine people.

I do not like any of Cain's characters. Susan Ward makes me crazy -- she's so immature and stupid (you'll agree when you read how she manages to yet again insert herself into the clutches of the killer and I'm tired of Saint Archie and his sad sack life, addictions, and in-need-of-therapy self. I was bored by turns and irritated by others. I didn't even care when the climax occurred but wondered why the book went on for several more chapters of blah blah blah. Gretchen Lowell? Well she's not in this book :) This was not suspenseful and not a thriller. Pass.

I won't read another in this series and urge you to just say NO. It really isn't worth your time.

Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

2011-05-31T08:49:00.001-05:00

"At least I tried."

In this 5th book in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, Ann Brashares brings back the characters we knew and loved as they enter their thirties. Four friends ten years later. How has the sisterhood fared - how has life treated them and where are they now?

Although the girls had gone their separate ways and had sort of lost touch with each other, Lena, Carmen and Bee gather in Greece for a reunion arranged by Tibby. What they find there changes their lives forever.

This is a story of enduring friendship and love. Although at times almost maudlin and certainly sentimental, the narrative makes us root for each of the girls to finally find true happiness.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it as a fitting conclusion to the series introduced to the world of young adult readers in 2001. Some have said that this novel is not for that YA market, but I think teens who enjoyed the other 4 books (and movies) will want to follow this sisterhood of best friends into adulthood.

Addendum: I'm adding this last part because of advice not to read it because it's sad. Yes -- some parts of the book are sad. But who among you has a perfect life that is not marred by some disappointment or other event that you wish you hadn't gone through? I think the things that happen to the girls in the book provide a more realistic depiction of how we all fare through adulthood. There is regret and loss. Everything for most of us is not always sunny and happy. Neither is it for the girls of the Sisterhood. And I think that's how it should be.

The Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Iles

2011-05-29T19:15:00.002-05:00

3.0 out of 5 stars Too long and too much, May 29, 2011

This review is from: The Devil's Punchbowl: A Novel (Hardcover)

3.5 of 5 stars
NOTE: this book contains graphic descriptions of animal and human torture, abuse, and dog fighting.

This third Penn Cage novel went on a bit too long. By the end, I decided that I really didn't like any of the main characters and I was tired of the story. Penn, formerly a DA and author, and now the ersatz mayor of Natchez, Mississippi -- his childhood home -- and Caitlin Masters, his former girlfriend reporter who has returned home for unknown reasons, team up again in a sordid story of gambling, prostitution, dog fighting and corruption at the riverboat casinos.

Penn has to call on his black op friends to protect his family and to help him figure out why his old friend Tim Jessup was murdered. Tim, trying to change his burnt out druggie reputation, has come upon some evidence of illegal activity that he brings to Penn. Before he can get the evidence to Penn, the evil Magnolia Queen boat owner/operators Sands and Quinn (Irish ex pats) take him out. In a race against time, Penn Cage joins up with a couple f elite special forces men, and a former Texas Ranger, in a somewhat unbelievable pursuit of justice and the saving of his town.

I really liked the previous two novels in this series, The Quiet Game and Turning Angel, but this one just didn't hit the same spot for me. The bad guys were over-the-top evil and Penn almost hit sainthood. I know fans of Greg Iles' novels will buy this one, but I hope that his next in the series will be an improvement.

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua

2011-05-22T19:02:00.000-05:00

I did not like this book and really won't recommend it except to argue with anyone who agrees with author Chua that she has an imitable or admirable parenting style. Her tone was superior and smug, all the while mostly a "brag book" about her talented, abused daughters and how SHE made them so successful. I don't understand a husband and father standing by listening to the insults and humiliation, disguised and excused as a fierce maternal love, heaped by his wife onto his precious daughters. No, thank you. I guess I'm of the mind that parenting impressionable children and raising them to be responsible adults is difficult and lacks a fool proof road map, but I would choose a method and style that, though strict in some ways, would not be cruel.

The Cutting by James Hayman

2011-05-22T10:02:00.001-05:00

A satisfying thriller!, May 21, 2011

A young teen-aged girl is found dead and mutilated in a scrap-metal yard. Her heart has been cut out in a manner that could pass for surgical precision. Earlier that morning, a jogger -- another blonde and beautiful athlete -- was abducted by what McCabe fears is a serial killer targeting this type of victim. The suspense builds as he and Maggie race to try to find this kidnapped woman before she too succumbs to the mutilation. They discover a string of similar crimes stretching from Portland, Maine to Florida. Who is behind these murders and what are they doing with the hearts they steal?

Another thing I really liked, besides the well-developed plot, were the two main characters. I want to get to know them and read more about them. Mike McCabe is a single father raising a 13 year old girl with an ex-wife who has returned for a visitation after several years of absence from their lives. Maggie is a bit mysterious and might have some secrets. The partners work well together and there seems to be a bit of chemistry as well.

If you like a good thriller, ignore the fact that you may or may not find some of the book predictable, and open the cover!

Fallen by Karin Slaughter

2011-05-19T08:52:00.000-05:00

Secrets, lies, betrayal and murder..., May 19, 2011

The opening chapters of this book will draw in any thriller lover immediately! Faith Mitchell is late to her mother's house to pick up her infant daughter, Emma. When she arrives to find a blood-stained door, a hostage situation in the bedroom, a dead man in the laundry room, and her mother missing -- the real suspense begins. The kidnapped, retired policewoman, Evelyn Mitchell, has a long and complicated history as a former head of a drug investigation unit that ended up brought down on corruption charges. Who has taken her and what do they want? What follows is a complicated and involving effort to unravel the mystery and takes the characters on a wild chase from death row at a Georgia prison to a warehouse that fronts as a cabinet factory to a hospital morgue.

