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Cynthia Penn's Bookshelf
A Cowboy Summer: Superromance No 1196
Debra Salonen
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373711964 $5.25 304 pages
From the "Home on the Ranch" series. Eight-year-old Zoey does not mind emotional blackmail
to convince her mother to keep her promise of visiting her family's ranch. Anne Fraser's mother
passed away before she fulfilled her lifelong dream of travel, and her husband has vowed to take
her along those planned byways post-humorously. Anne's stepfather has a grandson, Will
Cavanaugh, whom he also persuades to help out during tourist season. Despite her concerns
regarding her daughter's serious asthma and her unresolved attraction for Will, Anne puts her life
on hold to go to Silver Rose for the summer. Will comes home to take care of the ranch while
Anne handles the guest operations. Anne still finds the one who gave her that all-important first
kiss wildly attractive. Now virtual strangers, Anne and Will have become business partners for the
summer. With his rodeo career on hold for the summer while he heals from yet another injury,
Will finds surprising satisfaction in the operation of Silver Rose. Perhaps the influence of a
spirited sprite and her sexy mother might a bit to do with his attitude. But regardless of their
attraction, Anne and Will have virtually nothing in common and career considerations at the end
of the summer. Author Debra Salonen has a gift for choosing unexpected characterizations to add
zest to her narrative. In A COWBOY SUMMER showcases a remarkable young girl with the
spirit of a warrior, the wonder of a tomboy, and the challenges of asthma Her bold adventurous
nature lends the novel a strong sense of presence as she connects her mother back to her roots.
Indeed, Anne grieves the loss of her mother, finding her touches in surprising detailed instructions
for thinning garden carrots or in the stories of her generous heart reported by her mother's many
friends. Moreover, Anne's journey to healing mirrors Will's as they both find courage to follow
their hearts and a generous dose of fun in one busy eight-year-old. A COWBOY SUMMER
comes highly recommended.
Under the Boardwalk
Carly Phillips
Warner Books
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
ISBN 0446532371 $18.95 274 pages
Very highly recommended. Ariana Costas' con artist family seems to stay ahead of the law by
relying on a wink, a smile, and their legendary Greek charm. She fled their scandalous ways years
ago, establishing a quiet life as a professor in Vermont. Now she returns home when her twin
sister Zoe is presumed dead. Then gun shots and a surprise rescue brings about a sudden
introduction to Quinn Donvan. Startling attraction draws them together despite their mutual
better judgement. Undercover agent Quinn believed his coworker when Zoe claimed her twin
would not return to Jersey to investigate her disappearance. Despite a promise to go home when
she learns Zoe is alive, Ariana intends to find out what has happened to her twin. But a case of
mistaken identity could blow two years of painfully laid groundwork to take down a drug
operation being operated through a local casino. Now the sexiest man she has ever met is also
Ariana' s only link to her missing twin. Fans of Carly Phillip's best selling novels featuring the sexy
Chandler brothers will absolutely delight in Carly Phillips' newest release, UNDER THE
BOARDWALK. Indeed, fans familiar with her wildly amusing and outrageously seductive style
will instantly recognize her distinct authorial voice. UNDER THE BOARDWALK is Phillips at
her best with memorable characters, amusing dialogue and outrageous antics that will have
readers finishing her novel in a single sitting. Readers who have yet to experience this talented
author's work will certainly want to add her novels to their keeper shelves. Bold and untamed,
filled with fabulous characters including a troubled teen and unexpected family members, UNDER
THE BOARDWALK comes very highly recommended.
The Brother Quest: Superromance No 1193
Lori Handeland
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 037371193X $5.25 304 pages
From the "The Luchetti Brothers " series -- Highly recommended. Colin Luchetti never stays in
one place long, believing he does not belong anywhere. Staying on the move keeps him from
feeling out of place. As a photojournalist the only thing he wants he can have; that is, seeing the
world and then writing about it. So two months after Army Special Forces brother disappears,
Colin receives a note and goes to Wind Lake, Minnesota to investigate the only clue he has - an
address that leads to a day care center. Marlie Anderson had been his brother's pen pal but knows
nothing about his disappearance. With no other leads, Collin sticks around for a while hoping
something will lead to his brother. Twenty-five year old Marlie named her daycare Chasing
Rainbows. In a town where everyone knows everyone, and with dreams that do not lead beyond
the city limits, Marlie fails to recognize her own beauty, both outward and inward. Her generous
curves more than capture the imagination of Colin, and her passion for living touches his heart.
But Colin worries that his brother 's interest predates his own, and a brother should never poach
on another brother's territory. Yet this rolling stone finds a life that is strangely compelling in this
tiny town, discovering that even a rolling stone occasionally must come to rest. Author Lori
Handeland pens an endearing tale in THE BROTHER QUEST. The disappearing hamster,
dalmations, and children lend the story charm and humor. That a letter would lead Colin to Wind
Lake seems reasonable, but the tenuous hope that lingering might lead to a clue to his brother's
disappearance seems to stretch believability a bit. Nevertheless, the changes that Marlie and her
children inflict upon him make for an absolutely delightful read. Marlie's game show junkie mother
likewise lends a provocative yet humorous note. This walk on the lighter side will keep readers
amused as to the twists love can take, making THE BROTHER QUEST come highly
recommended.
Bared: Blaze No 132
Jill Shalvis
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373791364 $4.50 256 pages
Highly recommended. Twin sister Amber Willis travels the world playing with men's hearts and
baring her beautiful body to the camera. When Amber cannot live up to her responsibilities,
however, she calls in Queen Emma, as she calls her sister. Emma usually buries herself in her job,
penning the scripts for soap operas when not rescuing her sister. When Amber calls asking her to
step in for a modeling job, posing for a calendar of sensual poses, Emma steps in for her. It does
not take long for Rafe Delcantro to realize that this complaint delight cannot be the capricious
Amber. But he takes his time revealing his knowledge. He struggles to control his wild attraction
to this stand-in model because her script writing still ties her to the Hollywood scene he seeks to
escape. Indeed, Rafe is ready to retire from fashion model photography after this gig, find a nice
girl, and settle down. Emma is completely contrary to his preconceived ideal, yet he cannot seem
to fight his attraction. Perhaps a brief fling is in order. Jill Shalvis' gift for penning heated romance
sizzles in BARED. Passion and light amusement combine in a tempting, fast paced read readers
will love. Moreover, Shalvis' twist on the twin plot avoids the cliches common among such plot
devices while playing on the light deception with marvelous effect. As a result, Emma and Rafe
become remarkably sympathetic, convincing characters whose growth sparkles. As Emma bares
all, she finds that exposure reveals needs and desires that only Rafe can fill. Fans of Shalvis'
BACK IN THE BEDROOM will certainly be pleased to see Rafe get his own story. BARED
comes highly recommended.
Shock Waves: Intimate Moments No 1199
Jenna Mills
Silhouette Books
300 East 42nd Street, New York, New York, 10017
ISBN 0373273576 $4.75 251 pages
Very highly recommended. From the first moment of their first encounter along the James, Brenna
Scott knows that designer suits concealed Ethan Carrington's hard body and relentless dedication.
Her dreams have led to believe that the federal prosecutor is in danger from Jorak Zhukov, a man
who has targeted the Carrington family. She cannot help wondering what it would be like if he
turned the intensity of his force of will from revenge to focus on her. Unfortunately, Ethan
disbelieves her psychic visions, assuming that she acts the part of an innocent to win his
confidence. At that first encounter, Ethan had a niggling feeling that they had met before. Ethan
already knows the danger he faces from Zhukov. When Ethan and Brenna are kidnapped together
shortly after they meet, Ethan is convinced she is working for Zhukov. They are transported to a
palatial estate in Mexico, a place Brenna knows well from her visions. In her dreams, Ethan dies
here. Now caught in a game she does not understand and falling in love with a man she barely
knows, Brenna must trust a man who does not trust her even as their passion threatens to blaze
out of control - and may be used against them. Author Jenna Mills pens yet another great read in
SHOCK WAVES. A great believer in a metaphysical world that eludes ordinary senses, I adore
series romance that dares to include some sort of paranormal element. Brenna's gift for
precognition comes with the terrible perils and confusion that inevitably accompany such gifts
when reading for oneself. Her deep ethical need to risk all to share her information, however
tenuous, lends her character a memorable strength. Ethan's skepticism, while somewhat
predictable, also seems somewhat inevitable. The clash of their value systems lends the novel a
strong underlying conflict while the suspense elements keeps the plot moving quickly. The result
is a hauntingly memorable read that comes very highly recommended.
The Fantasy Factor: Blaze No 131
Kimberly Raye
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373791356 $4.50 256 pages
Sequel to The Sex Solution - Recommended. As friends gather at Cadillac's most notorious
honky-tonk, Sarah Buchanan sips diet coke and recalls her free-spirited youth. The death of a
much beloved friend transformed the group's life, and Sarah went from wild child to the model of
decorum over night. She took on the family business, forgetting her plan to escape the small
town, and buried herself in good works and pleasing her grandmother. But when bad boy rodeo
rider Houston Jericho returns to town and they cross paths at the honky-tonk, Sarah quickly
rediscovers her desire for the wilder side of life. A soft porn video made the rounds of the high
school twelve years ago. Houston has never forgot how Sarah propositioned him, suggesting they
try each of the seven erotic ideas presented. They made it through the first memorable four before
Sarah changed forever. Despite the passage of time, Houston has never forgotten making love to
her, and when she proposes that they finish the last scenes together, he leaps at the opportunity.
But when passion is satisfied, both Sarah and Houston may have to reevaluate their expectations
and needs. In THE FANTASY FACTOR, sizzling chemistry somehow looses the glow of
spontaneity demonstrated in the previous release, THE SEX SOLUTION, feeling a bit forced
despite the terrific premise. Perhaps Sarah's rigidity and predictable capitulation is to blame
considering her total devotion to her good girl image. Her restrictive lifestyle sharply contrasts her
previous bad girl image, and while Houston is certainly the right bad boy to bring her back to life,
there are few surprises to keep the reader reading for more than erotic sex scenes. Perhaps the
author fell victim to a looming deadline, or writing the series of books in too short of a time.
However, for readers who like an exciting premise and excellent erotica, THE FANTASY SEX
FACTOR is worth perusing. THE FANTASY FACTOR comes recommended.
It Should Happen To You: Temptation No 971
Kathleen O'Reilly
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373691718 $4.25 218 pages
From "The Bachelorette Pact" series - Highly recommended. A single girl's worst nightmare
comes true when astrophysicist Mickey Coleman sleeps with a coworker who videotapes their
night together. Now he demands another night with Mickey or he will make the tape public.
Rather than yield to such an outrageous ultimatum, Mickey decides to steal the tape. Unsuccessful
on her own, Mickey hires a man with mob connections. Until Mickey comes along, Dominic
Corlucci values self-preservation at all costs. One slip and he could loose two years of work or his
life. He agrees to help Mickey much against his better judgement, despite her obvious attempt at
deception with her wigs and spandex. The result is scintillating romance that makes their toes
curl, even as Dominic risks blowing his case. Author Kathleen O'Reilly pens an engaging romance
in IT SHOULD HAPPEN TO YOU. Quirky characterizations add zest to a fun tale that combines
comedy and intrigue in a light mix readers will treasure. Both Mickey and Dominic are forced to
think outside the box, yet manage to still remain to their characters. Indeed, Mickey's love of the
stars puts a light in her eye that Dominic cannot walk away from, despite his better judgement. An
engaging read, IT SHOULD HAPPEN TO YOU makes an excellent, light read that comes highly
recommended.
Some Kind of Sexy: Blaze No 133
Jamie Sobrato
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373791372 $4.50 256 pages
Winner of the WordWeaving Award for Excellence. Forty years ago, the League of Scandalous
Women formed for the purpose of intellectual debates, to further women's sexual freedom and to
form a creative support group for the progressive thinkers of their time. Juliet Emory's Aunt
Ophelia lent her leadership and her home to the group while raising her young niece. Certainly as
a child Juliet failed to recognize that her aunt and her friends had been ahead of their time. Now a
free thinking adult, Juliet mourns the loss of her aunt. When she finds Aunt Ophelia's diary, she
vows to do something scandalous to honor her role model. A professional party planner, Juliet
receives inspiration while planning a birthday party for Cole Matheson. His brothers assure her of
Cole's party animal nature, so when the scheduled stripper comes down ill, Juliet steps into the
role, fulfilling a wildly daring fantasy. Too much booze and sexual attraction lead Cole to a night
in Juliet arms. But his brothers lied. Rather than a party animal, Cole plays conservatively with his
sexuality and with his heart. When he wants to get to know the woman he shared the night with,
she tries to bolt. Only fast thinking and a white lie will convince this woman to give him a chance,
but only truth and steadfastness will get him a chance at forever. Author Jamie Sobrato excels my
expectations of Harlequin's Blaze line in SOME KIND OF SEXY. The role reversal with Juliet
seeking a fling and Cole wanting forever provides an interesting plot twist. But Juliet comes
across as amazingly convincing and sincere, with a secretly soft center that make her character
both bodacious and vulnerable. In many ways, Juliet is the scandalous kind of heroine we all
secretly yearn to be. She revels in her sexuality, daringly living her fantasies and vowing to remain
single. Conversely, scrumptious hero Cole does not do one night stands. His determination to
spend time with Juliet forces compromises with unforeseeably disastrous conclusions. Juliet's
assistant, a culinary wizard and lovely gay man, provides a wonderful counterpoint - I would love
to see him pop again in a later book! In addition, the subplot sparkles with a mature couple
struggling to revitalize their relationship. The forty-year-old Delia was once a scandalous woman
herself and will inspire the wild child in all of us. I sincerely hope that Sobrato has more
scandalous women waiting in the wings! An absolutely fabulous read, SOME KIND OF SEXY
earns the WordWeaving Award for Excellence.
Breakfast At Bethany's: Temptation No 975
Kathleen O'Reilly
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373691750 $4.25 218 pages
From "The Bachelorette Pact" series - Very highly recommended. So much for the Bachelorette
Pact. With Jessica and Mickey married, Beth decides it is her turn. Dreams of daisy nosegays
quickly give way to practicality, however, as she places personal ads on the Internet. Too bad that
a string of dates fails to ignite her libido the way a certain reports does. Unfortunately, he does
not come on their date to find his perfect mate. Instead, Spencer James wants to write article
about Internet dating, with Beth as his focus. He offers his help, rewriting Beth's ads to give them
originality and zest, in exchange for a story about the results. More than a dozen dates later,
Spencer finds himself jealous of Beth's potential mates and unable to act on his attraction. One
failed marriage to a society woman has him leery of Beth's background, and his inability to deal
with emotion makes it impossible to approach her for more than sex. He certainly has no interest
in accumulating any more alimony payments even if Beth does rock his world. And Beth will
settle for no less than a ring on her finger. Author Kathleen really hits her stride with
BREAKFAST AT BETHANY'S, creating a quirky, off the cuff romance readers will find
delightful. The series of ads that begin each chapter are fabulous, especially as they shift to reveal
Beth's aggravation with Spencer. The power of their magnetism never fails, even as Spencer fights
it every step of the way. Readers will find BREAKFAST AT BETHANY'S an excellent follow
through for Jessica and Mickey's stories. Moreover, they will also be eagerly anticipating the final
bachelorette's story, with Cassidy's turn in THE LONGEST NIGHT.
For the Love of Jake
Kirstin South
eXtasy BOOKS
P.O. Box 44062 Burnaby, B.C. V5B 4Y2 Canada
ISBN 0373791372 $6.99 eBook 199 pages
Highly recommended. Getting lost on the way to her first fashion shoot for photographer Jake
does not make for an ideal beginning. His harsh criticism and demanding ways force rigid
compliance to his demands. Ashley's anger builds, resulting in a wildly successful photo shoot.
Soon she receives the much coveted offer to become season's Simm's girl, but only if Jake
photographs her. Before they can even begin, however, Jake is accused of rape of another of the
agency's models. Ashley's initial impression of the rather unkempt, dirty photographer gives way
to the truth when Jake reveals that beautiful fashion models make him feel intimidated. Rather
than the unkempt long red hair and straggly goatee of their meeting, Jake is actually a quiet, dark
haired attractive young man. As Ashley finds herself irresistibly drawn into helping him, they both
find themselves in danger. Author Kirstin South pens an irreverant look at sexuality and assault in
FOR THE LOVE OF JAKE. The randy romance combines explicit sex, off the cuff humor, quirky
characterizations and scintillating dialogue in an intriguingly memorable read. While it might not
be to everyone taste with its S&M and B&D elements, the curious, the amused and the addicted
will find this walk on the wild side a heck of a lot of fun. Ashley's compliance to Jake's demands
quickly gives way to surprising strong heroine who gives as good as she takes. Jake is a bit more
difficult to get to know, and readers may be a bit baffled as to why Ashley finds him so irresistible,
but by the end, even the most hardhearted reader cannot help but find him at least amusing and
sincere. Secondary characters bring their own eccentricities to the mix, especially the dildo-toting
Silly, furthering the wild fun. FOR THE LOVE OF JAKE comes highly recommended.
Girl Gone Wild: Blaze No 135
Joanne Rock
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373791399 $4.50 256 pages
From the "Single in South Beach" series -- Very highly recommended. Chef Giselle Cesare's
brothers are out of town, clearing a week of over protectiveness. Giselle plans to revel in her
temporary freedom, indulging her sensual appetites with the same wicked pleasure that she
creates sensual deserts for the Miami singles' club called Club Paradise. When journalist Hugh
Duncan suddenly appears in her kitchen in the wee hours of the morning, Giselle thinks her
fantasies have been answered until he admits that he is an investigative reporter. Suddenly
Giselle's freedom seems irrevocably tainted by scandals from the past. Trading international
intrigue for the society pages has been difficult for Hugh. His temporary reassignment nearly at an
end, he hopes to turn a piece of fluff assignment into real news when he heads to Club Paradise.