This is the third novel by author Karin Slaughter that features the characters of Will Trent and Faith Mitchell - both work for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. They have connected with Sara Linton, a trauma doctor who was previously married to cop Jeffery Tolliver in the Grant County series. The two prior books, Triptych and Fractured, introduced the interesting duo of Will and Faith (he with severe dyslexia and she with a hard life past) and they met Sara when she returned to Atlanta to work in a hospital there. The complex characters have interesting and unique relationships to each other and this provides a great deal of depth to the narrative.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good suspense thriller. I do think it would be best if the reader started at the beginning of the Grant County series with Blindsighted (Dr. Sara Linton) and worked his/her way up to this one in order to fully see the changes and growth that have transpired in the characters, but I do suppose it could be enjoyed as a stand alone as well.

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

2011-05-10T08:57:00.000-05:00

Fun and mindless beach read!, May 10, 2011

A friend brought this book in for me to read since the movie was about to be released. I don't typically read this genre, but found it to be a mindless, lighthearted and funny story about two "best friends" who are heading into their thirties with marriage on their minds.

Darcy is engaged to Dex, the man that Rachel discovers that she wants for herself. Unfortunately, Darcy is her best friend and Rachel is supposed to be the maid of honor at the upcoming nuptials. What happens when Rachel and Dex hook up and begin an affair?

Sure enough, as is common in a book of this type, the characters are over-the-top stereotypical. Does consummate good girl Rachel deserve Dex because Darcy is such a self absorbed party girl? Hey, there are rules between friends, and one of the primary girlfriend rules is that you don't go after your best friend's boyfriend (fiance, husband, whatever). Despite the fact that this behavior is reprehensible, the novel is fast paced and entertaining. The reader may or may not root for a happy ending for all.

Definitely one to take to the beach.

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

2011-05-10T08:55:00.000-05:00

"How can a woman know herself, if she doesn't really know her mother?", May 5, 2011

This was a very interesting and emotionally involving story that moved from a present day setting backward in time to Leningrad, Russia, during the siege of that city during WW II.

Middle aged sisters Meredith and Nina have had a very unhappy and unsatisfying relationship with their cold and reserved Russian mother, Anya. They both have spent years trying to reach her and to earn her love, but neither has been able to breech the barrier that has kept her estranged from them. They know nothing about her past, which seems to limit them in their own ability to fully live their lives and to develop good relationships with those they care about. Meredith is the super obsessive older sister who stayed behind to help her parents run their orchard; she uses chores and activities to avoid thinking about why she has never done what she wanted. Nina left the family behind to become a globetrotting photojournalist with no permanent ties and no need to settle down anywhere with anyone. The girls reunite at the family home when their beloved father, Evan, dies and leaves them devastated and alone with the stranger who is their mother.

Through a series of stories told to the girls by their mother -- at first in fairy-tale fashion -- Meredith and Nina discover that their mother has a past that she has tried to escape by never speaking of it. She tells of the horrors of living and trying to survive in war-torn Leningrad during World War II and the subsequent sacrifices she had to make in order to live. The girls finally find out who their mother is and why she is the way she is.

This is a very touching but horrible story that will keep the reader turning the pages until the stunning revelation at the end. This is a book that does more than entertain - it will make the reader think and feel and want to go hug their loved ones. A book like this can change and affect a reader long after the last words have been read. I recommend it.

The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf

2011-04-29T16:35:00.000-05:00

Two little girls go missing in the night..., April 29, 2011

The story premise -- two little 7 year-old girls, Calli and Petra, vanish from their separate homes in the middle of a hot Iowa night. They live in an isolated area that is surrounded by woods and it is there that much of the main story action is focused. Calli Clark is a selective mute -- she hasn't spoken a word since a tragedy she witnessed at age 4. Her best friend, Petra Gregory, is her voice and has protected Callie since they met.

One morning, Calli's drunken brute of a father, Griff, drags her into the woods. Around the same time, for reasons not given to the reader, Petra leaves her house as well. When the girls are discovered missing, Deputy Sheriff Loras Louis launches a search for the girls. The deputy also happens to be the ex-boyfriend of Calli's mother, Antonia, and though he's married, he is of course still in love with her. The whole love triangle aspect of this book was completely predictable and left a negative impression on me and decreased my appreciation of the novel.

The drama surrounding the disappearance and the reactions of the parents of the girls and Calli's brother Ben provided the best suspense of the book. The story was told, however, in different points of view and the characters never seemed to find their own individual voice so I didn't end up really connecting with any of them.

The resolution falls flat and the epilogue, though it tied up all the loose ends, did not satisfy. I don't know if I will read this author's next book or not.

Terminal Neglect by Michael Rushnak

2011-04-28T09:15:00.000-05:00

Big bad pharma...again, April 28, 2011

This was a mediocre medical thriller with a fairly old story line -- big bad pharma makes a new drug and gets greedy in order to recoup their investment and make millions. Of course there is the hero doctor with a big conscience who won't compromise his personal ethics and that resistance comes at a huge cost. So, nothing new here with the plot and cardboard characters who are quite cliche.

Dr. Jonathan Rogers is tapped to be Surgeon General by the current US President. Because of his personal moral stand against giving blanket approval to certain practices by the pharmaceutical industry, however, he is targeted for reprisal. He is shot, he's diagnosed with lung cancer, his daughter is kidnapped, and his entire personal and professional life starts to unravel. Who can he trust? Everyone has an agenda to advance themselves into positions of power.

Dr. Rogers and his estranged wife Kim are told not to contact authorities about their missing daughter or she will be killed. Doctors Choice Pharmaceuticals -- the manufacturer of a new cancer drug, seems to be implicated in both the kidnapping and in all the other things that are happening in Jonathan's life. Will he be able to stop the evil pharmaceutical industry and a secret organization of people in positions of high authority called The Health Club, from pushing their drug and encouraging oncologists to prescribe it to cancer patients even though the drug has not proved efficacious in the treatment of most of those cancers?

The book moved along quickly with shuffles between point of view and different characters. Although a completely predictable read, it did require some suspension of disbelief as the cross and double cross of the characters played out.

Pass on this one! I'm a lover of medical thrillers and this story line is tired. I think most people know that the pharmaceutical industry is a huge business and that sometimes they get greedy as new drugs cost so much to bring to the market. How about something NEW?

The Bodies Left Behind by Jeffery Deaver

2011-04-21T12:54:00.002-05:00

So-so stand alone..., April 21, 2011

I have read all of Jeffery Deaver's previous books but this stand alone cat-and-mouse tale doesn't hold up to the high octane suspense thriller that I'm used to reading when I open one of his novels.

Deputy Brynn McKenzie is dispatched to Lake Mondac to investigate an aborted 911 call from a cell phone that appears to have originated from a secluded lake house there. When she arrives and enters the house, she discovers the bodies of a man and woman who have been murdered. The killers are, however, still on the scene and when Brynn finds another potential victim unharmed at the residence they band together and run out from the house to evade the two killers. Although the plot advances at a rapid pace, and even as the events unfold and the reader is swept up into the tense chase, the narrative requires the reader to suspend disbelief as Brynn McKenzie and a friend of the murdered couple escape into the dark Wisconsin woods on a dark, cold night in April. Pursued by two ruthless hit men, they rush blindly toward any avenue of safety only to be thwarted by the men time and again. Dirtied and injured, they encounter others out in those dark woods that night. Are they friend or foe? The whole "in the woods" portion of the book goes on and on and on. In addition, there is another subplot involving union shenanigans and other red herrings that don't necessarily add to the story but only confuse the reader.

The loose ends are all tied up neatly at the end, as expected. While not Deaver's best, I'm sure his fans will want to read this one but I suggest they borrow rather than buy. I enjoyed the experience of reading the Large Print version of the book as it is much easier on the eyes.

A Heartbeat Away by Michael Palmer

2011-04-19T10:45:00.002-05:00

Disappointed again..., April 19, 2011

This review is from: A Heartbeat Away (Audio CD)

I have read all of Michael Palmer's books -- some better than others. This was an "other" and a disappointment to me. This was not so much a medical thriller as it was a chance for the author to get on his soap box about ethical and political issues such as the use of animals for drug and disease testing, the efficacy of homeland security, and the government's approach to terrorism -- to name a few.

As other reviewers have pointed out, the plot premise was sound. Someone (we are led to believe it is a terrorist group known as Genesis) releases a deadly virus into the hall of the Capitol as the President is giving his State of the Union address. All who are present are subsequently quarantined and President James Allaire locates someone he previously imprisoned to try to make a serum that will cure everyone. From that interesting start, the story spirals out and tries to deal with too many subplots and those ethical issues I mentioned.

Although the narrative moves along at a rapid pace, the writing really irritated me and detracted from my enjoyment of the story. The author writes using one string of metaphors or similes after another. Everything is "like" something. The escapes that the main characters make from professional hit men are ludicrous and totally unbelievable. I didn't like a single character in this book -- not even the savior Griffin Rhodes or his girlfriend and sidekick, investigative reporter Angela Fletcher. The characters in the book are typical black and white caricatures and stereotypes of good guys and bad guys (or gals). Nothing was surprising and the entire resolution was completely predictable.

So, I suggest you pass on this one if you are looking to read a good medical thriller. I hope that Palmer returns to his original style and sticks to books that focus on the medical aspects rather than the political.

An aside -- I listened to this book on audio CD and I must give kudos to the reader. He did an excellent job of voicing the characters - both male and female. It was easy to tell them apart and he did a very nice reading. If you really want to get this book, buy this audio version!

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

2011-04-17T10:21:00.002-05:00

A good friend is a true gift..., April 17, 2011

I liked this book! I know it was sentimental and tugged at the emotions -- a story of a tumultuous friendship between two women that spanned about 30 years and follows them through childhood, college life, and adult years. I enjoyed reconnecting with the sights and sounds of the 70s and 80s and took a trip down my own memory lane with Tully and Kate from Firefly Lane. My preferred genre is the suspense thriller so this was a nice change of pace from blood, guts and psycho killers.

Readers have remarked on this book's similarity to the 1988 movie Beaches (Special Edition) and the book Beaches: A Novel. They are only similar because female friendship stories typically have the same elements -- strong loyalty, support, and love that weather the tests of time and the changes that the women go through as they leave childhood behind and become the women they are going to be. Certainly the situations that crop up in the novel are ones that other lifelong female friends have faced: betrayal, jealousy, envy -- and the root of those feelings is that even best friends compare themselves to each other and often wonder at that "path not taken" as they reach the stage of self actualization. Sure it's almost a cliche that the hard-driven career minded single woman wishes for a husband and family (that's Tully) while the downtrodden, self-sacrificing homemaker (and this is Kate) wants more glamour and a sense of reaching a goal of "being somebody" in her own right. Don't most of us, maybe only secretly or momentarily, wonder sometimes -- "what if?" Friendships and relationships have stages and don't stay the same throughout the course of a life -- some don't last even as others evolve and are the very foundation of another's life. Tully and Kate have many ups and downs through their years, but one fact remains; the girls know each other inside and out. And they count on that.

I think it's nice now and again to touch base with the concept of a being or having a true friend. This story of Tully and Kate helps us to perhaps re-evaluate where we ourselves are on the continuum of our own friendships. It is unusual for anyone to really have a "perfect life" or really "have it all" (despite what we're told -- there are always sacrifices to be made) and I would say that though some women friends come into your life for "a reason or a season" (as the song says), others are there for the duration. As the old saying goes, however, to have a friend, you must BE one. Mistakes are usually made, petty squabbles can turn into major disagreements, and resentment can destroy the relationships we have. This book showed that despite all that, two women could be there for each other when the chips went down. I'd like to believe that all of us will have that kind of friend.

I'm going to go search out Kristin Hannah's other books as this was the first one by her that I've read.