The scandal of a year ago still has not led to the arrest of a major player, whom he soon comes to
realize was involved with Giselle while married to another stake holder in the resort. The
consequences of stirring up old news could be devastating to the resort if Giselle cannot dissuade
him with more tempting offerings. Readers have come to expect excellence from Joanne Rock,
and once again she delivers with style in GIRL GONE WILD. Her scintillating prose and juicy
sensuality combine in fiery passion that leaps from the page. Fans that enjoy believable heroines
with less than perfect pasts will treasure Giselle, with her complicated ties within the resort. From
phone sex to a room named the Pleasure Parthenon, Rock's text revels in sensual indulgence. With
richly realized characterizations and a tasteful combination of business with pleasure, GIRL
GONE WILD is a delectable treat that comes very highly recommended.
Soul Awakenings: Exploring The Spiritual Journeys of One Hundred Women
Michelle A. Quigley
Cameo Publications, LLC
PO Box 8006, Hilton Head Island, SC 29938
ISBN 0974414921 $19.95 304 pages
Very highly recommended. In a society that dictates that women put their families, jobs and other
responsibilities ahead of themselves, few women seem to pay close attention to their spirituality.
Yet it is our spirituality that gives us the strength to persevere and overcome life's challenges.
Indeed, spirituality attracts people to our lives, bringing us peace, joy and happiness. Yet
spirituality goes by the wayside quickly without a sense of community and connection to others.
Hence the necessity for such inspirational books as SOUL AWAKENINGS that connect the
reader with an extraordinary community of women with profound spiritual insight. In SOUL
AWAKENINGS, author Michelle Quigley interviewed one hundred women from across the
country regarding their spiritual journeys and how they balance their spirituality with their
everyday lives. Quigley recognizes that each individual is a spiritual being and that it is our
awareness of the Divine that carries us through adversity, inspires us in times of doubt, and gives
us joy in times of celebration. Remarkably, Quigley balances her interviewees between those who
come from traditional religious backgrounds with metaphysical and other paths. The result is well
rounded view of spirituality seen through diverse eyes that will appeal to a wide audience.
Quigley's insight into the spiritual thread that binds all women in a sisterhood proves to be
incredibly uplifting for all seekers. Her words bring both strength and comfort, helping to alleviate
the soul searing isolation that many seekers feel when they have difficulty discussing spirituality
with others. As each of us works our spiritual paths, it is books like SOUL AWAKENINGS that
reminds us that we are not alone in our spiritual journeys. For those who seek to reconnect, or
those who wish to validate their own experience through the voices of others, SOUL
AWAKENINGS is a powerful tool. Each chapter includes questions for reflection and meditation
so the reader can trace their own spiritual awakenings and honor those who aided them on their
journey. However readers might define their understanding of the Divine, SOUL AWAKENINGS
has something for everyone. SOUL AWAKENINGS comes very highly recommended.
Silent Witness: Blaze No 1200
Kay David
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373712006 $5.25 304 pages
From the "Code Red" series -- Recommended. Andrea arrives at her sister Vicki's home to help
her unpack only to walk in on unspeakable tragedy. Her sister claimed to have been returning to
Courage Bay after a disastrous marriage and divorce. Only now a family armoire has fallen,
breaking her six-year-old nephew's leg. Horribly, the child has born silent witness to his mother's
death, trapped with her body for hours. Kevin suffers from Selective Mutism and does not even
call for help. A paramedic, Andrea calls for help while trying to comfort the child. When word of
his ex-wife's death reaches Grant Corbin, he immediately leaves LA to come to his son's aid. He is
not prepared to meet with Andrea's hostility or the lies his ex-wife created. After a year's absence
from his son's life, Grant hopes to make up for the past. However, when Grant sees Kevin with
Andrea, he has to reevaluate his own needs and desires. Having failed at his marriage to her sister,
Grant has little hope doing better by Andrea despite their mutual attraction. Once again author
Kay David proves her excellence at creating tales impossible to put down with SILENT
WITNESS. However, discerning readers may be a bit distracted by a couple of plot points. First,
too little time elapses between the time of Vicki's death and the growing romance between Andrea
and Grant; however, the timing is implicitly necessary to keep Grant's decisions immediate
regarding his son. Certainly Grant's determination to put his son's best interests ahead of his own
desires demonstrates a remarkably loving parent facing an impossible and painful situation.
Secondly, author David unfortunately mirrors a commonly held myth among romance writers.
Despite commonly held belief, if a man's name appears on the birth certificate, the courts always
favor the father who cares for the child since birth. Biology does not determine custody under the
circumstances David creates. Nevertheless, the painful family drama and tender romance results in
a read that comes recommended.
Two on the Run: Blaze No 1205
Margaret Watson
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373712057 $5.25 304 pages
From the "Count on a Cop" series - Recommended. As she leaves the Midland, Illinois library,
Eleanor Perkins she should have paid attention to her instincts. She quickly finds herself victim to
a man holding a gun. But he is no ordinary criminal. He warns her to not use the tricks taught in
her self-defense class, because he knows them all. He should since he usually enforces the law, not
breaks it. On the lam, police officer Mike Reilly intends to stay alive long enough to prove the
corruption within his department. His coworkers are equally determined to see him dead, even if it
means taking down an innocent librarian. Their mutual danger soon has both Eleanor and Mike
working together to prove the truth, forcing them to place their trust only in each other. Author
Margaret Watson pens a fast paced read in TWO ON THE RUN. While the cops chasing Eleanor
and Mike seem strangely inept at times, and there are the obligatory Stolckhom Syndrome
elements, the power of the writing and the excitement of the drama keep the blood pounding.
Scintillating dialogue, sharp wit and surprising dashes of wry humor combine for a fun read. TWO
ON THE RUN comes recommended.
The Longest Night: Temptation No 979
Kathleen O'Reilly
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373691793 $4.25 218 pages
From "The Bachelorette Pact" series - Very highly recommended. The Windy City's original
party-girl, Cassandra Ward makes no apology for her lifestyle. She lives by four rules, clean sex,
frequent sex, no promises and no monogamy. With a body that haunts men's fantasies, she is the
kind of a woman who likes to live them out. She believes that sex is great exercise, clears the
complexion and relieves stress. Most men agree. When Noah turned her down six months ago,
she walked away without a thought. When he approaches at Beth's wedding, she cannot forget
the pain she sees in his eyes because she put there. Somehow her victory dance does not seem as
much fun as it used to. So she decides to give him a second chance. For six months Noah Barclay
has dreamed of Cassandra after she ruined him for anyone else. Where he once turned down her
advances, he is desperate for another chance. He wants her, no doubt, but he wants far more than
just sex. So he makes a deal with Cassandra. He offers to give up sex, to do the who touchy-feely
thing, if she will consider monogamy. He is determined to prove that a man and a woman can
have a great time without having sex. He will stake his future on it. Wow! THE LONGEST
NIGHT is an exhilarating read that will certainly please fans. At last Cassandra meets her match in
Noah. The last of the bachelorettes, Cassandra has underestimated the power of finding the right
man. Fiery, sassy, and in control, Cassandra lends the series the obligatory bad girl with no
apology. Her delight in sex, her determination to play by her self defined rules and her ability to
control any situation, until Noah comes along, lends the series pizzazz and an appealing strength.
Noah matches Cassandra in power with his determination to override his libido and capture
Cassandra's heart. Funny, sexy and memorable, THE LONGEST NIGHT is the best of the series,
coming very highly recommended.
The One Who Got Away: Blaze No 134
Jo Leigh
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 0373791380 $4.50 256 pages
From the "Men to Do" series -- Highly recommended. Ten years ago Ben Bowman was the one
who got away. Taylor Hanson has never forgotten their magic. When her brother's wedding
brings them together again, she vows to put the past into perspective and break the spell Ben has
held over her life. Only when she sees him again, Ben is even sexier and more devastating than
ever. Moreover, he returns her sentiments. Now they have a week to create new memories before
going their separate ways. Seven days and seven nights bring more than sexual satisfaction for
Ben. While Taylor treats this as a week to gain perspective and change her life dramatically, she
treats her time with Ben as a way to using him as a comparison for every man she meets. She
certainly does not seem to be looking to build a future together. So Ben will have to find a way to
ensure that when their week is over, she does not simply move on. Author Jo Leigh has built a
strong reputation for sexy romance. In THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY, she creates a delightfully
sensual tale of second changes. While the plot might seem a bit thin at times, the remarkable
chemistry between Taylor and Ben makes for an electrifying read. While friends caution Taylor
that life is not a fairy tale and at some time she has to come back to reality, Taylor definitely
proves that dreams can come true. THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY comes highly
recommended.
Secrets
Heather Cullman
Signet
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
ISBN 0451210913 $6.99 352 pages
Recommended. Christian English owes his life to friend Gideon Harwood who rescued him from
slavery in the Middle East. Gideon brought Christian home with him to England, offering a life to
replace the one that Christian cannot remember. Even his name comes from his most recent
experiences since amnesia has robbed him of his past. Now he has fallen in love with Bethany, a
resident of Gideon's home. But without a past, Christian has no future to offer her. Bethany keeps
her own secrets intentionally. Horrendous circumstances once forced her to exchange her body
for the care of her younger sister. She had become the mistress of a member of the aristocracy,
but her subsequent pregnancy resulted in rejection. Tragically, the child was stillborn. Now she
passes as a widow but knows her past does not bear scrutiny. When Christian proves to be a
member of the ton, she believes she must give up all hope of their ever being together. Author
Heather Cullman pens a tender tale of love in Regency England with SECRETS, which explores
the era's sordid side while delicately maintaining the rich emotional nuances of a finely crafted
love story. Christian's transformation from rake to gentleman in the wake of his time in slavery
reveals the power of second chances and the genuine goodness of his heart. Bethany's profound
challenges expose the difficult challenges of her era as she struggles to overcome her shadowy
past. SECRETS comes recommended.
A Full House: Superromance No 1209
Nadia Nichols
Harlequin Retail Inc
PO Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
ISBN 037371209X $5.25 304 pages
From the You, Me & the Kids series - Highly recommended. Dr. Annie Crawford dreams of a
quiet place where the wind can blow her troubles away. Then comes a call late in the night from
the police reporting that they have her teen daughter who was joyriding and in the company of a
boy with a record. When she needs the summer to spend near her daughter, Annie's request is
denied by the hospital, although they offer her two weeks. So she resigns to get her daughter out
of the city for the summer. Annie hopes to take time for herself while her daughter spends part of
her time with her remarried father nearby, but not all things go as planned. Lieutenant Jake
Macpherson was the arresting officer for Annie's daughter. When he turns up in the emergency
room not long afterward, Annie feels especially driven to save his life. Their subsequent
acquaintance inspires Jake to spend the summer recuperating near Annie's vacation destination in
hopes of seeing her again. His movie star ex-wife leaves their five-year-old daughter in his care
for the summer as well. Soon Jake finds Annie -- along with everyone else that makes for a full
house. Author Nadia Nichols has one of those amazingly voices that stays with a reader. From the
first paragraph in A FULL HOUSE this reviewer recognized Nichols' voice with its delicate
lyricism and powerful undertone. Annie and Jake share an equal need to spend time with their
children and to find a measure of healing. Moreover, this character driven novel has several
unexpectedly delightful characters that span three generations, including elderly Lilly who has lost
her independence to Annie's troubled teen daughter. A FULL HOUSE is a lovely and beautifully
told story of new love and healing that comes highly recommended.
Guilty Secrets: Intimate Moments No 1286
Virginia Kantra
Silhouette Books
300 East 42nd Street, New York, New York, 10017
ISBN 0373273568 $4.75 256 pages
Highly recommended. Nurse practitioner Nell Dolan, nicknamed the Angel of Ark Street, cannot
afford a single mistake that might bring undue scrutiny. So when a reporter appears on her
doorstep just when her pharmacist reports missing drugs, she is understandably concerned.
Moreover, Nell has secrets that she cannot afford to have come to light, especially with the clinic's
need of donations. Joe's injury while reporting in Iraqi damaged him in ways no one can
understand. His hard cynicism extends to his stateside investigations, even the expose he intends
to write regarding the Ark Street clinic. The less Nell willingly reveals, the more Joe's
investigative side becomes piqued. Soon he finds his loyalties torn, however, between his devotion
to his career and his feelings for the enigmatic Nell. Few authors truly excel at presenting
consistently excellent reads in series romance, but author Virginia Kantra has established herself at
the top of the list. As always, Kantra creats powerfully memorable characters that are deeply
wounded and marvelously memorable. In GUILTY SECRETS, Nell and Joe seek healing in an
unexpected relationship that they are both terrified to trust. While she appears amazingly
misguided at times, Nell's gracefully handing of potentially dangerous situations and sincerely
good heart certainly redeem her. Indeed, perhaps it is Nell's contradictory personality that truly
draws the reader in. She is powerful and resourceful on one hand, and dangerously codependent
on the other. Certainly it lures Joe into loving her despite his innate cynicism. In addition, Kantra
does a marvelous job of bringing a dangerous world, with its seamy underbelly, vividly alive.
While GUILTY SECRETS may not be her very best offering, it still comes highly
recommended.
Cynthia Penn
Reviewer
Donovan's Bookshelf
Producing Musicals
John Gardyne
Crowood Press/Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, N. Pomfret, VT 05053
1861266278 $29.95 1-800-423-4525 www.trafalgarsquare.com
The basic principles described in PRODUCING MUSICALS can be applied to all types of
musical products, from cabaret-type entertainment and very small musicals to large-scale,
multi-media presentations. Producers, directors and designers will appreciate the in-depth survey
of each role in the musical's success, benefiting from John Gardyne's extensive background as a
London director, writer and producer.
Dr. Who: The Audio Scripts V. 2
Robert Gate
Big Finish/Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, N. Pomfret, VT 05053
1844350495 $27.50 1-800-423-4525 www.trafalgarsquare.com
The second volume of Robert Gate's DR. WHO: THE AUDIO SCRIPTS is a recommended
specialty pick for fans of the TV show and dramatists interested in science fiction. Big Finish
Productions has produced ongoing audio adventures based on Dr. Who since 1999: THE AUDIO
SCRIPTS provides the original scripts for four of the publisher's most popular stories,
accompanied by an essay by actress India Fisher.
The Dream Kingdom
Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
Little Brown UK/Trafalgar Square, Dist.
PO Box 257, N. Pomfret, VT 05053
0316860050 $29.95 1-800-423-4525 www.trafalgarsquare.com
Cynthia Harrod-Eagles' DREAM KINGDOM is the 26th book in 'The Morland Dynasty', so be
forewarned: it's not entirely a stand-alone read: not if you want the complete rich tapestry of her
Edwardian England setting. The social season of 1908 brings romance and pleasure to the
Morlands as wealth and new technology come to life. But the war with Germany looms over all,
and even new technologies and romance can't keep back the undercurrent of strife which will
reach into the Morland family and change its course.
Out of the Dark
Linda Caine & Robin Royston
Transworld UK/Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, N. Pomfret, VT 05053
0593048172 $24.95 1-800-423-4525 www.trafalgarsquare.com
Linda Caine is an artist; Robin Royston a practicing psychiatrist specializing in trauma: the two
met up when Linda Caine began experiencing flashbacks and images out of nowhere. Together
the two began an exploration of African roots which were to reveal the heart of forgotten
memories and the source of Caine's depression, making her autobiography OUT OF THE DARK
an emotionally charged, volatile self-exploration.
Parthian Shot
David Wishart
Hodder & Stoughton/Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, N. Pomfret, VT 05053
034082736X $24.95 1-800-423-4525 www.trafalgarsquare.com
David Wishart's fine Marcus Corvinus mystery is set in early Rome and provides an excellent
historical mystery revolving around politics and intrigue. Marcus hates politics but becomes
unwillingly involved when his latest investigation proves the attack on Parthian Price Phraates.
Twists and turns of plot mark a fast-paced mystery.
Paths of Destiny
E.V. Thompson
Time Warner UK/Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, N. Pomfret, VT 05053
0316857211 $28.00 1-800-423-4525 www.trafalgarsquare.com
Set in Cornwall in 1854, E.V. Thompson's PATHS OF DESTINY centers around one Alice
Rowes, a child rescued from a workhouse life of poverty by a village reverend who employs her
as a housemaid. When he dies of a heart attack, Alice faces many changes: not the least of which
is a romance which may take her far from her uncertain roots.
Nutrients A-Z
Dr. Michael Sharon
Prion/Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, N. Pomfret, VT 05053
1853755265 $16.95 1-800-423-4525 www.trafalgarsquare.com
Want a pocket-sized paperback encyclopedic reference of herbs, vitamins, minerals and
supplements which offers quick reference? Look no further than Dr. Michael Sharon's
NUTRIENTS A-Z: now in its revised fourth edition, it discusses foods, herbs, vitamins, minerals
and supplements in common foods from coconuts to kiwis.
Firefly Books
4 Daybreak Lane, Westport, CT 06880
1-800-387-5085 www.fireflybooks.com
David Posen's LITTLE BOOK OF STRESS RELIEF (1552979180, $12.95) is packed with over
fifty short 'prescriptions' of advice for leading a calmer life. The key, Dr. Posen maintains, is to
change thinking and lifestyle which contribute o heightened stress levels: chapters explore
concepts of mind/body interactions and stress management. Robera Cava's DEALING WITH
DIFFICULT PEOPLE (155297927X, $17.95) appears in a newly revised edition to provide
important strategies for handling stressful situations and people. From dealing with anger
customers and subordinates to handling sarcasm and abusive behavior patterns, DEALING WITH
DIFFICULT PEOPLE will address all kinds of situations especially work-related.