The Midwife's Confession by Diane Chamberlain

2011-04-10T09:21:00.000-05:00

Secrets, lies and betrayal...how well do you know your best friends?

On a beautiful day in September, Noelle commits suicide. Her two closest friends, Tara and Emerson, are completely shocked that the woman they had known -- caring, committed midwife, champion of babies-in-need, strong independent Noelle has done this. Why? Turns out that Noelle had a lot of secrets -- a history of lies, betrayals and a hidden past that neither of them knew.

The story is a mystery and also a study in friendship and family relationships. The ability to write believable characters is a definite strength of author Diane Chamberlain. The women in her books are mothers, daughters, wives, etc. who are able to form strong bonds that are tested but that don't break even in the face of tragedy or heartache. Ultimately, this is a book about the extent that someone could go to in an attempt to make a wrong a right; or how loving someone too much can cause a person to do things that ordinarily wouldn't be considered. And at what cost?

Told from the viewpoints of the key characters in the novel, the story also shifts back and forth in time as Noelle's friends and their children Jenny and Grace try to make sense of the suicide and to find answers to the questions it brought to light. It seems that none of them really knew Noelle at all!

The book raises questions that made me wonder how well anyone can really know another person. Often we take what they say at face value without probing more deeply, and there can be periods of time when we are enough out of touch with someone that we miss a key turning point or ignore some essential signs.

I read this book cover to cover over an afternoon. It was fast paced and absorbing; the only jarring note was the ending. Although some of it was wholly predictable, I was a bit dismayed at the behavior of one of the characters and I won't give any further spoilers to ruin it for anyone.

Fans of mystery and relationship stories, and all those who love Diane Chamberlain's previous work won't want to miss this one!

Never Knowing by Chevy Stevens

2011-04-09T08:38:00.002-05:00

3/5 stars - There are some things that you just might not really want to know....

The premise of this story was a good one: a young woman who was adopted but never felt wanted tries to locate her birth parents and finds that she was born as a product of rape and that her father is a serial killer -- one still active and loose.

The narration is in first person and the technique that worked so well in STILL MISSING is used again as a method to advance the story -- Sara relates what happens as though she is in therapy sessions with her psychiatrist (Nadine).

The first part of the story was absorbing and I was racing through the pages as Sara's life starts to fall apart and she becomes embroiled in a bait tactic to entice her killer father into a trap set up by police. Although she's engaged to be married to the love of her life and they've had a happy life together with her daughter from a previous relationship (Ally), she has a lot of issues and emotional drama that start to cause problems between them. She's obsessive and compulsive -- and in some ways a very weak person. About half way through the book, I started to scoff in disbelief and frustration at what was transpiring. I almost put the book down in disgust. Because I can't NOT finish a book, and because I so enjoyed this author's debut novel, I made myself continue by suspending that disbelief and waiting for what I was positive was going to happen. Most of what I had anticipated was exactly as presumed.

Without spoilers, let me say that the ending, however, was NOT exactly as I had anticipated. There was a wholly out of nowhere twist which really didn't sit right and that left me unsatisfied with the conclusion.

Although I really wanted to love this book, I have to say that it was not as good as STILL MISSING though written in the same style. I like believable, strong heroines who, though damaged, don't behave like invincible superheroes and who don't dissolve into tears or uncertainty at every turn. Who can make decisions without doing stupid, unsafe things and who know their own minds. That said, Sara was not that heroine.

I'm sure that fans of Chevy's previous book will buy this one anticipating the same experience they had with STILL MISSING. I venture to say that most will find it won't provide that thrill but I do feel most will enjoy it anyway if they don't think too deeply and just go along for the ride.

The Raising by Laura Kasischke

2011-04-06T19:11:00.000-05:00

Sinister and gothic, a fun "ghost" story..., April 6, 2011

This was definitely a fast-paced, suspenseful mystery set on the campus of an unnamed Midwestern university. The main characters: beautiful Omega Theta Tau sorority sisters Nicole and Josie and their friends -- Godwin Honors Hall roommates Craig and Perry. Nicole is dating Craig when they are involved in a car accident one night. Shelley Lockes (the director of the college Chamber Music Society) comes upon the accident and calls 911. She's sent away from the site after reassuring herself that both of the victims were OK but finds out later that Nicole was declared dead and burned beyond recognition at the scene. Hmmmmm. She tries to contact police and the local papers to correct the story and straighten out the record, but no one follows through. A year later, Josie, Perry and Craig return to campus. The sorority is draped in black, mourning their lost sister and taunting "killer" Craig. He's a mess, can't remember any details about the wreck or its aftermath, and is barely getting through school. His roommate Perry takes a class from Professor Mira Polson -- an anthropologist and expert on cultural aspects of death, in order to try to make sense of all that happened.

Told in shifting perspectives of time and point of view, the novel takes the reader back to the early days at college when Nicole was still alive and through an amazingly complicated story that packs a powerful punch. College romance, manipulation, Greek rituals and hazings -- possibly even outright murder! The tension mounts as people close to discovering the truth find themselves run out of town, discredited, and embarrassed. What did happen the night of the car accident -- is it possible that Nicole did not die or is it her ghost that is haunting her former friends Craig and Perry. And why is Josie acting so strange?

A fun "ghost" story that I think any mystery fan will enjoy! Recommended.

Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson

2011-04-01T19:41:00.003-05:00

Creepy suspense..., April 1, 2011

This was an entertaining thriller with an interesting middle-aged heroine. Christine Lucas wakes every morning without any memories -- she remembers nothing of her childhood, young college days, married life, or even the mundane details of yesterday that preceded her going to bed the night before today. Some sort of calamitous event has caused her to not only have amnesia, but the inability to form any new short term memories as well. Each day dawns and finds her uncertain as to who she is or how she came to be in the house she shares now with a man who claims to be her husband, Ben. As the story starts, Christine is jarred by a ringing phone. The caller is Dr. Ed Nash and he claims he is trying to help her discover her past while also admitting that he's going to do a research study of her case. He encourages her to write in a journal each day, recording the events and thoughts she has. They both hope that this exercise will help Christine recover her history and lead her to understand her situation and experience some kind of life in the present. It's during the course of this activity that Christine begins to have flashes of what she believes are people and events in the years leading to the current time -- the problem is that she can never be quite sure if she is actually rediscovering her own memories or confabulating - making up a history to replace what she doesn't really remember. As she writes in her journal, Christine also discovers that Ben seems to be lying to her -- is he trying to protect her from feeling the pangs of loss and the pain of not being present in her past? Or is it something more sinister? And who really is Dr. Nash and why doesn't he want Ben to know that he's treating her?

The narrative moves along, unfolding with deliberate pacing as the tension builds to a somewhat anticipated climax as Christine is pulled inexorably to the ultimate revelations. The conclusion is somewhat unsatisfying and not completely unpredictable, but I do read a lot of books of this type and made some accurate guesses. That's not to say the book isn't enjoyable, it is -- and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a well written and suspenseful mystery. I look forward to the film adaptation as well.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

2011-03-30T11:22:00.000-05:00

Sentimental and romantic old-time circus adventure story..., March 30, 2011

Ninety-three-year-old Jacob Jankowski, an unhappy resident of a nursing home, reminisces about his life with the traveling train circus -- Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth -- during the Great Depression. In and out of a small town, usually an overnight, the performers and working men put on a show that involves animals, freaks (the dwarf and the fat lady), the clowns, and all manner of circus act entertainment including a tent just for "gentlemen" and other delights.

Jacob's parents died just as he was about to write his final exams in veterinary school at Cornell University. Because of the hard economic times, his parents mortgaged everything to pay his tuition and thus he was left grief-stricken AND penniless. He ends up joining the Benzini Brothers by an accident of good timing and, because of his vet training, he ends up hired on to care for the horses and other animals. Along the way, the circus owner purchases an elephant named Rosie; she becomes a special part of this story.

Author Sara Gruen weaves a tale of hooking the rubes into coming to the show, second-rate performances that managed to wow the audiences, boozy nights, in-fighting among those with the train, backbreaking work, and other fascinating details of the traveling circus. Jacob quickly assimilates into the hard life and makes the mistake of falling in love with Marlena, one of the performers who has a sadistic husband. Not only cruel to his wife, August also beats and mistreats the animals. What will become of Jacob and the rest of the members of this group of misfits, outcasts, and showmen?

Readers will savor the story and applaud the somewhat maudlin ending. I read it quickly and found it very sweet and entertaining; recommended for teens and adults. Enjoy!

Port Mortuary by Patricia Cornwell

2011-03-27T17:39:00.002-05:00

Nanobots: good vs evil..., March 27, 2011

This is the 18th Patricia Cornwell novel featuring Kay Scarpetta that I've read. I've also read her Andy Brazil series. I must say that I have to agree with other reviewers who are longing for this author to resurrect the thrills and suspense that were hallmarks of the first books she published over 20 years ago! The evil perpetrators, the gory crime scenes, the forensic science, the likable characters, the passion, and the basic storyline of previous books are all missing here.

This premise of this book was interesting enough -- the new cutting-edge technology of nanobots and virtual autopsy were fascinating and thought-provoking, but the plot lacked the magical ingredient of making me care about the case and I can't say that I was racing through the pages to a thrilling conclusion. Kay is given to long bouts of introspection and it seems that she can't get any answers or straight talk from any of her cohort -- including Benton, Lucy and Marino. It reads as if she were a weak tool of all the powerful men in her life and is no longer the strong, independent, powerful woman that I had come to admire over the years. The mystery in this case is complex and convoluted and limped to the end with a whimper though there was the obligatory "Kay almost dies" scene.

In conclusion, the book is one that true fans will read because they are vested in Kay and the other characters we've grown to know and care about. It's not one of those books that you can't put down or that will keep you up all night, but it's readable escapist crime fiction.

The Bay at Midnight by Diane Chamberlain

2011-03-20T20:04:00.000-05:00

Secrets and lies..., March 20, 2011

A beautiful young girl. A tragedy on a moonlit night. In 1962, Isabelle Bauer drowned in Bay Head Shores. Her death, ruled a homicide, remained an unsolved mystery despite the fact that a local man was found guilty and spent the rest of his life in prison for the murder. Isabelle's mother and sisters don't talk about her or what happened on that hot August night. Until the day that Julie Bauer, who was 12 years old during that fateful summer, receives a visitor bearing a letter that may or may not shed light on the case.

This is a novel about what happens when secrets are kept and passions are denied. It's about what happens when love is confusing and mistakes are made. The events of that particular night and others during the summer leading up to it are examined from three different points of view. Maria (mother to Isabelle, Julie and Lucy) tells her story, each of the daughters relates what part she played in the unfolding drama, and Julie's daughter, Shannon is meanwhile creating problems of her own that lead the women to finally deal with 40 years of anger, silence, suspicion, guilt, and shame.

The reason I like the novels that Diane Chamberlain writes is because she writes believable characters. This suspense story, set in two different time periods -- 1962 and present day - is a wonderful mystery featuring three generations of women. Those women, a grandmother, two middle-aged daughters, and a teen granddaughter, are so real that they seem to be people that you know who have feelings that you have or that you've had in the past. The interactions and the relationship that they have, the type of personalities and the deep attachment they display, will definitely touch the hearts of readers as the narrative unfolds.

Highly recommend to all fans of romantic suspense novels and to those who enjoy a good family story with a multi-generational cast of interesting women.

Live to Tell by Lisa Gardner

2011-03-18T22:20:00.000-05:00

More a psychologcal treatise than a suspense thriller...., March 18, 2011

Although the book was a fast read for me, and despite the fact that it attempted to cover a lot of ground educating the reader about children with severe psychiatric issues, this fourth novel in the D.D. Warren series simply wasn't that compelling. The author uses her various characters shamelessly in attempts to lecture us about explosive and violent children as well as about the collaborative problem solving approach used by some psychiatric acute care facilities to manage the children that are held there.