Firefly Books
4 Daybreak Lane, Westport, CT 06880
1-800-387-5085 www.fireflybooks.com
These picks for parents provide excellent, affordable home and library references. June
Thompson's SPOTS, BIRTHMARKS AND RASHES (1-55297-681-5, $12.95) provides parents
with an easily-used guide to common skin problems in kids. From fungal infections and
contagious rashes to growths and bruises, this helps parents identify and troubleshoot kids'
problems. Joanne Stone and Keith Eddleman MD's PREGNANCY BIBLE (848-6, $45.00)
provides everything needed to understand pregnancy and early parenthood, from staying healthy
during pregnancy and preparing for parenthood to coping with emotional issues before, during
and after childbirth. Much of this information is available elsewhere, but the clear presentation of
this ''Bible' of health facts makes it a winner above all others. Chrissie Gallagher-Mundy's
CESAREAN RECOVERY (904-0, $19.95) provides an excellent guide to post-cesarean
exercises and programs for recovery. From handling the baby and keeping to exercise routines to
understanding the lasting effects of a cesarean, this provides mothers with fine recovery tips.
Alison Mackonochie's PEE, POOP AND POTTY TRAINING (675-0, $12.95) provides parents
with an understanding of basic training; from realizing how a child's system works and knowing
when a child is ready for potty training, to the best way to prepare and proceed with successful
strategies. Peter Walker's HOP, SKIP AND JUMP (674-2, $12.95) provides a range of fun
exercises to help kids develop good posture and balancing skills. These exercises are designed for
parent/child interaction and promise fun as well as practical applications.
Diane Donovan
Reviewer
Kaveny's Bookshelf
The working title of this month's feature is "Kaveny cuts to the chase, " which is another way of
saying in my tenure as literary editor of Midwest Book Review I've never come upon any literary
work as delightfully sardonically vitriolic as
The Rebellion of the Beasts: Or, the Ass Is Dead! Long Live the Ass
written in England in 1825 by Leigh Hunt (1784-1859)
with an Introduction by Douglas A. Anderson
Academy Chicago Publishers
ISBN: 0897335201 $21.95 151 pages
What is fascinating about this book is that it exists because of literary collaboration which
stretches across 180 years of history from the English Prince Regency and then reign of George
IV (1820-1830) to present. The work is a result of the efforts of World-Class J.R.R Tolkien
Literary scholar Douglas A. Anderson. Anderson has made it his business to resurrect deserving
dead authors who have slipped from the public eye, because he believes they deserve to be read
and they have produced works of lasting value. In this case Douglas did one hell of a good job.
Because, even though Rebellion of the Beasts is written in Georgian narrative voice and diction, it
as fresh as if it were written yesterday as Leigh Hunt takes no prisoners among the rich and
powerful, and those who make it their business to flatter them and in the process change the
colors of their own noses. I only had to watch a single episode of the reality television show The
Apprentice in which a bevy of sycophants are locked in a life and death struggle to become
magnate Donald Trump's right hand minion to see how little things have changed in the nearly
two centuries since The Rebellion of the Beasts first appeared.
I read The Rebellion of the Beasts in a single day in two sittings because I simply could not put it
down. For starters, it is like Animal Farm only funny. If you liked George Orwell's 1945 novel
Animal Farm, you will love The Rebellion of the Beasts. If you hated Animal Farm you should
read The Rebellion of the Beasts anyway because it is a much, much better book. Leigh Hunt did
with literary stiletto and rapier what Orwell did with literary hammer and anvil. The work stands
on it own as a literary creation even after 180 years. However the fifteen page contextualizing
introduction by Douglas A. Anderson is a value added feature which contributes greatly to the
enjoyment of the Leigh Hunt's work without in any sense bogging it down or overshadowing it.
Knowing Doug as I have over the last twenty years I believe this is because he wants to get the
reader to the text with essential background information as quickly as possible.
For myself, and speaking (I hope) for other critical l readers, I am grateful that Doug allowed the
text to stand as the author wrote it without the impediment of seemingly endless self-reflexive
footnotes. Notes that have (sadly) come to pass for scholarship in some of the secondary works of
criticism of the fantastic I have taken that grim duty to read and review. To say it another way, he
has given us a living work with which we can do what we wish, as we may chose to read it on an
elaborated or un-elaborated register. This is the same thing that characterizes Anderson's work on
Tolkien. He seeks to communicate the author's intent to the best of his abilities rather than
advance his own agenda.
I find it fascinating that Leigh Hunt has used number of science fiction like tropes that allow the
story to succeed on both a comic and horrific level. I found myself quite willing to suspend
disbelief and accept Hunt's premise (Big Idea, according to science fiction and fantasy editor
David Hartwell) that animals are sentient, communicative, and feel pain. Once granted along with
much laughter The Rebellion of the Beasts must evoke pathos and empathy from any feeling
reader. This work because succeeds because of a key choices Leigh Hunt made as to how he tells
the story of much beleaguered animals who rebel, take over London and them become as brutal to
the other beasts as their former human masters had been to them. Clearly an allegory critiquing
the English Class system, this classic work thus arouses first sympathy and then horror and of
course comedy
He tells his story from the viewpoint of a morally clueless Quaker former Cambridge student. This
young man learns the secret of communicating with animals as a result of arcane knowledge
gained as from a library break in. This knowledge is implemented by breaking the heart and then
causing the suicide of a chambermaid in order to gain the essential toenail parings of a Doctor of
Divinity which will complete the potion which then empowers our narrator to communicate with
the beasts of the world. He survives the rebellion of the beasts and the overthrow of humanity to
work in various capacities for successive regimes of brutes (a word still used on the BBC for
animals as of a feature I listened to today on the Web.) Until the Ass becomes King only to fall to
yet another revolution.
The thing that inspires so much pathos in the reader is that the narrator is in fact an unfeeling
moral idiot who is always capable of doing the expedient thing, and feeling nothing for the horror
he reports. For example, the narrator coldly reports on the conversation of a pre- rebellion bloody
half skinned and being flayed alive eel. To be honest as I read the accounts of pre-rebellion animal
suffering presented in a number of different animal voices I was glad I became a vegetarian six
months ago.
It is also possible to look at The Rebellion of the Beasts as a portal into early 19th Century
England which was a very brutal place if you were not high clergy or an Aristocrat. I know this
having visited the workhouse, deportation courts, and debtor's prisons that served my Irish
ancestors so frequently and so well on my trip to The United Kingdom last fall.
I hope it does not appear that I am beating a dead horse as I continue to praise this book, but it
does have a certain lyrical vividness in the small details of its narrative which give the work a
medieval vibrance of the sort that one sees in the work Umberto Eco and at the same time modern
cinematic quality. For example one of the first signifiers that the rebellion of the beasts is
underway is the appearance of a Frog in His Majesties royal cup of chocolate, while at the same
time others are being tormented by ghosts of the geese that were plucked to fill their down
pillows. I would like to suggest that this because in the days when print and picture were really
the only mass media available writers were compelled to construct their works in forms that
embodied both a conciseness and richness of an image, a talent that needs to be recovered by
most modern writers. This is a handsomely produced volume belongs on my readers shelves and
deserves a place on the shelves of school, public, college, and research libraries and offers
something to some very wide range readers from the bright young adult to the postgraduate
literary researcher.
Philip E. Kaveny
Reviewer
Klausner's Bookshelf
Red Stag
Guy De La Valdene
Lyons Press
ISBN: 1592281346 $22.95, 299 pp.
Vincent was born to an unmarried maid working on the estate of the Count and Countess of
Costebelle. He has no idea who his sire was, but his Uncle Serge Lebuison, who also works as the
gamekeeper, serves as his male role model as he becomes a young man. When he was nineteen,
someone kills his beloved Serge. Count Costebelle hires Vincent to replace his late uncle. Vincent
blames poachers who he believes were chasing the famed RED STAG and he vows vengeance.
However, Vincent forgets his need for revenge when his childhood friend Nicole Costebelle
returns from Paris. Nicole and Vincent begin to fall in love, but they will soon learn why they can
never be more than friends even while a hunt for the RED STAG has been set in motion... Though
this tale is set in the late 1960s early 1970s, it feels more like a Victorian novel due to the setting,
poaching, and the privileged aristocracy. The story line seems subdivided between a murder
requiring resolution against insight into the upper and working classes (including professional
poachers). Though feeling out of time, readers will appreciate this vividly descriptive character
study of the interaction and great divide between isolated social classes.
Counterfeit Kings
Adam Connell
Phobos
ISBN 0972002642 $14.95, 381 pp.
In the far distant future three percent of Earth's energy come from the gas mines above Io,
Jupiter's volcanic moon. The harnessing of energy is the work of the Furnaces which is the
brainstorm of Kingston who created a powerful empire in which he and his wife are the king and
queen. During the Push, a war was fought to wrest control of the mines from Kingston but he and
his allies were victorious. To prevent another successful assassination during the war he created
Ringers, surgically transformed men to serve as Kingston's bodyguards. The system worked and
the empire thrived until an assassin was able to slip past the guards and kill the king and take
control. The ringers and Kingston scatter and claimants to the empire want the king to stay gone
for twenty days for that means he will be officially declared dead with his empire to go to the
most powerful claimant. Horracks and his pregnant wife Sari, once bodyguards to the royals, are
asked to find the king before the time is up. They do not know that Kingston's illegitimate
children and an old enemy working for rival business man want them to fail. Adam Connell debuts
with an excellent future world tale in which business rules and sabotage and assassination is the
order of the day. COUNTERFEIT KINGS is not a happily ever after tale but it is a realistic one
as business rules the galaxy. There are many villains in Mr. Connell's story that readers will love
to hate more than they will love the protagonist, a man who doesn't even know what his best
option is in the coming war. Counterfeit Kings is a mesmerizing, action-packed and riveting work
of science fiction.
Breakfast at Stephanie's
Sue Margolis
Delta
ISBN: 0385337337 $12.00
In England, wannabe singer Stephanie Glassman raises her two and half year old Jake by herself
as her son's dad Albert Rossi is a stuntman in Hollywood. Stephanie currently works as a
temporary pianist performing at Debenham's during the Yuletide season. While performing at the
store, rising superstar Frank Waterman arrives with his fiancee on his arm. Frank and Stephanie
performed in a show together over seven years ago. Not long after that Frank arrives again sans
his girlfriend. He asks Stephanie to go out with him saying seeing her let him know he was
marrying the wrong person. Albert comes to town to surprise Jake for Christmas, but pulls a
bigger shocker on Stephanie when he proposes to her. Will Stephanie date Frank, marry Albert,
or neither. She needs to choose by New Year's. Breakfast at Stephanie's is an enjoyable
contemporary character study starring a warm protagonist who wants to do the right thing for her
beloved son, herself, and her career, but has no idea what that is as what is good for one is not
necessarily good for the other. This exclusiveness makes her decision difficult, but Stephanie is a
solid trouper even if she detests starring as Mrs. Claus. Though the action is limited, readers will
appreciate this fine look at a struggling performer.
I Thirst For You
Susan Sizemore
Pocket
ISBN 0743467434 $6.99, 352 pp.
He's running from his captors in the Arizona desert when vampire Marcus Cage stumbles upon
Josephine Elliot who is camping there. She is a sensitive empathic pilot struggling to cope from a
crash that killed five passengers. A crazed Marcus, weakened from the drugs he was forced to
take and the rays of the sun thinks running into Jo is a miracle. Marcus drinks Jo's blood until she
becomes unconscious. Marcus needs to protect his Breed, but he also believes that meeting Jo is a
miracle because she is his soulmate. Marcus keeps her captive until he realizes that Jo being with
him is dangerous to her so he walks out on her. The local sheriff persuades her that Marcus is
crazy and needs to be found for his own protection. She finds him, but they are handed over to
the Patron and his followers at a top secret laboratory. They want the secret of immortality and
thinks Marcus can give it to them. When the vampire gets over being angry at Jo for leading his
enemies to him, they work together to find a way to escape. Flat, sizzling and erotic are only
some of the words that describe the relationship between the vampire and the empath. The author
is so good at world-building that readers find themselves believing that vampires are living in this
world hiding in plain sight. There is a lot of action in I THIRST FOR YOU but it is the characters
who make this vampire romance such a compelling and enthralling reading experience that it will
satiate readers thirst for a tale with a bite.
The Spy Who Loved Me
Julie Kenner
Pocket
ISBN: 0743446054 $6.99
In Los Angeles, thirty-seven years old attorney Phineus "Finn" Teague detests his current work
that leaves him bored evn at its most exciting moments. Instead he hides inside his apartment
dreaming of being a super agent saving the world and getting the girl in an eight hour job.
However, his daydreams dramatically change as he lusts over his neighbor Diana Traynor. Amber
Robinson works undercover for a top secret government agency. She and her partner Brandon are
tracking Drake, terrorist mercenary by tailing his girlfriend, Diana. Amber has even moved into
the same complex. When Finn seems to be everywhere especially when it comes to Diana, Amber
wonders if he is a bad spy though his background check states civilian lawyer. She decides to
seduce the truth out what appears to be a wild card operative not realizing that he will take her to
some place she never has been before: love. THE SPY WHO LOVED ME takes Walter Mitty
and places him inside a James (make that Jane) Bond-like thriller complete with beautiful babes,
wacky wizardry, a vile villain, and a stupendous spy story. Amber is a wonderful protagonist
while Finn is a bungler who quickly learns reality is a lot different than dreaming or game playing.
Yet he will risk his life if it means Amber is safe. Tongue in cheek, readers will appreciate Julie
Kenner's espionage romantic suspense tale.
Small World: A Microcosmic Journey
Brad Herzog
Pocket
ISBN: 0743464702 $13.00
Brad Herzog takes readers on a descriptive tour of "famous" locations such as Athens, Jerusalem,
Moscow, Mecca, Congo, London, Cambridge, Baghdad, Rome, etc without crossing any ocean.
One wonders how Mr. Herzog accomplished his feat of visiting these locales yet not transverse by
air or sea the Atlantic or the Pacific (except to Hawaii). Simply, he stayed inside the United States
where he went from Cairo to New Madrid, Missouri or searched for David in Jerusalem,
Arkansas. Mr. Herzog makes a powerful case that the states have plenty of interesting locations
so that the vacationer might not ignore feeling that there is as much culture and history to absorb
in Moscow, Idaho as in Moscow, Russia. The author makes the case that in deed there is plenty
to see when one traces the three mile train from London to Cambridge, Illinois. Small World: A
Microcosmic Journey is a delightful insightful look at the vast treasures waiting for Americans
within their own nation for a lot less than going overseas. The book is written in such a way so
that the casual reader gets a taste of a unique locale while being able to put the book down and
pick up this fine reference tome another day (I read the book over ten days). The audience will
picture Kerouac and Kuralt touring together with Herzog as their driver places like Versailles and
Paris.
Swallow the Hook
S.W. Hubbard
Pocket
ISBN 0743467582 $6.50, 332 pp.
After mishandling a case in Kansas City, Frank Bennett was fired from the department. He took a
job as the chief of Police in the small town of Trout Run, located in the Adirondack Mountains in
upstate New York. At first he thought it would be a quiet job but when he got a homicide case, he
realized that he could be very happy living and working in an area where everybody knows
everybody else. Mary Pat Sheehan was a friendly twenty-eighth year old woman who lived with
her parents and never dated. When she was discovered dead behind the wheel of her car, nobody,
including her parents, knew that she was pregnant or that she died from complications stemming
from the delivery. Frank discovers that Mary Pat gave birth to a healthy girl and handed her over
to a shady adoption ring. The radical environmental group Green Tomorrow, whose leader was
murdered while staying in Trout Run, and various residents who feel they were played as fools by
this group are ready to brawl and Frank hs all he can handle to keep the peace. S.W. Hubbard is a
genius at creating all types of characters, who touch the heart of reader. The audience will root
for them to get their heart's desire and understand their pain. The two sub-plots intersect in a
surprising twists but readers will not find out who killed the environmental or where Mary Pat's
child is until the author chooses to reveal the answers. SWALLOW THE HOOK is a fascinating
police procedural.
My Seduction
Connie Brockway
Pocket
ISBN: 0743463226 $6.99, 384 pp.
In 1801 the Nash family mourns the death of their patriarch who died in Paris a few months ago
but also worries about their impoverished state. Three men arrive offering to do anything for the
four Nash females. Christian "Kit" MacNeill explains to one of the daughters Kate that he and his
companions were betrayed while spying in France. Their father sacrificed his life for their
freedom. Kate whose husband was a soldier who died while on duty rejects his offer of help as she
remains angry with her father and leaders who send the young to die. She refuses to provide
atonement for Christian, who feels guilty that someone else died in his place. Not long afterward
her mom passes away. Kate journeys to see a distant relative by marriage, who she hopes will
support her and her sisters. On the trek she loses her driver, but Kit arrives insisting on taking her
to her destination. As they travel together through wintry Scotland, they fall in love, but she
rejects the notion of another military man and he knows the aristocrat she goes to visit is more
suited for her station in life. The first of three Regency romances starring honorable males who
believe they have a debt to pay, MY SEDUCTION is a strong Regency romance that will thrill
readers of the sub-genre. Fans will feel the frozen conditions warmed by the growing love
between the two protagonists. Kate is almost shrewish in her vehement rejection of Kit who
initially needs her absolution, but soon wants her love. These two make the opening gamut of
Connie Brockway's Rose Hunters series a triumph for readers.
Stone Heart
Candace Sams
ImaJinn
ISBN: 1893896986 $13.75, 210 pp.