The somewhat preposterous plot has Detective Warren investigating two family annihilations -- one right after another and seemingly unrelated. The cases eventually lead her and her team to a spiritual healer and to a locked down ward, the Pediatric Evaluation Clinic of Boston inside the Kirkland Medical Center. As the narrative unfolds, there seems to be some concern that the murders may have some connection to the unit.

After a child somehow escapes the locked ward, suspicious Warren starts questioning the employees. Her attention focuses on an RN who works there. Twenty-five years previous to the present cases, Danielle, sexually abused by her father, was the lone survivor of a family murder-suicide. The guilt she feels hasn't worn off even after years of therapy. Is she disturbed and dangerous?

In addition -- in what can only be the author's desire to show us the human toll of childhood mental illness and maternal devotion, there's Victoria, a single mom who has locked herself in her own house with her emotionally disturbed son, Evan, who is constantly threatening to kill her. How is this family connected to the other murders?

Who is Andrew Lightfoot -- ex Wall Street whiz turned spiritual healer -- and why is he constantly talking about darkness and light?

Finally in the last chapters, the convoluted story line comes together for a somewhat unfulfilling and totally predictable ending. A better exposé and more chilling book about the topic of disturbed children who just may have been "born bad" is the truly excellent We Need to Talk About Kevin: A Novel (P.S.) - one of the most chilling and unforgettable novels I've ever read.

The book wasn't a complete waste of time by any means, but it really didn't have a lot of suspense for me, it wasn't a police procedural, and the character of D.D. always talking about sex (or food) really irritated me. I don't care for her personality and am not interested in learning more about her. I love thrillers and would have preferred to have more "thrill" in this novel. Not really sure how the police aspect played into the subject matter and don't think it was very effective.

All in all, read it if you're a Gardner fan (I have read all her previous books) and one other note: it can be read as a stand alone, you don't have to have read the previous books in her series.

Land of the Painted Caves by Jean Auel

2011-03-13T08:24:00.001-05:00

The epic journey of Ayla from orphan to Zelandoni concludes., March 13, 2011

The front cover of my ARC states, "Three decades in the telling..." Well, fellow readers, it seems as if it took me nearly that long to read this particular book, the conclusion (book #6) to the Earth's Children Series. I eagerly snapped it up when it was offered in the vine newsletter and started it right away. Now, over a month and a half later, I finally finished. I'm a fast reader, usually can read a book within a day or two. I don't know why this one took so long -- perhaps because it was insufficiently edited, tedious, repetitious, and frankly -- sometimes boring. How often did we need to be reminded that Ayla was a foreigner (her accent), that she was beautiful, that she tamed horses and a wolf, that she was an incredible healer and visionary, or that she was a skilled hunter who could take care of herself? Many other reviewers have already remarked on the tendency of author Jean Auel to be redundant and burden her readers with overkill on detail. How many times did we have to read the "Mother Song" to get the point of the song, for instance? Much of that just took up space in a hefty tome that must weigh about 3 pounds at 757 pages!

Regardless, I am finally finished with Ayla, Jondalar and all the rest of the early "Others" who came to life in the thousands of pages I've read over these years. I was a little disappointed that this last book consisted mostly of traveling to and fro and less about human interplay. The novel only really becomes exciting (somewhat) during the last third of the book as Ayla finally reaches her destiny. Without spoilers, I found the ending a bit anticlimactic and the series ends with a whimper rather than with a bang. I had to suppress a small scoff of disbelief considering how Ayla's "discoveries" during her vision definitely will be changing how the people of this early land live and experience family life!

I won't rehash the plot (there really isn't much of one anyway) but will suggest that all fans of this series will likely spend days and perhaps even weeks wading through this final offering and coming to their own conclusions with the end of a series that was introduced with The Clan Of The Cave Bear - Earth's Children over 31 years ago! This is not a stand alone novel and readers who want the full impact of this monumental epic should start with that first book -- which I consider the best of them all.

All told, I am glad I read it; now I can put Ayla and her escapades aside.

Help!

2011-03-12T13:45:00.000-06:00

I am in a reading slump. I am desperately in need of a really good book to help me out. I am looking for a NEW and well written medical thriller. Something fresh and original...if you have any suggestions, please post them for me. THANKS.

When We Were Friends by Elizabeth Joy Arnold

2011-03-08T10:44:00.000-06:00

Predictable melodrama..., March 8, 2011

This novel, the first I've read by this author, was a fast-paced but predictable and totally unbelievable story. Two women who were best friends as teenagers before they had a falling out in high school conspire in a plot that involves kidnapping, accusations of child abuse, infidelity, and a love triangle.

Lainey and Sydney were "blood" sisters during childhood. During their high school years, Sydney turns on Lainey and puts her down in order to be part of a popular crowd. Years pass. Sydney marries, has a baby, and Lainey is left behind at home to care for her mother who has some psychiatric issues that include agoraphobia. Lainey is an artist painting murals for a living when she runs into Sydney when hired to do a mural at a local occult shop. Sydney seems overjoyed at their reunion and suggests that the two become reacquainted. During the get together, Sydney relates tales of abuse that she and her daughter Jacqueline have experienced and expresses a fear of her husband. She proposes the most outlandish plan -- Lainey should take the baby and hide her until Sydney can get things together and leave her husband while retaining custody of her daughter. Needless to say, the idea is poorly conceived and completely preposterous, but Lainey acquiesces, takes "Molly" and departs -- thus begins the rest of the novel.

Where does Lainey go? Who does she meet along the way? What connection, if any, does this man have with her friend and what are the "bad things" he has done? No spoilers here, but the novel bumps along in a very predictable fashion with no surprises. The characters are not particularly interesting and I thought they were definitely unlikeable. I read on to the conclusion without much interest in the outcome as I knew full well what it would be. I wouldn't say this was a novel about friendship. I doubt that any sane person would do what Lainey did. Hmmmm.