His parents and he were driven out of The Order into the realm of the Outsiders for violating the
prime directive of not sharing magical solutions with the humans. The adults died not long
afterwards leaving five years old David Angus MacGregor struggling to survive. He becomes an
acrimonious hateful soul punishing anyone for the slightest supposed affront. Finally disgusted
with his malicious behavior, the Lead Sorceress changes Angus into a hideous statue and he will
remain that way until someone frees him from his stone coffin. When he was still flesh, Angus did
a kind deed for a child. She vowed to repay him and over the next three centuries that debt has
passed down from her to her descendents. In the present, a dying Aunt Aggie asks her niece
Karen Matthews to go to Scotland to free the soul inside the statue. Though thinking this is
foolishness, Karen, in spite of also dying from a defective heart and not believing, completes her
deathbed vow freeing Angus. They immediate fall in love, but how will he react when he realizes
that his beloved is ironically dying? STONE HEART is a terrific fantasy romance, the third tale in
the Order universe (see GRYPHON'S QUEST and THE GAZING GLOBE). Karen is an
inspirational person embracing life while near death; Angus has a second chance to redeem his
soul, but life's cruelty hits home when another loved one is near death. Will he choose salvation as
his cherished redeemer is dying or will he turn bitter and angry at fate? Candace Sams enchants
her readers with a fabulous magical story in which the strength of sorcery seems genuine but
feeble next to the power of love.
Shadow Moon
Elysa Hendricks
ImaJinn
ISBN 1893896420 $13.75, 214 pp.
Seven years have passed since Dale's sister Cathy disappeared with her clothing and a crystal left
behind. Dale will never see her sister again and starts to throw the crystal into the river when a
storm passes overhead and transports Dale into another world. Raf Jel Jater searches the
mountains for the slaver Devros when he comes across a naked unconscious Dale and saves her
life. When she awakens, she realizes that she is no longer on earth but on a world much like
medieval Europe. Raf pretends to be a slaver so he can locate Devros and put an end to his crimes
that threaten to plunge the country into war. Dale is frantic to find the crystal that Raf hides from
her because she has to go home to her daughter Thea who needs her for a kidney transplant. Thea
uses the remaining crystal to transport herself to the world her mother is in and finds some allies
that guide her in this strange land. As Thea struggles to reach her mother, Dale realizes she loves
Raf but knows she and Thea must return for the life-saving operation. Elysa Hendricks is a first
class fantasist who builds incredible worlds and creates alien species that seem believable. Readers
will adore the Shakar, a feline humanoid species who lack mankind's ruthlessness. They adopt
Thea in a special magical bonding ceremony. Raf and Dale are warriors, willing to fight for a
cause. Fans will root for them to find a way to be together if he survives his battle with Devros.
SHADOW MOON is an enchanting romantic fantasy that readers will put on their keeper
shelf.
Fairly Human
Holly Fuhrmann
ImaJinn
ISBN: 1893896994 $13.75
Bernie has been appointed head of the Fairy Godmother bureau of Fairyland. He is elated with his
assignment not so much because of the power imbued in his position (though that is nice), but
because he can finally pound those three pain in the butts who somehow always succeed,
Blossom, Fern and Myrtle. No Beltane Festival for these nuisances for he has an assignment for
them that pleases him almost as much as his new wife does. Having obtained approval from the
council, Bernie informs the trio they are being punished for breaking the rules. They will live as
mortals among mortals for six months without magic and as their true selves, beautiful young
women, not elderly godmothers. They journey to Erie, Pennsylvania to live near the Aaronsons; a
family they have helped in the past. The Aaronsons are pleased to see the trio, but a bit taken
aback by their true form. In the big city, they find employment and soon have males wanting to
date them. They enjoy their human stay, but that begs to ask what happens when their sentence
ends. Will they choose the magic of Fairyland or the enchantment of Erie? FAIRLY HUMAN is a
terrific fantasy that hooks fans of the genre especially those of Holly Fuhrmann with a neat twist
to end her enchanting fairy godmother novels by having the stories of the three heroines told. As
usual in a Ms. Fuhrmann novel, the impossible seems possible and real as the key cast feels
genuine including Bernie and his lovely spouse. The support characters feel like homecoming for
those who have tasted the previous fantastic novels. Once again readers will be charmed.
Forever Crossed
A. Leigh Jones
ImaJinn
ISBN 1893896242 $13.75, 232 pp.
She is not totally human but she is also not totally a were-leopard either as she doesn't change at
the full moon. Olivia Peters was hurt by a shifter when she was younger but to everybody's
surprise she didn't turn. She does have some of the shifter's powers as well as the abilities
inherited from her grandmother who was a witch and a healer. She works at Forever Crossed, a
funeral parlor in the Carolinas and since she started no zombies have risen nor have any vampires
who didn't want to rise from the earth. She is also a private detective who works with the local
police on seemingly supernatural crimes. In the past three months many vampires have been killed
and humans have been drained of all their blood. The police want to capture this rogue vampire as
does Antonio Vesci, the Undead Ruler of the Carolinas. He knows the rogue wants to take over
Antonio's territory. Antonio's ally Luka Niera, the were-leopard Ra'Jahn will help the vampire in
his battle. Lukas believes Olivia is necessary for the upcoming fight. When the rogue and his allies
strike at Olivia, it is Luka who Olivia turns to for help and it is Luka she is attracted to even
though she believes the were-leopards will never accept her because she isn't a purebred. Fans of
Laurell K. Hamilton's AnitaVerse will enjoy FOREVER CROSSED, an urban fantasy that takes
place on an Earth where supernatural beings exist and are accorded the same rights as humans.
Olivia is a delightful lead character doubting her prowess though the were-leopards think
otherwise. A. Leigh Jones is a creative world builder and fantastic storyteller who must provide a
sequel to her bloodthirsty fans.
The Seeker
Sharron McClellan
ImaJinn
ISBN 1893896250 $13.75
Iliana the trancer gave up her magic to save the life of a child from the reaper Mako (see THE
GIVEN). Most of her keep display open hostility towards Iliana, feeling she sold herself as a
"trancer whore" to the reaper. Her friend Aria and the Lord of the Keep Talon seem to somewhat
understand what Iliana did, but even with them, the marked trancer keeps her distance. Warrior
Lore desires Iliana though she shows no interest in him except as a teacher training her to be a
fighter so she can protect herself from the angry assaults of others. For personal reasons Lore
wants to refuse to take her on as a student. Talon learns that another Mako female Medea seeks
the powerful Orb of Dalis though no one knows that her plan once she possesses the power is to
first kill Iliana for stealing Mako from her. Lore accompanied by Iliana seeks this potent artifact
before Medea obtains it in case it can harm his people. On the quest, Talon and Iliana fall in love
as each discovers much about the other and the goddess that rules over everyone. This is an
exciting romantic fantasy that will hook readers the moment that Iliana cannot receive service
without disdain. However, the tale really takes off once young Benn informs Talon of Medea's
pursuit of the orb. Iliana and Lore are terrific heroic protagonists facing incredible obstacles.
Though reading the delightful first tale would help the audience better understand the geas that
Iliana has imposed on herself, sub-genre fans will still find plenty of enjoyment with fantastic
Sharron McClellan's magical journey to self and couple discovery.
Kiss the Night Good-bye
Keri Arthur
ImaJinn
ISBN 1593896218 $13.75, 223 pp.
Nikki Jones is taking her test to enter the Damask Circle, an organization of good supernatural
beings sworn to fight evil whenever they find it. She does her best to pass so she can marry her
vampire love Michael Kelly. In the room she senses a great evil and through their telepathic link
Michael senses her fear. Seline, the leader of the Damask Circle, informs him that an old
malevolence has infiltrated the organization with the principle targets being them. Over a century
ago, Michael killed a vampire sorcerer who murdered his lover but what he didn't know was that
Emmett Dunlevy had a twin brother just as evil with the same powers. Wylin swore he would
bring his brother back to life but to do that he needs to sacrifice Michael and Selene. Michael is
kidnapped and Nikki disguised as Selena travels to the ghost town where he is being held. Nikki
tries to rescue Michael and destroy Dunlevy but her beloved doesn't remember her and there are
all kinds of supernatural traps in town waiting to be sprung. If they can't defeat Dunlevy, they will
die and his brother will be resurrected. Kerri Arthur is one of the best writers of vampire romantic
thrillers on the market today. Her latest work has plenty of action and villains that are easy to hate
but it is the love between the protagonists that makes this work very special. KISS THE NIGHT
GOOD-BYE has the feel of a historical western since everyone in the ghost town believe it is the
nineteenth except Nikki and the villain. Readers will really sink their teeth in this memorable and
ensorcelling supernatural tale.
Child of Twilight
Margaret L. Carter
Hard Shell
ISBN 0759937141 $TBA 260 pp.
Although she is half human and half vampire, Gillian doesn't want to have a blood bond with her
teacher and mentor Volnar so she runs away hoping her father, psychiatrist Roger Darvell, will
come to her aid. Roger has only seen his daughter once since in the vampire culture he has no say
on her upbringing. On her way to Roger's home Gillian gives her address to Dr. Greer the man
who picked her up while she was hitchhiking but she ran away when she shapeshifted. She wasn't
supposed to be able to do anything like that until she reached adolescence and she has no control
over it. When she reaches Roger's home he allows her to stay with him and his human bond-mate
Britt until something can be worked out. Camille, a half mad vampire wants to punish Roger for
the death of her brother and her being locked away for the last fourteen years. She has Dr. Greer
kidnap Gillian and then she kills him, making her look like a savior in Gillian's eyes. Roger and
Britt risk their lives to rescue Gillian and stop Camille before she kills anymore humans. Margaret
L. Caster's sequel to DARK CHANGELING is everything a good vampire romance should be.
The exploration of vampire culture, the villain who wants nothing more than to destroy Roger,
the vampire's love for a human and his growing love for his daughter contribute to making
CHILD OF TWILIGHT one of the best vampire books this reviewer has ever read. Hopefully Ms.
Carter will write Gillian's story because readers will want to see what she is like when she is a
grown-up.
The Change
Lynne Hansen
Hard Shell
ISBN: 0759944911 $9.00
In 1874 Kansas, Hannah Gray and Daniel Drumm who are in love seek privacy in a corn field near
a town dance when a giant wolf attacks them. In spite of Daniel's heroic effort to save his
beloved, the animal bites Hannah on the forearm before fleeing into the night. Not long afterward,
Hannah cannot sleep during the full moon, but soon finds her clothing full of blood. Already
frightened, Malvinia the water witch scares her even further by informing Hannah that she is a
werewolf. The only cure besides death is to cut off the paw of the Lupe Garoux that changed you.
Desperate, Hannah hopes to return to 100% purebred human before she bites a friend. This is an
engaging historical werewolf tale whose ending will surprise readers though it should not. The
story line hooks the audience from the moment that Hannah is bitten until the final climax. The
transformation of Hannah from young in love teenager to werewolf is handled quite cleverly so
that the reader accepts the conversion as genuine. The audience will taste the Great Prairie with
its miles of cornfields as a decade after the Civil War comes vividly to life, but this is clearly a
classic style horror tale that targets an appreciative early teenage audience.
Weapons of Ruin
C.L. Scheel
Hard Shell
ISBN 075994069X $6.00 (download) 251 pp.
After defeating the traitors Kazan and Malgora, Kitarisa and High Prince Assur return to Daemon
Keep for their wedding. Assur eagerly awaits the nuptials, but Kitarisa is wary of him having been
denied the love of Kazan and her siblings Alea and Alor, who like their father seek power and
riches. Although they were banished to the Catacombs, they are now free and about to make
trouble for Assur and Kitarisa for Alea has entered into to a conspiracy that will change the old
power structures. Two Sacred Weapons are stolen and from the evidence the Qualani people did
the deed. Assur and his advisors ride out to confront them, but are later convinced they been lead
on a false trail. When they return to Daemon Keep, they find a traitor showed their enemy a secret
entrance inside. Taking the last Sacred Weapon they kidnap Kitarisa and two other highborn
ladies. Assur and his warriors must stop the invaders and free Kitarisa from the spell she is under
or else she will be lost to the high prince forever. WEAPONS OF RUIN is an exciting and
enthralling sword and sorcery tale that will appeal to readers who love a great fantasy. Kitarisa
has had a hard life but in spite of the danger she is in, she is compassionate, kind and forgiving.
Assur must stop a deadly plot from coming to fruition even though the odds are against him. He
must also save his beloved from her enemies with the help of the mages who are the only ones
that can expel the dragon spirit from her body. Readers can look forward to reading more books
in this magical series.
TimeQuest
Susan C. Yarina
Hard Shell Word Factory
ISBN: 0759940479 $12.99 303 pp.
At Superstition Mountains, Arizona, Dr. Sara James knows from her cousin Caytlyn's trip to the
past (see TIME RIDER) that the plant Black Sage is the safest cure for snakebites though none
seem to exist today. Sara wants to find Black Sage though Caytlyn's husband, Matthew Joseph
Barton Black Hawk warns her that 1882 is a very dangerous age for a twenty-first century
person. Sara's persistence persuades the couple to assist her on her quest. Historian Barton Grey
Wolf knows of Sara's obsession as he suffers from unrequited love that he hides from her. When
he learns of her plan to go back in time, he worries that she might break vows made by several
people including his own ancestor the legendary Apache Shaman, Grey Wolf. Still to keep his
beloved safe and to insure no one violates the oaths, Barton goes back in time without telling her
as does her sibling Jeff, who seeks to locate the missing Dutchman's gold. Sara is upset because
she wanted to go, but also finds herself falling in love with Barton. She meets her brother's
girlfriend Patricia Shoemaker and they agree to go back in time without being accompanied by the
men. TIMEQUEST is an exciting adventure laden romantic tale with a pinch of Native American
mythos. The story line is action-packed especially in the past, but most significant is that the
audience will believe that the individuals traveled back to the late nineteenth century. The prime
cast (the James siblings and their significant others) come across as fully developed so that their
exploits make for a delightful read. The audience will not want to lose any time reading the finale
once it is released.
Two on the Run
C.J. Carmichael
Harlequin SuperRomance
ISBN: 0373712057 $5.25, 298 pp.
In Midland, Illinois as children's librarian Eleanor Perkins closes the facility she believes as usual
she is the last in the parking lot. However, this time she is not alone as a man with a gun carjacks
her vehicle and abducts Eleanor. The culprit who says his name is Michael makes one stop at an
abandoned factory, but Eleanor who bravely perhaps stupidly mouths at him while she drives is
too chicken to enter the building as she fears the dark. Mike Reilly is a cop on the lam from his
blue peers. He has proof of police corruption that he wants to give to the FBI if he lives long
enough to do so. His only regret was bringing into his mess Ms. Librarian whose courage has
hooked him. Though terrible at relationships, he has a reason to live, but will die to keep Eleanor
safe from those chasing after him. Eleanor, who dreamed of adventure, finds this dangerous trek
is more than she wished for as not just her life is at stake; her heart and soul is on the line with
Michael. Ignoring the Stockholm Syndrome and that the enemy seems pathetic versions of the
Keystone Kops, police procedural romance readers will take immense delight in this on the lam
tale. The story line moves at a brisk pace from the movement that electrifying Eleanor gets her
first chuckle out of mysterious Michael until the final confrontation when she challenges him.
To Save This Child
Darlene Graham
Harlequin SuperRomance
ISBN: 0373712022 $5.25, 298 pp.
Though his practice is in Oklahoma City, Dr. Jason Bridges makes trips to Chiapas, Mexico to
provide medical assistance to the isolated locals. This year his nurse Kathy Martinez cannot make
the trip due to her own medical needs, but obtains an able replacement, Kendal Collins. Jason
warns Kendal that she must not become emotionally attached to any of the natives; she
understands his caution and includes her new employer too. However that proves easier said than
done when Kendal meets two-year-old orphan Miguel. She takes full responsibility for the boy
and decides to move heaven, earth and two governments so that she can raise him as her son.
Jason finds himself failing to heed his own advice when he too falls in love. He wants to be at
Kendal's side raising Miguel. TO SAVE THIS CHILD is an intriguing medical romance with a
side dish of flying adventure that is at its best when the plot furbishes insight into the courageous
Doctors Without Borders giving medical care to the remote and needy. The story line is fun to
follow especially when health care is the center of the plot as it is for the most part. Though the
plane incident that sandwiches the adventure seems unnecessary, fans of medical romance will
appreciate this warm contemporary tale.
Silent Witness
Kay David
Harlequin SuperRomance
ISBN: 0373712006 $5.25, 296 pp.
While paramedic Andrea Hunt left Los Angeles to start over in her hometown of Courage Bay,
her older sister Vicki also came home with more baggage caused by a disastrous marriage and
divorce, but with one blessing her six year old son Kevin. Though flighty, Vicki cares for her child
who suffers from Selective Mutism ever since his father Los Angeles Detective Grant Corbin left
them without a look back or even a call. However, the return for Vicki ends tragically when her
grandmother's huge armoire falls on her killing her while Kevin is hospitalized. Andrea takes over
raising her nephew while Grant arrives in town vowing during the drive to be the best father to
the son he has missed for a year. However, when he sees his silent son with his aunt, Grant
realizes the lad is better off with her. Still he wants in, but Andrea despises him for ignoring his
child and fears he might have killed Vicki. Still he seems so patient with Kevin that she
reconsiders her first impression as she falls in love with both male Corbins. Though well written
and exciting, readers will feel a somewhat bitter taste as the timing of anything romantic between
the two lead adults seems too soon after the death of Vicki. Still Kevin is a wonderful child
struggling with the radical changes to his environs including his father's "desertion", his mother's
death, and his relocation even though his Aunt Andrea is a delightful nurturing soul. SILENT
WITNESS is a deep family drama with a touch of a mystery and a warm romance starring the
right couple in the right place at the wrong time.
Girl Gone Wild
Joanne Rock
Harlequin Blaze
ISBN: 0373791399 $4.50, 249 pp.
International investigative reporter Hugh Duncan is bored with his current assignment to write a
report on Club Paradise until he hears someone singing "Summer Wind". Following the voice
leads him to aromas of Italian cooking. His nose takes him to a feast for his eyes when he sees the
singing chef. Giselle Cesare enjoys Sinatra, but right now relishes her freedom with her overly
protective brothers on the road. Thank god for honeymoons and hockey teams. Giselle plans to
have a fling without those two bruising siblings scaring away all males. Now Hugh is in her
kitchen during off hours and both are hungry for more than just her Kama Sutra cream puff. As
they follow up on that first combustible look, Giselle and Hugh fall in love, but he is there under
false pretense as he is to write an expose of her South Beach hotel. The latest South Beach tale is
an entertaining blending of business with pleasure with the emphasis on the latter. The lead couple
is a fine pairing though both come across a bit fluffy in this lighthearted romp. Still, fans of the
series will never look at dessert the same way again as the heated romance between the journalist
and the chef gives new meaning to eclairs, cream puffs, cherries, and icing. Poor brother Nico will
have to heat up one heck of an entree to top this tasty tale.
Some Kind of Sexy
Jamie Sobrato
Harlequin Blaze
ISBN: 0373791372 $4.50, 248 pp.
Four months have passed since her beloved Aunt Ophelia passed away, but Juliet Emory still
mourns the loss of the woman who raised her. She finds her aunt's diary and though she fears that
will tarnish the image of her beloved role model, Juliet needs to hear Ophelia's words. A sheet
falls out titled the "Guiding Principles of the League of Scandalous Women", a wonderful
reminder of their time together in new Orleans, but this time for her she is seeing the adult side of
being a so called "scandalous woman" and plans to live up to her beloved aunt's creed so that
Ophelia looking down will smile upon her niece. The Matheson brothers hire Juliet to perform at a
special thirtieth birthday bash for their youngest sibling professor Cole Matheson. Cole hates
parties, but at his gala his siblings insist he is not chasing skirts properly so they send Ms. Zorro to
raise his libido. Afterward he and Juliet make love though neither believes in one night stands.
Soon Cole realizes that she is the one, but how to make Juliet understand that they belong
together when he competes with the image that her aunt has left behind for his beloved to
emulate. This is a heated battle of the sexes with a role reversal as she wants a fling and he wants
a serious relationship. The two lead subjects' debate over the Theory of Sexual Relativity is a
delight and Juliet's discovery of the full person that Ophelia was is cleverly developed so that the
audience can see what motivated her aunt (think of Billy Don't Be a hero). SOME KIND OF
SEXY is a fabulous contemporary romance.
Sergeant Darling
Bonnie Gardner
Harlequin American
ISBN: 0373750234 $4.75, 249 pp.
Near Fort Walton Beach, Florida, everyone at Hurlburt Field knows that Flight Surgeon's Clinic
nurse Patsy Pritchard has earned her "ice princess" label for her rejection of all things male.
Sergeant Ray Darling is like much of the men on this air force base as he wants to be the one to
reach first base with Patsy, a boost to his pride when the top guns have failed to score. However,
Ray knows he has no chance as his experience with the opposite sex is lacking having graduated
from college as a boy genius at eighteen. At a charity auction, Patsy's Aunt Myrtle Carter buys
Ray and gives him to her niece. As they spend time together he begins to better understand why
she is so aloof. Ray has loved Patsy from afar for a while, but now that he has the opportunity to
prove that to her he realizes that this campaign is more difficult than some of the potentially
deadly overseas missions he has had. Though readers will need to adjust to Patsy being "as prickly
as a cactus", which leads to misunderstanding between the lead couple, Ray's campaign of love.
aided by the brilliant strategist her aunt. is fun to follow. Ray is a terrific hero struggling between
his inexperience with the other sex and his love for Patsy, who trusts no man with her heart
having been widowed once before. Bonnie Gardner provides a solid military romance though the
conflict between the lead couple seems minor and should have been resolved faster than the 100
hour first Gulf War.
His Baby
Muriel Jensen
Harlequin American
ISBN: 0373750242 $4.75, 248 pp.
Killian Abbott, head of the Abbott family's fashion conglomerate, loved his wife Cordelia until
Paris when he found his long time rival Brian Girard, son of the CEO of the November
Corporation, in her room. He knows at those rare times when his ire abates that he still loves his
spouse, but will never forgive her. Thus he is divorcing Cordie. Cordie is desperate because she
loves her husband. She made one mistake, but not what Killian thinks. Now she is tossing a Hail
Mary to try to regain what they lost because Killian failed to trust her, but the ever optimistic
Cordie will not accept failure. Her last chance is the baby she carries that she informs her spouse
she is carrying which she learned about through a physical she has taken to obtain a job with his
company. If he still goes ahead and divorces her, Cordie will still have their child to love and
nurture. Though Brian's father is something else with his do or die rivalry (even upset that his son
survived a near tragedy), readers will appreciate this second chance at love due to the upbeat
antics of the intrepid wonderful Cordie. Killian is an interesting protagonist who acts at times like
a four star general except when Cordie leaves him unable to speak. Though the extended Abbott
crowd requires a scorecard to keep track of who's who, this tale belongs to the lead couple whom
the audience will want to see Killian grovel to keep the sunshine in his life.
Lillie's Law
Dianne Drake
Harlequin Flipside
ISBN: 0373441908 $4.50, 218 pp.
Lilly Malloy sublimated everything she had into her law career even when she was a student. That
is until she met reporter Mike Collier. Mike and Lilly share quite a heated love affair, but it went
nowhere as both had ambitious dreams for their respective future. Judge Lilly presides over traffic
court in which Mike enters expecting to talk his way out of nineteen illegal parking tickets.
Instead, Lilly decides to teach Mike a lesson about paying his fines, not that their past would
influence her decision. Feeling the ice she sends his way, Mike asks for a change of venue and
then challenges her authority so Lilly, following the letter of the law, sends Mike to jail. Now he
wants to get even with the judge who he feels abused her power with of course his desire being a
lifetime sentence with Lilly as the perfect venue. The lead couple is a delightful pairing of two
squabbling souls that make for a fun tale. Especially enjoyable is the opening courtroom scene as
each slowly raises the ante until the judge trumps Mike with a weekend courtesy of the city.
Though a subplot involving a crooked politician (oxymoron?) seems to take away from the
gender war (they even team up), fans will appreciate this amusing second chance at love with a bit
of pay back tale.
Breakfast at Bethany's
Kathleen O'Reilly
Harlequin Temptation
ISBN: 0373691750 $4.25
Not long after the four young women made their bachelorette pact, two of them have since
walked down the aisle (see IT SHOULD HAPPEN TO YOU and PILLOW TALK). The third
young lady, Bethany "Beth" Von Meeter wants to join her pals Jessica and Mickey in happy
matrimony, but refuses to wed for anything less than love. Not feeling positive vibes with any of
the men in her life, Beth places an ad on the internet. Reporter Spencer James, on assignment,
responds. He wants to follow her exploits in on line dating as she seeks a mate through
cyberspace. Beth agrees in exchange for Spencer providing her an improved personal
advertisement. However, neither one expected love to blossom between the subject and the
journalist, who is becoming jealous of the dates that the ad brings. Like the stars of the first two
tales, this is a top quality contemporary romance starring two likable protagonists. The story line
is quite enjoyable as Spencer does not know what he wants except that he does not want anyone
but him kissing Beth. In turn she knows exactly what she wants and that is love if only the
reporter would open his eyes beyond the story. The return of the other three females adds to the
overall pleasure and gets readers ready for the finale in which Cassandra runs the anchor of what
so far have been three fine stories.
Unforgettable
Rhonda Nelson
Harlequin Temptation
ISBN: 0373691734 $4.25, 224 pp.
Author Faith Bonner is quiet and mousy, but her audacious heroine of her novels, Zoe Wilder is
brash and sexy. Faith is expected to act like Zoe at a Wilder murder mystery weekend gala, but
the writer doubts she can pull off such a stunt. At the mountain lodge, an accident occurs that
makes Faith believe she is sexy Zoe. Though he is attracted to her, lodge owner Lex Ellenberg
wants to avoid Faith during the weekend event. However, after the accident, Zoe tries to seduce
him and he wants to be seduced by her. Still his nagging conscience reminds him that Zoe is really
Faith and he should not take advantage of her. Still he is not stone and her temptation makes him
decides romancing the author for one UNFORGETTABLE night is worth her reaction when she
recovers her memory, but wonders if one evening is enough. Though the amnesia theme may
seem trite at first glimpse, Rhonda Nelson refreshes the premise with the twist that the heroine
thinks she is the character of her novels. Two opposites could not exist as far apart as Faith and
Zoe, which is part of the fun. Lex is a delightful protagonist who likes Faith and feels Zoe is over
the edge, but wants both in one charming package. Yet when he has a chance to make love, he
finds the temptation unbelievable because he wants Faith for more than just for one night, but
fears how she will react if he makes it with her alter ego siren Zoe once she regains her memory.
This is a fun tale starring a wonderful male and a schizoid female.
First Born
Lindsey McKenna
Harlequin
ISBN: 0373218788 $6.50, 250 pp.
At six years of age, a drug lord had Jason Trayhern kidnapped and physically and mentally
tortured until his father's comrades rescued him. As a result of the trauma, he is not close to his
father and keeps everyone at a distance even the people in his squadron. Two of his co-pilots
requested a transfer because they didn't want to work with someone who wasn't a team player.
Rather than give Jason a dishonorable discharge he transfers to another squadron, the 2-101
Aviation Regiment of Apaches at Fort Campbell. Jason knows this is his last chance to make good
in the military but he is afraid his new boss Annie Dazen will be prejudiced about his past,
especially the drug scandal he was involved in. However, Jason learns that Annie doesn't judge
anyone's past and she treats him the way she does everyone else. As a result, he opens up to her
and they start to fall in love but when they get transferred to Afghanistan, Jason is injured and
loses his memory. Annie hopes that with time and patience, the man she loves will come back to
her. FIRST BORN is a heartwarming and deeply moving story about the power of redemption
and the strength of love to heal all wounds. It is great being reunited with Morgan and Laura end
seeing how the years treated them. Lindsey McKenna demonstrates in the novel how alternate
medicine can work when other traditional treatments fail. This is a book that uplifts the spirit and
warms the heart.
Mother Please!
Brenda Novak, Jill Shalvis, and Alison Kent
Harlequin
ISBN: 0373836058 $6.50, 384 pp.
"Upstairs Downstairs" by Alison Kent. In Tatem, Texas, since her father passed away five years
ago, Avery Rice is very protective of her mother, teacher Susannah. Seeking freedom to date,
Susannah drafts Computer Science teacher David Marks to occupy her daughter. David has loved
Susannah since high school and hopes Avery will see him the way he lovingly sees her. With her
matchmaking mother on his side he believes can succeed. "The Road Home" by Jill Shalvis. In
Martis Hills, California author Jason Lawrence keeps visiting veterinarian Melissa Anders with
different animals though he acts uncomfortable around his "pets". His incentive to visit the vet
comes from her mother as he owes his life to her. As Mel and Jason fall in love he fears how she
will react to the truth because she wants nothing to do with her mother, who gave her up at birth.
"What a Girl Wants" by Brenda Novak. Quantum physicist Abby Ashton is stunned that her
parents are filing for a divorce. Her mom Claire is irate that her spouse for thirty-three years
cheated on her and so she is out to have a good time. Meanwhile her dad Walt is thinking of
selling the family automobile parts business to former NASCAR legend Gunner Stevens. Abby
obtains Gunner's help to aid her in her attempt to reconcile her parents in exchange for her
supporting his purchase of the business. Abby arranges for the foursome to go to Mexico where
love flourishes. These three novellas are fine contemporary romances starring two generations of
women struggling with relationships with one another and especially with the men in their
lives.
The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah
Stephen King
Scribner (Grant)
ISBN: 1880418592 $30.00, 432 pp.
Instructed by the Crimson King's Low Men thugs and applying the power of the Black Thirteen,
the demon-mother Mia, using the body of the body of Susannah Dean as her host, travels to
Midtown Manhattan in the summer of 99. Mia understands that she must give birth at the right
time at the right place to begin the end of the Dark Tower. Trailing her in order to prevent the
event at the Dixie Pig are adolescent Jake, his talking pet Oy and Father Callaghan. Meanwhile, in
1977 Enrico Balazar and his goons have traveled to East Stoneham, Maine where they plan to kill
bookstore owner Calvin Tower. Gunslingers Roland and Eddie arrive at the bookstore also
seeking Enrico as bullets fly and a frightened young author of a bestseller called Salem's Lot
wonders when his fantasy world turned to deadly reality. The sixth tale of the Dark Tower series
continues the path towards the finish with two prime exhilarating subplots that will enthrall the
audience. The ironic technique of King placing King inside the novel comes off as chutzpah that
works especially the ending. Still the key to this rendition and the previous sagas remain that the
characters hold true to their respective essence throughout the adventures. With the finale in this
saga to be published soon, fans of Stephen King will rejoice this epic series maintains its' high
standard throughout, but newcomers should start with the first novel.
The Tarnished Eye
Judith Guest
Scribner
ISBN 0743257367 $24.00, 288 pp.
The small town of Blessed, located in Northern Michigan, is divided into two groups, full time
residents and the summer people who live in their "McMansions". Edward and Paige Norbois and
their four children don't even bother with the summer residents because the father is a loner who
come up to Blessed to get away from people. Except for the youngest children, all the members
of the family have a problem or secret they wish to hide. The family is getting ready to fly on their
new plane when someone executes everyone except for the little girl who dies from a blow to the
head. Sheriff Hugh De Witt takes charge of the investigation but he is very short of help and the
Ann Arbor Chief of Police can't help him because he has his own big investigation to cover.
Someone is killing female co-eds and the college town is in an uproar wanting the perpetrator
found yesterday. As Hugh investigates the killings, he finds a link between the massacre at
Norbois' summer home and the Ann Arbor murders. Now he has to do is find out where that link
will take him. While working the investigation, the sheriff is learning to let go of the intense pain
he has felt ever since his eleven month old died from SIDS. It is fascinating reading about the
investigation as the author takes us through it step by step. THE TARNISHED EYE is a very
visual book that would make a good movie because the readers come to know and care about the
DeWitt family inside a powerful police procedural. Judith Guest has written a very exciting and
enjoyable psychological suspense thriller.
Murder at a Vineyard Mansion
Phillip R. Craig
Scribner
ISBN 0743246764 $24.00, 272 pp.
Retired police officer J.W. Jackson lives in the Ocean Heights section of Martha Vineyard with his
wife and two children. He takes on odd jobs to earn extra money including some detective work
when he becomes interested in an unusual crime. The Silencer is a modern day Robin Hood, who
"fixes" music systems that are playing too loud in moving vehicles or homes with the windows
open. He somehow fries them. Robin Pierson is building a castle on Chappaquiddick much to the
consternation of the neighbors who feel he is destroying the picturesque area. A delinquent
vandalizes the structure forcing Robin to hire security guard Ollie Mates to make sure it doesn't
happen again. Someone murders Ollie and Robin's neighbor Maud Mayhew wants to hire J.W. to
prove that her son Harold is not the killer. J.W. turns down the case and shortly thereafter, Harold
is also murdered probably by the same person who killed Ollie. A guilty J.W. decides to
investigate both deaths and crosses paths with the Silencer who he doesn't turn into the police
because he sympathizes with his actions. Good Morning America book club author writes another
crime thriller that has very little blood and gore but plenty of action to keep the reader
entertained. The protagonist has caught a lot of killers in his day but even he is surprised who the
perpetrator is and very little shocks him. MURDER AT A VINEYARD MANSION gives the
reader a glimpse of the very rich who believe their wealth could because a multitudes of crimes,
both moral and criminal. Mr. Craig makes Martha's Vineyard so appealing readers will want to
take a summer vacation there.
Grudge Match
Jay Brandon
Forge
ISBN 0765308924 $25.95, 880 pp.
Eight years ago San Antonio assistant district attorney Chris Sinclair proved to a jury that
Detective Steve Greerdon participated in an armed robbery. Steve insisted he was set up by other
police officers who wanted Steve to join their little club of ripping off drug dealers and other
lowlifes, but he refused so he took the fall for a crime he never committed. Chris, now the District
Attorney, finds DNA evidence and a witnesses exonerating Steve who is pardoned. Steve wants
to reconnect with his son and enjoy his freedom but the police officers who set him up want him
back in prison. Chris doesn't know who to trust on the force and sets a tail on Steve so he always
has an alibi. Meanwhile Chris's lover, psychiatrist Anne Greenwald treats a patient who says
Steve is guilty. When two police officers are murdered and Steve is on the scene, Chris has doubts
about his innocence. The only way to find out who the dirty cops are is to set up a sting if Steve is
willing to risk his life and trust an officer of the court who could put him away again. When it
comes to writing innovative and exciting legal thrillers, Jay Brandon is one of the best in the
business. His latest protagonist seeks truth at any cost yet for all his years as a lawyer has a touch
of innocence that readers will cherish. The walls of blue start off solid but by the time GRUDGE
MATCH ends a few cracks give readers hope that the police will speak out when they see wrong
doing. Fans of Linda Fairstein and Christine McGuire will definitely love this book.
Memorial Day
Vince Flynn
Atria
ISBN 0743453972 $25.95, 407 pp.