Ho-hum novel, borrow it if you want to read it.

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

2011-02-01T08:31:00.002-06:00

*** stars

This book was OK but not nearly as good as the author's previous bestseller, The Time Traveler's Wife. The story was slow and had a bizarre, twisted, and wholly unbelievable ending. I'm not really recommending it.

So Much for That by Lionel Shriver

2011-01-23T09:41:00.001-06:00

How much is one life worth?, January 23, 2011

Although a somewhat difficult and painful read, this story will stay with me for a long time. The characters are disturbingly realistic and their experiences and reactions to the events that transpire in the novel make them seem like they could be your neighbors or relatives. The underlying moral and ethical conflicts in the narrative -- the abuses of the insurance industry and the health care crisis -- are timely and important.

Shep Knacker is a very good man -- the kind of dutiful and responsible guy you'd like to have as best friend, employee, son, brother, father or husband. He works hard, pinches pennies and saves every dime while planning his ultimate escape to Pemba and the Afterlife -- retirement and freedom from all his middle class cares and worries. When his somewhat caustic and pampered artist wife Glynis is diagnosed with cancer, his kindness and obligation are brought to a supreme test.

Glynis enters treatment for mesothelioma (a cancer that has been associated with asbestos exposure) while Shep still has his healthy Merrill Lynch portfolio worth nearly a million dollars -- all earmarked for his planned one-way trip out of the USA. He quickly learns that he won't be able to leave after all because he needs to work in order to keep his health insurance for Glynis's fight against the cancer. He nobly accepts his care-taking role and soon finds himself at odds with work and his family and friends because of the tremendous pressure and stress on him to continue to provide. Inexorably, we see that Shep is slowly being metaphorically exsanguinated (bled dry) by all the demands placed on him at work, at home with Glynis, with his sister and father, by his children, and with his best friend Jackson. In addition, there goes the bank account -- draining dollar by dollar for drugs and treatments that don't seem to be doing much.

At the heart of this novel is the question -- how much is one willing to pay for a few extra hours, days, weeks or months of life? How much is one person's life worth and when is enough good enough? As Shep continues to take care of the bills and the people in his life, he becomes more resigned and trapped by the realization that even after Glynis dies, he still won't be able to escape to Pemba because he will be completely broke. And to what end? Glynis is still going to die.

I really cared about the people in this novel. There are other side plots dealing with Shep's friend Jackson and Jackson's family, Shep's sister and father that also provided insight into the character of a man who indeed "shepherds" those he cares for. It was neither an easy read nor a particularly uplifting one. It was, however, a poignant testimony to the power of love and the virtue of duty. I recommend it.

Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen

2011-01-15T08:20:00.001-06:00

* * * stars
This one left me cold..., January 15, 2011
This review is from: Ice Cold: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel (Hardcover)

Although this 8th book in the series featuring Boston medical examiner Maura Isles and homicide detective Jane Rizzoli is a very quick read, it lacks the depth and complexity of other novels featuring this duo. The setting in icy Wyoming and the plot involving a polygamous cult separate the two colleagues and make this book less about their team approach to solving murders but more about Maura's harrowing experiences while there.

While there is a mystery to solve and the story is suspenseful, I much prefer the Rizzoli and Isles novels that involve a murder investigation and the forensic details that I've come to know and love in the series.

I definitely hope that Gerritsen returns to the medical thriller formula that has made her previous books a hit with me.

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

2011-01-06T08:51:00.001-06:00

A worthy book of the year -- read it!, January 6, 2011

This review is from: Freedom (Audio CD)

DO believe the hype. This was a very good book about a family -- yes a dysfunctional family in some ways -- but is what I think is a fairly astute picture of a husband, wife, son, and daughter facing and trying to deal with the changes that life and circumstance put in front of them. Rather than write a synopsis of the plot, I would rather the reader consider this merely a portrait of a Midwestern middle class family - no, not a typical family per se, but one that could live next door to you.

Franzen's prose is stark. He writes with a pen as sharp as a scalpel sometimes revealing the inner workings of the mind that perhaps are normally kept hidden -- even from ourselves. I liked his other book, The Corrections: A Novel, as well. He has a biting sarcasm and a wry sense of humor that I find incredible and his perceptions about life are razor edged. I know he's not for everyone. He has a way of writing and putting out there the things you don't ever want to think or say and I believe he makes many very uncomfortable. I think he's brilliant.

I am not usually a person who prefers an audiobook to a paper book, but I quickly became engrossed in the story. The reader, David LeDoux, did male voices extremely well. Unfortunately his rendering of the voice of Lalitha got on my nerves! His accent made her unlikeable and she sounded rather simpering which was the opposite of what I believe that Franzen intended that character to be. Other than that annoyance, the voice, despite the changing points of view, was easy to follow and I thought he delivered them believable and entirely human.

The only thing I really didn't like that much about the way the story was told was the way the author jumped back and forth between characters and with sequence. I'm a reader who prefers sequential narrative; nevertheless I found the novel deeply satisfying and one that many of us who struggle with obstacles and unexpected hurdles can understand.

All things considered, I highly recommend this book.