Intel learns that countries harboring terrorists are transferring their stock and bonds into gold
while at a top-secret installation a Pakistani terrorist is being interrogated by CIA black ops agent
Mitch Rapp. Intel finds out that Al Qaeda is preparing to strike at the United States, making the
World Trade Towers destruction seem like a child destroying a toy. Mitch and a group of
commandos raid a small Pakistani mountain town where they find proof that Al Qaeda is getting
ready to attack America. Going through the documents and the computer disks, Mitch and other
operatives believe that the terrorist group is trying to smuggle a nuclear bomb into the United
States. Through diligent effort and good investigative work, they are able to locate the bomb
which was being shipped into the country by boat. Further Intel lead Mitch to believe that a
second bomb has already been smuggled into the country and it is set to go off at the White
House festivities on Memorial Day if Mitch can't locate it in time. Vince Flynn is one of the best
writers of action thrillers on the world scene today. His protagonist is a true patriot, willing to get
his hands dirty if it means saving innocent lives. He can't stand or deal with the politics that get in
the way of catching terrorists and believes the legal rights belonging to ordinary people should be
suspended for active terrorists. Readers won't know until the last paragraph if the hero finds the
nuclear bomb and is able to prevent it from going off. MEMORIAL DAY is more frightening than
a horror tale because the premise of the story is all too plausible.
Twenty Seven Bones
Jonathan Nasaw
Atria
ISBN 0743446534 $25.00, 288 pp.
He was an FBI agent for twenty-seven years, looking forward to retirement so that he can play
golf and catch up on his reading but now that the time has come E.L. Pender is bored silly. He
occasionally teaches a course at Quantico where he meets his old friend Julian Coffee, the chief of
Police of St. Luke, an island in the Caribbean. Julian offers him a free vacation in his tropical
paradise if Pender will help track down the serial killer known as the Machete Man. Peter has
captured high profile serial killers and is considered an expert on the subject. Pender gladly agrees
to travel to St. Luke and sink his teeth in another serial killer case but he has never gone up
against killers as the ones who are committing the crimes. Anthropologists Phil and Emily Epp
along with their servant and accomplice Bennie believe they will remain young and live for
eternity if they catch the last breath of a dying person. They are cold, calculating, and totally
ruthless; willing to do whatever it takes to get what they want. They will turn out to be Pender's
most formable enemies. Jonathan Nasaw, the author of THE GIRLS HE ADORED and FEAR
ITSELF has written another exciting chilling crime thriller told from the point of view of the
protagonist and the antagonists. The juxtaposition of the serpent in paradise works brilliantly
throughout the storyline and readers will feel shocked that people could carry out such carnage.
Emily is the female Hannibal Lechter who weaves an evil spell over all who comes in contract
with her.
Translations of Beauty
Mia Yun
Atria
ISBN: 0743483561 $23.00, 288 pp.
Twins Inah and Yunah were born in 1973 in South Korea to married schoolteachers. The sisters
enjoyed a happy early childhood in their homeland until Inah was hideously scarred during a
scalding accident that left her visage permanently marred. Knowing that Inah would forever be
ostracized in Korean society, the family immigrates to the United States moving into the
Korean-American community of Flushing, Queens. Over a decade passes and Inah drops out of
graduate school at Oxford to first backpack in India and then to relocate in Italy. Yunah follows
her sibling to Italy, but the reception is cold and angry as Inah does not want her here. Now the
once close twins argue over their future, their past, their father, and finally the disfigurement that
made them no longer identical. TRANSLATIONS OF BEAUTY is a delightful family drama that
focuses on the long term impact of a trauma on twins. The story line alternates between Yunah
narrating glimpses back to their childhood with her providing a present day description of the
Italian encounter of trouble between them. The ill winds into this Korean house seems
overextended yet provides a deep look at battling loving twins from Yunah's respective. Though
more of Inah's sullen perspective even if it is just what is going on inside her head, would have
provided a stronger character study, fans will appreciate this deep look at discord in a Korean
family.
And the Shadows Took Him
Daniel Chacon
Atria
ISBN: 0743466381 $25.00, 352 pp.
William Molina feels good that he is the first Hispanic-American to be promoted to management
as a dispatcher in Fresno and shocks his wife Rachel, his teenage daughter Vero , and his two
sons teen Billy and preadolescent Joey by taking them to dinner. The family has never been to a
waitress based restaurant where a person serves the meal. Not long after that William knows he
has obtained the American dream as he relocates to Oregon as a middle class worker. However,
Joey also realizes that leaving impoverished Fresno did not remove the stereotype label of Latino
gang member. While Joey performs at his new school in the role of punk hood, William struggles
with the darker side of the American dream that he finds lacks substance. Already known for his
temper though he always controlled his fists, his anger may break his family apart if he does not
learn to control his growing wrath. This is an intriguing character study that takes an extremely
dark look at the impact of the American dream on one's roots. The story line is driven by the five
Molinas as readers get a close look at each of them and through them aspects of the
Mexican-American culture. Daniel Chacon paints a deep tale that makes the case that assimilation
is not all that it seems.
Death of an Effendi
Michael Pearce
Poisoned Pen
ISBN: 1590580664 $24.95, 186 pp.
In 1909 Egypt the Mamur Zapt, Gareth Owen, joins several VIPs on a shoot that makes him feel
like a duck out of water as most of the effendi attending are financiers or royals. However, during
the gala, someone shoots the Russian Tvardovsky. As expected by his position, Owen begins to
investigate to determine whether the death was an accident or a homicide with his only clue being
that the foreign victim discussed crocodiles in Egypt. Prince Fuad interferes with the Mamur Zapt
inquiries trying to insure that an accident is reported if he cannot stop the investigation. However,
Gareth continues to look into the matter with the diligence he always brings to his job though he
worries about the repercussions from the royals, especially how Fuad will react. Fuad increases
the pressure for Owen to conduct a sham, but he refuses. The Mamur Zapt series consistently
provide some of the best early twentieth century police procedural tales on the market. The latest
entry, DEATH OF AN EFFENDI, is a fabulous tale that as usual provides an intriguing glimpse
at Egypt in 1909 where foreigners heavily influence what happens to the country. The
investigation is top of the line as Gareth struggles with Prince Fuad's reluctance and with
potential witnesses fearful of alienating foreigners and or the Mamur Zapt. Fans of historical
mysteries will appreciate this tale that brings to life a bygone era whose impact remains strong
almost a century later.
Grave Undertaking
Mark de Castrique
Poisoned Pen
ISBN: 1590581164 $24.95, 276 pp.
When his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Charlotte police officer Barry Clayton
leaves the force and returns to Gainesboro, a North Carolina mountain town. He helps his parents
and his uncle run the family business, the Clayton and Clayton Funeral Home. He is there when
Pearly Johnson's coffin is exhumed so it could be moved to the family plot. State Senator
Richards paid a lot of money to be buried in Pearly's plot, which is next to Caleb Turner, a Union
sympathizer. Before they reach Pearly's coffin, they discover the skeleton of another man on top
of the coffin, a bullet in his head. A wallet is found with four hundred dollars and a picture of
Barry's girlfriend Susan Miller. They identify the body of Samuel Calhoun, a private detective
who was buried with the gun of Susan's father. Both Susan and her father become suspects in the
death of this sleazy blackmailer. When Barry makes inquiries, he is shot. Still he thinks the killer is
someone in the justice department and Barry and his friends better find out who it is before
someone else dies. Mark de Castrique has written an exciting regional mystery that gives readers
feeling of what it is like living in a small southern mountain town. The protagonist is a hero in the
truest sense of the word as he gives up his job to take over the family business that means
everything to his mother and uncle. He's patient with his father, tries to protect his girlfriend, and
find a murderer. GRAVE UNDERTAKING shows the importance of the funeral home in the
community as neighbor helps neighbor in time of need.
Murder in Montparnasse
Kerry Greenwood
Poisoned Pen
ISBN: 1590580427 $24.95, 298 pp.
Bert and Cec along with five other Australian soldiers are drinking and having a good time in
Paris in 1918 when the seven witnessed a murder. Now a decade later, Bert, Cec and one of the
other five Johnnys are concerned that someone is killing them off one at a time. At the inquest,
two died allegedly accidentally when Maccie drowned in an irrigation ditch and Conger's van fell
on him while he was fixing it. The three mates think otherwise as counter evidence disputes the
official findings. The men discuss their belief with Phryne Fisher, renowned for her investigative
skills. Phryne's inquiries into the seven and a seemingly unrelated case involving a missing fiancee
that somehow goes back to 1918 in the Montparnasse section of Paris too also links back to her
own past in the same locale at the same time. Regardless of her memories, a murderer is on the
loose and must be stopped before anyone else dies. MURDER IN MONTPARNASSE is an
exciting historical mystery that brings to life the late 1920s and a perspective from that point back
to the end of World War One in Paris. The story line engages the audience due to the star as she
plunges deep into the investigation while memories of her own waif lifestyle in 1918 Paris flash
through her mind and her personal woes spin somewhat out of control. The support cast either
enhances the who-done-it or brings insight into what makes Phryne tick. Phryne has starred in
other adventures so that anyone who reads this delightful tale will seek other works starring a
wonderful protagonist.
The Second Coming
John Dalmas
Baen
ISBN: 0743488164 $24.00
Two thousand years ago, while the Roman Empire flourished, corruption also blossomed. In that
moral void, the Infinite Soul arrived to pass the word. The United States has made terrific
progress on the race and gender fronts almost eliminating the negative isms from the dictionary as
showcased by a black female president. However, the country is suffering from a drastic
depression and as the original Rap said "violence seems as American as apple pie". Corruption
and amoral behavior grows. A cult forms around the teachings and miraculous abilities of Ngunda
Aran, who insists he is not THE SECOND COMING, but just a guru preaching that love is the
basic force of the universe and that fear is the corollary. Aran insists the Infinite Soul is coming
back to coincide with an asteroid heading towards Earth, but not as a carpenter. This time he will
return in the body of a married black Canadian software guru, who rejects the notion that he has
Christ's soul inside his heart. Will this anointed one be nailed in the crosshairs of an Uzi from
those who want him and his benefactor dead? THE SECOND COMING is an exciting telling of
the return of the Infinite Soul, but with a Hindu twist to the tale. As John Dalmas points out the
philosophy and writings of Aran can be traced to Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's Michael novels making
this book a treat for her fans. Though at times pontification slows down the plot, post-apocalyptic
fans will take immense pleasure with this engaging story because Aran, the president, the Infinite
Soul and his enemies seem genuine in a world heading either directly to heaven or hell with no in
between rapture weigh station.
1634: The Galileo Affair
Eric Flint and Andrew Dennis
Baen
ISBN: 0743488156 $25.00
Two forces are at work in 1633-1634 Europe as the Thirty Year War devastates much of the
continent. In Germany, the twentieth century West Virginia transplants forge the United States of
Europe based on the principle of democracy. On the other extreme resides powerful Cardinal
Richelieu who wishes to dominate a European theocracy. He knows that this "Grantville" is a
threat to his ambitions especially those alliances with Sweden and the Ottomans. Pope Urban VIII
welcomes the displaced Americans who come to Venice to stop the plague from spreading and to
offer an alliance with His Holiness. Urban sees this group as a potential counterpoint to the
growing influence of Richelieu and considers that odd thinking Roman Catholic priest amongst
them could defend Galileo at his upcoming heresy trial. Though the Americans are split on
whether to aid the beleaguered astronomer, Cardinal Richelieu has plans to discredit them
regardless of what they intend to do. This alternate history series is already one of the best around
and each new entry appears better than the previous one, a seemingly impossible feat. 1634: the
GALILEO AFFAIR is a terrific tale that provides the audience with a combo slapstick historical
techno-thriller that brings to light an intriguing era, but does it with anachronisms and humor.
Galileo's theories are placed in a different light than that taught in school adding to the overall
mercurial splendor. The ending must have come from "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" as
Eric Flint and Andrew Dennis insure nothing remains sacred within their retelling of the
seventeenth century.
The Road to Damascus
John Ringo and Linda Evans
Baen
ISBN: 0743471873 $25.00, 682 pp.
The ET Volkswanderung has arrived to conquer the residents of planet Jefferson, cut off from the
rest of the Concordant. Nothing survives the devastation of these marauding interplanetary
travelers once they engage in their usual hostile activities. To battle the Volkswanderung,
Commander Simon Khrustinov and his Surplus on Loan (SOL) Bolo prepare for one final
onslaught yet they successfully vanquish the enemy. However, much of Jefferson is in ruins from
the war. Infrastructure either no longer exists or so feeble it might as well not be there. To rebuild
the planet means a major influx of capital (both money and people), but few are willing to pay the
cost. When the unpopular government tries to make tough decisions, it gains no support and
collapses. Narrow vision Utopians take over with a special agenda to use the powerful Bolo to
ethnically cleanse their enemies, not understanding the moral dilemma imposed on this thinking
war machine with a conscience. This is an exciting military and post military science fiction novel
that would make Keith Laumer proud of what John Ringo and Linda Evans has done with his
Bolo. The story line is at its best when the audience observes the reconstruction options and the
ethics issues, none of which are easy or cheap. At times harsh and condemning those foolish
enough to believe that no one besides the soldier and his or her family have to pay for war and its
aftermath, readers will get the no free lunch message that there is a price to pay when conflict,
even in the case of defense, is deployed.
Killer Smile
Lisa Scottoline
HarperCollins
ISBN: 0060514957 $25.95, 368 pp.
Amadeo Brandolini moved from Italy to Philadelphia where he found work as a fisherman. He
soon marries and begins a family when World War II breaks out. The FBI incarcerates Amadeo as
one of ten-thousand Italian-Americans designated as an enemy. Amadeo is sent to Fort Missoula,
Montana without the benefit of a trial to work in the sugar beet field. Not long afterward,
Amadeo works with one other person and no one else in the vicinity. He is later found dead, ruled
a suicide. Years later, Amadeo's son "hires" Mary DiNunzio of Rosato and Associates to sue the
government for reparations. Being from South Philly like the victim and her client, the case means
a lot more than her usual load to Mary. However, she never expected the roadblocks put up by
the Feds nor that Amadeo might have been murdered and that her inquiries have brought her to
the attention of the Saracones family who willingly will murder to keep World War II data
interred in a dusty archive. The return of Rosato and Associates (See COURTING TROUBLE
and EVERYWHERE THAT MARY WENT) would be a reason unto itself for legal thriller fans
to rejoice. However, KILLER SMILE also adds a terrific insightful look at an ignominious
moment in United States history with the lock up of ethnic Americans. The timing is perfect with
the no fly list and enemy combatant principle employed today. Lisa Scottoline does not neglect
the modern day investigation led by brass South Philly cheese steak attorney Mary. Readers will
enjoy this entertaining yet educational cautionary tale on how easy the first amendment is tossed
aside under the guise of "national security".
Wedding Bell Blues
Robyn Amos
Harper Torch
ISBN: 0380815435 $6.99, 384 pp.
In San Diego, a tired Moni Lawrence searches for her new home after relocating from
Dunkin,Virginia. As she wearily drives down the streets, Grant Forrest leaves his home wearing a
towel to pick up his newspaper. His cat escapes and he pursues it losing his wrap in the process.
Moni avoids the feline only to see a naked Grant. She drives through his fence into his swimming
pool. A few weeks later Grant and Moni are in court as he has sued her for the cost of fixing the
fence. She insists that she will do the job. The court agrees to allow her thirty days to
satisfactorily complete the repair. However, soon Grant's neighbors are furious with him for
allowing the petite Moni to lift heavy wood. Next thing he knows he is cutting the wood to size.
Moni says she suffers from the dreaded DDS, Damsel in Distress Syndrome as everyone assumes
because she is small she is helpless. As she works the fence, they fall in love, but twice divorced
Grant fears trice failure on the relationship front. WEDDING BELL BLUES is an amusing
contemporary romance that never takes anything too seriously yet still forges a delightful
relationship tale. The story line is terrific especially when seemingly even strangers turn Moni
inadvertently into "Thomasina Sawyer" as everyone wants to not just help her, but do the work
for her. To her credit she objects to the notion that she is conflicted with DDS. Grant is an
interesting counter to her, but no question she is the star of a fun novel.
Take Me, Take Me with You
Lauren Kelly
Ecco (Harper)
ISBN: 0060565519 $22.95
In 1993, Lara Quade works at the Institute for Semiotics, Aesthetics, and Cultural Research in
Princeton, New Jersey. At work Lara receives an anonymous ticket to a concert. Trying to figure
out who sent it, she rules out her father who deserted her and her older brother Ryan over two
decades ago. She knows it cannot be momma, who in Lake Shaheen, New York drunkenly drove
their car into a moving train with then six year old Lorraine (as Lara was called back then) and
Ryan as passengers. At the concert, Zedrick Dewe sits next to her. Afterward, Lara invites Zed to
her home where they end up arguing. Someone beats up the institute's director. Lara thinks Zed
did this; she confronts him only to learn he is her half-brother. Their mutual father killed his
mother and spent his remaining life in Attica for the crime. Lara wonders whether her crazy
mother did that deed and plans to confront Ryan about her theory. However, first she and Zed,
though they share common blood, want to make love. The storyline moves back and forth with
ease between 1971 and 1993 as Lauren Kelly uses the past to tell a story about the present. The
character driven story line focuses mostly on Lara looking back and wondering whether her
mother killed her spouse's mistress and allowed her husband to take the fall. Zed is an intriguing
protagonist as he knows he must avoid the incest offerings of Lara, but their tragic past has left
both lonely and each other's arms feels comforting. TAKE ME, TAKE ME WITH YOU is a terse
family drama.
Way Past Legal
Norman Green
HarperCollins
ISBN: 0060564547 $24.95, 272 pp.
Manny Williams enjoyed his vocation of master thief, but his last job left him wealthy though
concerned. He and Rosario hit a small Brooklyn brokerage house expecting a small "fee", which
is better than too much, but got the mother lode instead. Though they escape to Coney Island, he
knows the Russian mob will be looking for him. In retirement, Manny thinks the time is right to
snatch his five-year-old son Nicky out of a lousy foster care family and start over just the two of
them. The abduction goes smooth until Manny and Nicky reach Eastport, Maine, where he has
car trouble. The townsfolk treat the two Williams males as if they have been long time residents as
he waits for his vehicle to be repaired. However, his previous life comes to New England as his
Brooklyn based enemies have a score to settle and arrive with guns firing at anyone who stand
between them and Manny. Surprising even himself Manny refuses to let those angels who have
come to the aid of he and Nicky get hurt even if it means his life for this small town as taught the
cynic the meaning of life. This is a refreshing character study wrapped inside a delightful thriller.
The story line is a bright look at the trials and tribulations of a single father, raising (and running)
with a kindergarten age child. The cast is top rate, but Manny is the focus as he learns the
importance of caring for others in this small out of the way Maine town though the lesson may
cost him his life.
The Alias Man
Bill Pronzini
Walker
ISBN 0802733816 $24.00, 228 pp.
In Vancouver, Canada Sarah has lived in limbo since her husband's car was found in the ocean
and he was believed dead. The only part of her life that gives her pleasure is her book store but
since Scott lost so much money in the stock market her financial position is precarious. Morgan
has been married to Burt for four years but lately he has vanished for days at a time. When she
confronts him with her opinion, he walks out on her. Jessie loved Darrin but when he died at age
forty-seven, she thought she would never recover. After seven months of mourning, she goes to
Santa Fe for a vacation in the hopes that will lift her spirits. There she meets Frank Court who
spends time with before proposing. She returns home expecting to hear from Frank, but he never
contacts her. Morgan finds proof that Burt is Scott, Frank and a host of other aliases. She holds
his marriage certificates and a list of defrauded wives. Jessie was to be his next victim. The
women meet planning to find a way to testify against this con artist because "hell has no furry like
a woman scorned". THE ALIAS MAN is another exciting crime thriller from the pen of Bill
Pronzini, writer of the" Nameless Detective" series. Readers watch as the antagonist's past slowly
catches up with him and the audience will root for the women who want justice, not vengeance.
These are the heroines of this dark and gritty work. Mr. Pronzoni knows how to tap into the
primal essence of a character and deliver him or her up to the audience for judgment.
Blood Red Blues
Teddy Hayes
Justin, Charles, & Co.
ISBN 1932112219 $12.99, 200 pp.
After five years as a CIA operative, some of them as an assassin, Devil returns to Harlem after his
father was murdered to run the family bar the Be Bop Tavern. The Harlem he comes home to is
not the place he remembers. Japanese and Koreans are running businesses that used to be owned
by blacks and the Asians are buying up all the real estate. It feels like Blacks live in Harlem but it
is controlled by outside interests who don't serve the community. Devil goes to the Tease Me
Club where he learns that the strip club/brothel was the scene of a shooting leaving six people
dead. He is surprised when he gets a call from state legislator Pete Robinson and Police Captain
Max Varney asking him, because of his connections, to find the shooter as one of the men killed
was a Japanese diplomat who represented powerful financial interests. At first Devil turns down
the request but they are able to blackmail him into agreeing, a decision that almost gets him killed.
Harlem is a community with its own culture and style, a place that is used as the background for
this dark urban gritty noir thriller. Devon plays the system but as ex-CIA he knows the moves to
investigate the crime. Everything rests on a call girl known on the streets as Peter Pan who was at
the scene and got out alive. Using his contacts, the hero tries to track her down because she is the
only one who can identify the killer. Teddy Hayes has written an exciting crime thriller that is the
first installment in what looks to be a very creative series.
Birds of a Feather
Jacqueline Winspear
Soho
ISBN 1569473684 $25.00, 320 pp.
It is more than fifteen years after the Great War ended and England is recovering even though the
depression makes the division between the classes more noticeable. Masie Dobbs was lucky to
find a patron who funded her studies in nursing and psychology. She served as a nurse in France
where she was injured and her great love Simon came back from the war in a catatonic state that
has not lifted since his return. Masie works as a private investigator, who uses meditation as a
way of opening up her senses to the world around her. Although her methods of combining
investigation with psychology are unusual, it always works. Rich supermarket magnate Joseph
Waite hires Masie to find his daughter Charlotte who has a habit of running away from home even
if she is thirty-seven years of age. Masie deduces that she left the day she saw in the newspaper
that one of her old friends from boarding school was murdered. Two more of charlotte's former
friends die and a white feather is found on or near each murder victim. Masie must find a way to
keep Charlotte safe and bait a trap to catch the killer. Readers will thoroughly enjoy this delightful
and charming mystery and find themselves interested in the historical details of England between
the wars. The protagonist is not a radical feminist but an independent person who believes that
she is as capable as any man in her chosen profession. Although she has known much sorrow, she
is a kind-hearted and generous person who cares about people, especially those who are suffering
the aftereffects of WWI. BIRDS OF A FEATHERwill definitely appeal to fans of great
mysteries.
Detective Inspector Huss
Helene Tursten
Soho
ISBN: 1569473706 $13.00
Financial mogul Richard von Knecht jumps off Goteborg, Sweden apartment balcony. Suicide
seems obvious, but some counter evidence quickly surfaces that murder may have occurred. Irene
Huss of the Violent Crimes Unit investigates the von Knecht death with a word of caution that the
victim is connected to the Swedish elite. Rather quickly Huss and her competent team trace von
Knecht's life into the criminal underground of drug dealing and motorcycle gangs. Not long
afterwards, the case turns deadly again when a bomb blows up Von Knecht's business office,
killing two people. Huss and her squad struggle with finding the specific motive though in some
way she knows that von Knecht's underworld and business connections have crossed at a fatal
junction making her worry that more killings will follow if they do not stop the unknown
perpetrator now. Ironically, the reader can figure out who the culprit is rather quickly, but that
does not interfere with a fine Swedish police procedural. Huss is a delightful protagonist
struggling to make it in a world in which male domination is not limited to the men's room. The
police force, especially those who work with the heroine are a wonderful group as their verbal
exchanges and professional investigation make for a fine read for sub-genre fans who also can
look forward to future translations of Detective Huss' caseload.
Two Dead, One to Die
Louise Hoblitt
iUniverse
ISBN: 059526414X $17.95, 310 pp.
In Oakland, communication expert Darby Hill is expected to find a means to sell Terra Tech video
game arcade to the public as a nice place to have a good time in a science oriented virtual reality
medium. The project would be fun except that her former lover Curtis is her team worker and is a
competitor for a promotion. Darby has not forgiven him for cheating on her. When an elderly man
charges into their office, Darby is shocked by how shook up Curtis seems though he tries to hide
his reaction. Darby knows nothing affects the composed Curtis who tries to tap dance out of her
questions. When the old man is found dead, Darby is unable to mind her business, visits the
morgue, and begins making inquiries over the objection of her peers especially Curtis. Not long
afterward, Curtis is also murdered and Darby realizes she in trouble as someone has taken
advantage of her curiosity and set her up to take the fall as a murderer. Now her investigation
turns personal and deadly. Though curiosity killed the cat, satisfaction will bring the reader back
for more works starring delightful amateur sleuth Darby Hill. The story line is fun to follow once
the audience accepts that Darby is better than the professionals (police and coroner) at their jobs.
Darby is more than just the center that holds the plot together; she is charming, enthusiastic, and
dedicated as she realizes how far corporations will go is the bottom line.
White Heat
Jill Shalvis
Onyx
ISBN: 0451411420 $6.99, 336 pp.
In San Diego, wild land firefighter Griffin Moore still feels guilt and remorse over watching
twelve people including his best friend die in an inferno in which he blames himself for not getting
everyone out; he has not worked a fire since. His brother informs Griffin that he has found him
work in Mexico to keep a runaway fire from destroying a small poor village. Pilot Lyndie
Anderson flies Griffin to Mexico, but is shocked that he does not want to be at the fire. When she
asks him why he volunteered, he explains that he did not. As they walk the perimeter, he realizes
that the fire must be stopped before it goes uphill or it will hit the village. As they fight the fire,
Griffin and Lyndie are attracted to one another, but he says he is in it for the long haul while she
insists no long term relationships for her. He counters by saying he may be mentally screwed up,
but he will teach her to risk her heart. The first two fire fights are very exciting leading to readers
feeling the heat and smoke and worrying about the safety of the caring people fighting the blaze as
well as the villagers. Though the fire was contained and this may be ignorance on my part, it
seems strange that the hero left for home when he did because he left behind amateurs to insure
no sparks rekindled. Still this is a terrific heated romance in which the temperatures are generated
by something besides the magnetism between the lead duo.
Going Topless
Megan McAndrew
Downtown
ISBN: 0743477243 $13.00
When family patriarch Ross Wright died in a plane crash, he left behind plenty of debts for his
extended families to cope with. Still, the gathering of his female offspring from several marriages
arrives at the Mediterranean island of Santerre to pay tribute to him in a special memorial.
Constance hopes that her boyfriend makes her look good with her family though she doubts she
will attain the bar of Isabelle, her older sister. Isabelle is filled with resentment since her famous
spouse dumped her for a younger model. Stepsister Lucy still competes with Isabelle for the role
of departed dad's favorite by insisting that Ross was the greatest father and would never harm
them. Isabelle only half fights to keep her throne because she is seeking a new stud, preferable the
guy next door. He seems shockingly interested in Constance. Lucy's younger sister Jane hurts
from the end of a relationship, but that and her dad's death do not color her reality as she sees
that he left them to clean up his mess. Ross' four adult children pay their respects by arguing,
fussing, and fighting with some comforting as only sisters can do. Though the plot meanders, the
strength of author Megan McAndrew lies in her ability to have the reader believe that all the male
swaps, brawls, and hugs are normal family relationships. The sisters and key supporting players
including dear departed dad seem so real that readers will believe that they are there to pay
respect to Ross. This is a fabulous debut from a writer who has created a powerfully interesting
character study of four ferocious females fighting at their father's funeral.
Dying Declaration
Randy Singer
Waterbrook
ISBN: 1578567769 $13.99
In Virginia Beach, Thomas and Theresa Hammond place their faith in prayer as they are deeply
religious adhering to a strict fundamental interpretation of the Lord's word. When their youngest
child two years old Joshua becomes gravelly ill and with the Hammonds having no money, they
pray to the Lord to heal their son. Three days later the child is rushed to the hospital, but it is too
late and he dies. The law comes down hard on the parents, blaming them for the death of their son
due to negligent homicide. The media portrays the pair as somber pious fanatics whose inflexible
attitude killed their child. No one cares that they had no money or health insurance leaving them
to believe their only option was to pray for a miracle. The court places their other two children in
the care of Special Advocate Nikki Moreno awaiting the outcome of the trial of the Hammonds.
Deputy Commonwealth Attorney General Rebecca "Barracuda" Crawford sees this case as an
opportunity to further her political ambitions by hanging the Hammonds for child abuse and
cruelty. Nikki enlists Regent Law School Professor and street preacher Charles Arnold to counter
the dirty tricks pulled by the Barracuda who cares naught for a dead child and even less for
justice. This is a magnificent legal thriller that provides deep insight into the issues of protecting
children, freedom of religion and our health system failing the working poor. The cast feels
genuine especially the accused and their confused surviving children. Though the Barracuda's
ambitions is two degrees beyond Lady Macbeth, fans will take immense pleasure in a well written,
easy to follow terse drama that expertly lays out several societal moral issues and failures.
Jane's Warlord
Angela Knight
Berkley
ISBN: 0425196844 $6.99, 320 pp.
Three hundred years from now the Temporal Enforcement sends warlord Baran Arvid and his
genetically engineered wolf Freika back to the twenty-first century to protect reporter Jane Colby
from a murderous time traveler Kalag Druss. Baran is to kill Kalag before the jump killer murders
Jane. Jane covers a particular brutal murder nearby her home. When she returns to her house, she
finds Baran and the talkative Frieka waiting for her. Escape is impossible and soon she figures out
that her warden and his sidekick come from the future. The worst that could happen to Baran is
that he falls in love which distracts him from his mission and place's his beloved in peril from the
deadly time traveler. JANE'S WARLORD is an exhilarating science fiction romance that stars
four delightful protagonists (to include Freika and Jane's feline furrball. The story line is action
packed, but the hook begins not when Baran arrives in what sounds like the Terminator, but when
Jane intelligently shreds his cover. Though the villain should never have had a chance against the
juggernaut team of Freika and Baran and why he wants Jane dead comes out late, fans will
appreciate this wonderful tale that showcases a new writing talent heading for the stars.
Dangerous Curves
Jacey Ford
Berkley
ISBN: 0425196852 $6.99
FBI Agent Calder Preston asks his ex girlfriend and former agent Raine Robey for unofficial help.
Though she would like to say no because he let her down when she was in official trouble, Raine
knows her fledgling business Partners in Crime needs the customer. Raine agrees to look into the
trouble that Hope Ensher faces or least her disabled father believes she confronts in their Jackson
Motors business. Calder has an ulterior motive of wanting the woman he loves back in his life as
he tries to overcome failing her when she needed him most. Meanwhile a carjacker steals a vehicle
in which model teen Megan Mulroney sleeps in the back seat. While the police conduct a manhunt
for her, someone sets up Raine as pedophile killer. These two cases and that of Hope will
converge in a dangerous jungle scenario. DANGEROUS CURVES is an entertaining police
procedural romance starring two wonderful protagonists of which one does not trust the other,
who knows he must find a way to earn what he lost by choosing career over love. Though the
various subplots eventually merge at times it becomes confusing especially the attempt to discredit
Raine. The lead couple is a tremendous twosome, but the audience will really enjoy marvelous
Megan, who needs her story told ten years from now in a futuristic Ford fabulous suspense
thriller.
More Lipstick Chronicles
Emily Carmichael, Vivian Leiber, and Kathryn Shay
Berkley
ISBN: 0425195945 $13.00, 352 pp.
"Touched for the Very First Time" by Emily Carmichael. Dana's negative attitude is driving the
other employees at Georgetown's Allheart.com card company crazy so they decide that for them
to have R&R they must intervene and ship the grouch to the Gardens of Oak Creek Conference
Center and Resort. There she meets Kieran, a teacher guide at the resort. As they fall in love, will
Dana seek long term or will she grumble her way back to DC following her typical one night
stand? "Nothing between Them" by Vivian Leiber. Following her divorce, Carole wonders if it is
her or something wrong with the males of the species. However, that changes when she meets
Mitch. Their relationship looks like the real thing, but their doubts might torpedo anything
permanent in spite of the love flowing between them. "Taking Care of Business" by Kathryn
Shay. Joe is unhappy that Elyssa, CEO of Allheart, is spending time with designer Parker though
she insists that this is business. As Joe's jealousy rises, Elyssa is tempted to have an affair with
Parker, much more charismatic than her steady beau. Will she realize that Joe is the lasting thing
while Parker is a shallow charmer? These three interactive novellas are cleverly developed so that
the characters who appear in all of them remain consistent regardless of who the author is. Each
tale is fun to follow though the lead female shares a common trait of annihilating a loving
relationship before they finally smell the coffee. Fans will appreciate this modern take on romance
and the boardroom.
Murder on Marble Row
Victoria Thompson
Berkley
ISBN 0425196106 $21.95, 320 pp.
New York City Police Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt is trying to clean up the corruption on the
force. When an explosion kills Mr. Gregory Van Dyke, a wealthy and powerful businessman, the
commissioner asks Detective Frank Malone to lead the investigation because he won't be bought
by the influential citizens who have policemen on their payroll. At the Van Dyke mansion, the
trophy widow blames the eldest son for her husband's death because Creighton has joined a group
of anarchists and "everyone" knows they make bombs to kill the leaders of high society. Sarah
Brandt, a family friend of the Van Dykes, pays a condolence call. She forces Malone to take her
to his interview with Creighton. She comes away from the interview convinced that he isn't the
killer. Sarah and Malone, separately and together discover that every member of Gregory's family
as well as his business partner have a reason to want him dead. Finding out who the perpetrator is
proves quite difficult since nobody wants to cooperate with the police. Each novel in the
"Gaslight Mystery" series just keeps getting better as the audience learns more about the era and
the lead characters. Malone won't admit his love for Sarah because he is an Irish cop and she is a
descendant of the Knickerbockers. Even though her parents are wealthy, Sarah works as a
midwife and nurse while living on her own income. She loves her parents but doesn't look to
them for approval. The duo makes a good team professionally and if they allow themselves
personally. The mystery is well executed and the ending will come as a complete surprise to the
audience.
A Lady of Distinction
Deborah Simmons
Berkley
ISBN: 0425196569 $5.99, 311 pp.
In 1820 London, Lady Judith Cavendish is busy cataloging the latest additions to her father's
Egypt collection when she hears the droning buzz of a bee. As she looks amongst the artifacts, the
noise gets louder as if a hive had been included until she finds the source. Snoring amidst the
priceless ruins is adventurer Morgan Beauchamp who not only delivered the goods, but insists he
must help the scholarly Judith catalogue the find. As they work together, joyfully on his part and
reluctantly on hers, they begin to fall in love. Judith realizes there is more to the veneer of not
caring to her partner and Morgan sees the passion just beneath the spectacles she wears.
However, items become missing and weird stuff begins to happen. The staff mumbles about a
curse and Judith begins to wonder if she can trust the rogue who has stolen her heart also
knowing her father will reject anything less than an Earl for his beloved daughter. This engaging
regency romance stars a Hans Solo like character with a scholarly Egyptologist making for what
may seem a terrible pairing of opposites that soon turns into a delightful suspense tale as if the
Mummy was set in 1820. The story line is fast-paced and action-paced, but enables the audience
to gain a deep understanding of the motives and desires of the charming lead duo. Though villains
come and go so fast they never are purposely developed beyond that of a pre Roger Rabbit
cartoon figure, fans will enjoy this fine high octane tale.