The Devotion of Supsect X by Keigo Higashino

2011-01-02T08:57:00.000-06:00

4 stars

A battle of wits, January 2, 2011
This is a very clever mystery novel originally written in Japanese and translated into English and is this author's first major English publication. Apparently this novel is a continuation of a popular serial drama, Galileo, and has also been made into a Japanese film, Suspect-X that was released in 2008. The recurring character in the series is Manabu Yukawa, a brilliant physics professor at Imperial University who is respectfully called Detective Galileo. He assists the local police sometimes with particularly vexsome cases, and this murder is one of those.
Yasuko Hanaoka is a divorced mother working in a box lunch shop. She left her old life as a hostess behind and is trying to live a quiet existence while raising her teenage daughter, Misato. Unfortunately for her, she has a deadbeat ex-husband who is looking for her and who wants to get back together and who wants money. When he comes to extort her and threatens to harm her daughter at her apartment on that fateful evening, she and her daughter murder Shinji Togashi. Overhearing the scuffle, next door neighbor -- a mathematics teacher named Tetsuya Ishigami -- comes to her door and offers Yasuko total salvation. He tells her that he will take care of everything and will help them avoid prosecution and imprisonment if only they do exactly as he says.
Although the lead detectives on the case suspect that the alibis of Yasuko and her Misato aren't quite ironclad, police are confused about whether or not they are truly suspects in the murder. With fantastic misdirection and precise circumlocution directed behind the scenes by Ishigami, the pair are continuing their daily lives as if innocent. Meanwhile the intrepid and faithful Ishigami is still pulling the strings of the investigation. Detective Kusanagi, certain that something fishy is going on, consults his friend Yukawa. It so happens that Yukawa knows Ishigami from their shared history at Imperial University where they both attended -- Yukawa majoring in physics and Ishigami in mathematics. What follows after Yukawa gets involved is a true battle of wits between the two former classmates.

I enjoyed the way the investigation unfolded and the interaction between the characters. The novel is complex and is definitely a thinking person's read. Scattered throughout are complex philosophical questions and mathematical proofs. The highly intelligent Yukawa and Ishigami provide point and counterpoint as the multilayered elements of the crime are slowly revealed. The conclusion, however, is painful. I closed the book with a profound sense of grief.
Recommend to discriminating readers. Don't be put off by this perhaps being an unfamiliar author, or by the fact that it is a translation from Japanese.

The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths

2010-12-31T15:53:00.000-06:00

Omnia Mutantur, Nihil Interit*, December 31, 2010

This review is from: The Janus Stone (Ruth Galloway) (Hardcover)

I knew when I opened the first page of this book that I should have read the first one in the Ruth Galloway mystery series -- The Crossing Places (Ruth Galloway) -- so if you haven't read it, stop and remedy that now. This second book immediately made me wish I had "met" the characters previously so I could understand what led to Ruth's pregnancy and to know the relationship she had with her baby's father. That said, and even though her pregnancy takes up a lot of the novel, the book is really a mystery about the murder of a child, and how that child's headless skeleton comes to lie underneath the doorway of an old mansion. Who is the girl and how did she end up there?
Ruth Galloway is 40ish, unmarried, and a slightly overweight forensic archeologist. She is called in as a consultant when bones are found during the demolition of a large, old house (once an orphanage) that is being converted into apartments. Joined by other colleages -- Max and Cathbad -- Ruth begins to assist Detective Police Inspector Harry Nelson in the investigation. The more she delves into the case, the more trouble she has. Who is afraid of what she might find out and how far is that person willing to go to stop her!?

Although the story is not what I would call fast paced, it's the characters and their interactions and dialog that make the book interesting. I really like that the protagonist is a strong, intelligent, and independent middle aged woman. Her friends are interesting and the archelogocial details are fascinating.

I think most who enjoy forensic mystery stories will like this novel -- but be sure to read them in order as I didn't think this one worked well as a stand alone!

A solid 3 1/2 stars.

*Omnia Mutantur, Nihil Interit = Everything changes but nothing is destroyed.

The Emperor's Tomb by Steve Berry

2010-12-20T18:13:00.000-06:00

A thriller that takes you deep into the history of China, December 20, 2010

I have read most all of Steve Berry's previous novels -- my favorite was The Third Secret: A Novel -- and I like the way that the author blends history, archeology, and adventure into a mystery thriller. The typical Berry novel is a cross between Clive Cussler and Dan Brown, and they are fast paced, quick reads.

In this novel, Cotton Malone and Casssiopeia Vitt (these characters most recently appeared in the previous novel The Paris Vendetta: A Novel) are reunited in a mission that focuses on China and a conspiracy that may prove deadly as there are those who want to keep an incredible discovery a secret. Malone and Vitt are brought into the inner workings of the post Mao government where there is a showdown between the two leading contenders (Tang and Ni) for that country's leadership role. Add in traitorous eunuchs, Russian spies, and trigger happy soldiers and you have a somewhat confusing story of cross and double cross. At stake is China's leadership yes, but also a race to verify that oil -- not fossil fuel as long believed was scarce -- but abiotic oil that is self replenishing and would never run out. What a find for China if true -- China that needs massive quantities of imported oil to run its industry and shelter its people. A Russian geologist has what he believes is proof that abiotic oil exists and was actually discovered in Gansu over 2200 years ago!! He is wanted by both the Russians and the Chinese and they will stop at nothing to get the verification they need. For if China doesn't need to import oil, it will no longer have to follow the dictates of the other nations and won't be held in check by threats of embargo. How powerful the leader of the nation that possesses unlimited oil would be. But no other country will find out! Is the verification they need hidden in the Emperor Qin Shi's tomb? The only problem is that the tomb has been off limits and sealed for over 2000 years!

Although the historical parts of the book were quite interesting (dynastic succession, eunuchs, important discoveries made centuries ago in China but kept from the western world) the narrative was somewhat disconnected. The point of view and the scene would switch back and forth quite frequently. I found the dialog more like an anthropology lecture sometimes and something that irritated me was the way the author wrote the way the Russians talked. The Chinese spoke English smoothly, but the Russians said things like "I not know" and "She gives to Tang who returns boy" i.e., skipped words, etc. Annoying -- I'm certain that any Russian secret agent would speak English quite fluently.

In short -- this book was OK but seemed more like a lecture in between unbelievable scenes of escapes and near death experiences. The fight scenes seemed to go on far too long and some of the transitions dragged on between bursts of action. Read it if you like to read about Chinese history and if you like spy stories and adventures. The conclusion was quite predictable.

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