Home Body
Gerry Boyle
Berkley
ISBN 0425196119 $23.95, 406 pp.
He was a hotshot reporter for the New York Times but now Jack McMorrow freelances for some
New England papers and works as a copy editor for the Maine Clarion because his lover is
pregnant and they need the medical benefits. Jack and Roxanne see some older kids beating up
someone younger. Jack breaks it up and tries to get Rocky to talk to him but he runs away.
Roxanne says Rocky seems troubled but warns Jack not to get involve because they will soon
have their own baby to worry about. When Jack goes home, he finds Rocky there and feeds him
but Rocky disappears when the police show up. Jack tracks him down and from the little Rocky
says he's afraid to go home because of his step-father but misses his mother very much. The
step-father tracks down Jack and their confrontation makes the reporter believe that he wants to
find Rocky because the kid knows something that could get the old man in trouble. In the
meantime, Jack protects Rocky, deals with the police who think he might be a child molester and
the killer of a young teen who befriended the lad. Gerry Boyle has written an exciting crime
thriller with a protagonist who looks like a suspect because he wants to help a young person in
trouble. It is a sad commentary on society that a Samaritan is looked upon with suspicion by the
authorities. The family secret that Rocky discovers starts a domino affect that leads to kidnapping,
suicide, and murder, with the hero smack in the middle of the situation. HOME BODY is well
written, believable and has more twists and turns than a roller coaster.
Kinsman's Oath
Susan Krinard
Berkley
ISBN: 0425196550 $6.99, 416 pp.
Two decades ago, war between humanity and the Shaauri broke out. Most of the Kinsmen,
humans with telepathic abilities, supported the Shaauri against their own kind. Abductions were
not uncommon and a young Ronan velKalevi was taken as a lad by the Shaauri during the early
days of the conflict. Now Ronan tries to escape from his captivity. Blockade runner Captain
Cynara D'Accorso of the Pegasus sees Ronan flee a Shaauri warship, but though her better
judgment says to stay out of this potentially dangerous scenario, she rescues him. When she
realizes he is telepathic she becomes concerned because many of those with that skill joined the
enemy. Though extremely attracted to him, she wonders if he is a mole sent out to stop activities
like hers. Ronan, unused to human contact finds himself in love with his rescuer, but is not sure
how to prove he wants to be on her side. Returning to the "Kinsman" universe that she first
described in an OUT OF THIS WORLD novella, Susan Krinard furbishes science fiction romance
readers with a wonderful tale of a future in space marred by armed conflict. The delightful story
line hooks readers of both genres with its descriptive insight into a galaxy under siege while also
providing two wonderful characters wondering whether they should be loving partners or
disillusioned antagonists. Fans of the author will appreciate this fine futuristic adventure tale
though there is not a werewolf within a zillion light-years of this novel.
Death With an Ocean View
Nora Charles
Berkley
ISBN 0425194884 $5.99, 208 pp.
After signing the papers that made Charlie and Kate Kennedy the proud owner of a beachfront
retirement condo at Ocean Vista in Palmetto, Florida, he died before they moved in. CEO David
Fry of Sea Breezes, Inc is building a fancy resort complex on the waterfront and he wants to tear
down Ocean Vista and build a parking garage. Stella Sajak, the president of the Ocean Vista
Condominium Board of Directors promises to fight him. One night Kale is looking out her
balcony and sees fellow resident Stanley Ferris on the beach tripping over the murdered body of
Stella. After living with a homicide detective for years Kate knows how to conduct an
investigation and her path leads her to reporter Nancy Cooper also a resident of the same condo
who is breaking three major stories in the weekly next edition. While on the phone with Nancy,
Kate hears a gunshot and unable to reach the police she turns over to the paper only to find a gun
to her head. She faints and when she comes to she knows that she is the killer's next target and
vows to get him before he murders her. Anyone who reads DEATH WITH AN OCEAN VIEW
will realize life doesn't end at sixty. The characters in Nora Charles excellent debut mystery are
active, thrill-seeking and fool of a joi le vivre. The heroine, who never wanted to leave New York,
finally realizes that Florida is her home and she can be very happy there once the killer is caught.
Her conversations with Charlie give insight into the man he was and readers can understand why
Kate loved him so much.
Lazy Bones
Mark Billingham
Morrow
ISBN 0060560851 $24.95, 320 pp.
While Douglas Renfrey was serving time for rape in Derby Prison, Jane Faley sent letters with
suggestive photographs of her to him. When he was released from prison, he meets Jane at a flea
bag hotel, but instead of sex he was strangled and his naked body posed on the sheet-less bed.
There is no evidence in that room to lead the police to a suspect. The phone rings at the Hotel and
Detective Inspector Thorne of the serious crimes group answers it. The person on the other end is
florist Eve Bloom who has a tape with someone ordering a wreath to the room that Renfrey was
killed in. Thorne meets Eve to get the tape and they begin dating but they don't consummate the
relationship because she has a roommate and he doesn't have a bed. Work also gets in the way as
two more rapists are murdered; the officers working the case have no sympathy for the victims. A
break occurs when a retired officer working cold cases finds a link to a murder/suicide over a
quarter century ago. Thorne pursues this avenue not realizing the deadly danger from a killer
without mercy. LAZY BONES humanizes the police officers by showing the effect their
profession has on their personal lives. Like the police officers, readers feel no sympathy for the
victims because they are monsters who would rape again at the first opportunity. Thorne is a
noble cop who, though he detests the victims, believes their perpetrator should be caught and
prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Mark Billingham writes an exciting police procedural
complete with red herrings, unexpected twists and turns in the case and an unforgettable
finish.
The Color of Death
Elizabeth Lowell
Morrow
ISBN: 0060504137 $24.95, 400 pp.
In Glendale, Arizona, gem cutter Kate Chandler is ecstatic because collector Arthur McCloud
hired her to cut the Seven Sins sapphires. Her brother Lee Mandel delivers the gems to its owner,
but in Florida he vanishes. Kate is frantic, but the police believe that Lee absconded with the
goods and a girlfriend to the Caribbean. Kate disagrees if for no other reason than her sibling was
in love with Norm Gallagher and would never desert his mate. Five months later, Kate continues
to search for her brother while attending gem shows to see if she can find the Seven Sins.
Undercover FBI Agent Sam Groves sees Kate pull a switch at a Phoenix shows and takes her
with him. As they become acquainted and he realizes how much she detests the bureau for not
looking for Lee, they fall in love and begin teaming up to stop an illegal dangerous gem ring that
is as smooth as Teflon and seek what happened to her brother. This is an entertaining FBI
romance that grips readers when Sam watches Kate perform a sexy sleight of the hand. The story
line keeps the audience attention as the duo fall in love, but officialdom keeps them together by
"punishing" Sam. Though the perpetrator seems too coincidental and out of left field, fans will
enjoy this delightful tale in which the hero faces exile to Fargo rather than accolades (excrement
rolls downhill while acclaim remains in the stratosphere).
Past Due
William Lashner
Morrow
ISBN: 0060508175 $24.95
In Philadelphia, lawyer Victor Carl visits his dying father residing at the Temple University
Hospital. His dad may be near death and seems to only tell melancholy tales from his youth, but
has enough of his faculties to know that his son's cable is out and the Sixers are on TV.
Meanwhile pathetic insignificant wannabe thug Joey "Cheaps" Parma wants to retain Victor
involving the murder of a lawyer Tommy Greeley twenty years ago. Only Victor would agree to
assist Joey Cheaps, who not only never pays on time, is assumed guilty even by his attorney, and
admits to his lawyer that he was one of the killers. However, not long afterward, the throat
slashed corpse of Joey Cheaps is found near the waterfront. Though he knows he will not get paid
and realizes he should mind his business, Victor feels a certain obligation to his dead client and
begins making inquiries into what happened two decades ago and why suddenly did that homicide
resurface into a new murder. Though the conspiratorial ending and the lack of legalese makes the
tale more a private investigator novel, fans will enjoy touring Philadelphia on Victor Carl's days
off. The story line is fast-paced, punctuated by Victor's sarcasm, much of which is self-effacing.
His relationship with his dad adds a humanizing sidebar even if the Iverson is the draw. Readers
will enjoy trekking the town with Victor as he does what he believes is right even for a dead beat
loser like Cheaps.
Like a Charm
Karin Slaughter (editor)
Morrow
ISBN: 0060583304 $21.95, 352 pp.
This sixteen collection anthology revolves around a charm bracelet that brings misfortune to the
holder. The tales are unique yet build off where the previous story left off. Beginning in the
Georgia Mountains in 1803, continuing in 1839 and on into the twentieth century, the bracelet
moves from one ill-fated soul whose story is unfolded until at the end of the tale, another person
holds the bracelet and his or her story is told in the next chapter. The fifteen contributors (Karin
Slaughter opens and closes the anthology) seem to have enjoyed adding their spin to the book
because all the inputs are well written and loaded with action and suspense. The "charmed
characters" surprisingly for the most part come across as genuine regardless of their era and
location (the bracelet gets around). LIKE A CHARM is gimmicky, but fans of interconnected
short stories will appreciate this delightful thriller that lives up to its title as readers will enjoy this
suspenseful interrelated compilation.
The Confusion
Neal Stephenson
Morrow
ISBN: 0060523867 $27.95, 815 pp.
In 1689 off the Barbary Coast, a slightly insane Jack Shaftoe is one of a crew of slaves rowing a
pirate's ship when a plan to escape surface. The ten pull off their stunt and take with them some
Spanish loot that turns out to be special gold that alchemists mixed with"divine" qualities. At the
same time that the "King of the Vagabonds" and cohorts make their escape with the gold, the
woman he once rescued from a harem, Eliza looks forward to one day living peacefully raising her
child while also planning to retaliate against the rogue who "sold" her to the Ottomans. However
sailing the Mediterranean can prove dangerous and Eliza is too skilled an operator for the French
to allow her to rusticate or urbanize in London. Instead she is drafted to help the Sun King and
crafts an intricate deal to obtain money so that the French-Irish army can invade England. THE
CONFUSION is actually two Baroque tales interwoven (literally as the perspective predominantly
shifts between Eliza and Jack and to a lesser degree the Juncto (Leibniz, Newton, etc.). The twin
story lines are very amusing action-adventure tales in which both are superb, but Jack's
swashbuckling is incredible. There is no doubt that this epic historical action thriller provides a
wonderful witty winner as Neal Stephenson paints a masterly look back as he did in
QUICKSILVER.
Staying Power
Judith Cutler
St. Martin's
ISBN 031231194X $23.95, 304 pp.
After the death of her lover and partner, Detective Sargent Kate Powers transfers from London to
the Birmingham police force, but also takes a much needed vacation in Florence. On the flight
back she sits next to bubbly Alan Grafton. He is exhilarated because his trip was a success buying
leather goods and clothing to sell to distributors. Not long after landing, Kate investigates a
suicide in a very public place. Kate is shocked to see that the dead man is Alan who was so
excited over the money he expected to make on the goods. She is granted permission to find out
if this was a murder made to look like a self-termination. She discovers that Alan was bankrupt
thanks to a powerful business leader who used fraudulent means to achieve a line of credit for
shell companies. To bring this man to justice, she has to have hard evidence because if he walks,
his wife and son will be his next victims. This British police procedural is slow moving, which lets
the readers to know the characters on an intimate basis. A secondary sub-plot involving sexism
and racism in the police department and how it is handled makes STAYING POWER a cut above
the average police procedural. The heroine is depressed after the loss of her lover and lonely
because she hasn't made many friends in her new location but when it comes to fighting crime,
she doesn't let her personal feelings get in the way. Fans of Patrice Hall and Ian Parker will want
to read this tantalizing novel.
Darkness Falls
Margaret Murphy
St. Martin's
ISBN: 0312328516 $24.95, 368 pp.
Nine year old Pippa Pascal persuades her ultra-busy mom Clara to take her to school today since
it is her birthday. Though the barrister is working on a major case with early appointments, still
Clara is conned into dropping her daughter off to the amusement of her spouse Hugo. However,
at the school following the mandatory cautionary motherly pitch to stay safe, Clara turns towards
her vehicle only to have a red ski masked male abduct her. While Clara is chained to a wall in a
clammy cellar with no food, water, or a toilet, the culprit remains silent behind his mask. Clara
ponders who and why, but comes up empty. Meanwhile Detective Inspector Steve Lawson
investigates the kidnapping with two prime suspects in mind: the spouse and a mobster she is
prosecuting. Though held prisoner with Bastille-like conditions, Clara refuses to break or beg.
Instead she fascinates her host when with elan she psychological assaults him though that track
fails to move the culprit. As time moves on, Clara's chance of survival geometrically diminishes.
DARKNESS FALLS is an exhilarating thriller due to the prime two characters. Clara will
fascinate readers as she has her "host" with her courage. The abductee is also intriguing as
ironically the audience learns his plans for his victim before he applies them to Clara. This enables
the audience to feel for the barrister yet also sees what went right and what failed. Though a final
turn of the screw seems too easy, fans will value this dark psychological thriller that does not let
go until the final ante is raised.
Wiley's Shuffle
Lono Waiwaiole
St. Martin's
ISBN: 031230384X $23.95, 288 pp.
Since he is losing at poker, Wiley does not mind leaving the game to help a friend in trouble.
Apparently, Miriam works for a nasty primp Dookie, who enjoys pounding his employees almost
as much as he relishes killing people for the fun of it. Making matters more difficult is that Dookie
believes he is superman and nothing can hurt him. Wiley recruits his pal "bad bad" Leon to join
him on his quest to free Miriam from butt-kicker Dookie. Though they travel the west coast
stopping in L.A. and Vegas during their trek, the final confrontation between the good bad guy
and the superbad dude ends back in Portland, Oregon. Dookie looks forward to killing Wiley and
Leon after he beats them up, but these are two tough studs ready to dispense their own brand of
justice. No one will lament with tales starring Wiley, a likable anti-hero. His current venture away
from the card table is an engaging wild ride that leads to a final High Noon showdown in the
mean streets of Portland. The villain is so nasty; he will have his own Dooksters rooting for him.
Fans of outrageous farces that seem to go over the edge, but never freefalls will appreciate
Wiley's Shuffle across the West Coast as much as the card table.
Conviction
Elise Title
St. Martin's
ISBN 0312318200 $24.95, 320 pp.
Deputy Commissioner Stephen R. Carlyle, the liaison between the Corrections Department and
the Parole Board, is a married man with two sons. He uses the services of a high priced call girl
Genevieve. Pictures of them having sex are sent to his office and Carlyle knows blackmail will
follow. Soon after he receives the pictures, Genevieve, according to a witness, deliberately is run
over. Evidence points to Carlyle who is brought in for questioning. The head of Corrections,
Commissioner Miller wants Natalie to watch the questioning because he's afraid the department
will be smeared if word gets out. He also wants Natalie to investigate to see if there is another
viable suspect. Natalie, the superintendent of Horizon House,. a halfway house, doesn't like her
boss Carlyle but she doesn't think he's a killer. She tries to find the madam of the call girl ring so
she can apply for the job, but the woman proves elusive to locate. Soon Natalie concludes that the
participants are very high placed in the political arena forcing her to wade through a lot of muck
to get at the truth. The irony is she places herself at risk from a killer for a man she doesn't even
like. Many of Boston's power brokers and elected officials are guilty of some crime or use the
services of a prostitute, making the heroine's job of finding a killer very difficult because all the
suspects have more political clout than she does. Natalie also is pregnant and doesn't know who
the father is which adds even more depth to her and this police procedural. Elise Title's exciting
crime thriller places her in the big leagues with such dark urban gritty authors like James Patterson
and John Connelly.
Like the First Time
Francis Ray
St. Martin's
ISBN: 0312324294 $13.95, 368 pp.
In Charleston, South Carolina, computer repair Guru Claire Bennett thought her job was safe
even with downsizing at Middleton Corporation; however after two years of employment, she is
let go at a time she still deals with her older brother's bills. Brooke Dunlap is not concerned about
losing her job at Middleton because she expects to marry wealthy Randolph Peterson III; instead
she is downsized and her beau dumps her leaving behind the bills. Both women are shocked and
not sure about their respective futures. Claire's friend Lorraine Averhart loves her spouse and her
adult children, but is bored. She distributes Claire's homemade body lotion to her peers at a book
club and everyone loves it and wants to buy the product. Lorraine thinks the three women can sell
Claire's beauty products. As the entrepreneurs take off professionally, their personal lives still
flounder but none of the trio seems concerned because through thick and thin and disputes they
remain friends. LIKE THE FIRST TIME is an inspiring tale of courage and loyalty providing a
ray of hope for the future no matter how dark it seems. Readers will appreciate the three women,
who come across as neighbors because Francis Ray insures that her audience understands what
makes them tick from their greatest fears to their greatest desires. Contemporary fans will take
immense delight in a solid novel that encourages everyone to be all that they can be (even
"Mcbook" reviewers).
The Judgment of Caesar
Steven Saylor
St. Martin's
ISBN 0312271190 $24.95, 288 pp.
Gordianus the Finder and his beloved wife Bethesda are sailing from Rome to Alexandria both
hoping that bathing in the Nile River will restore her to her health. An Egyptian by birth and sold
into slavery, Bethesda knows exactly where she wants to bathe in the healing mystical Nile. When
they reach the place next to a sacred shrine guarded by a priestess of Osiris, Bethesda leaves
Gordianus but fails to return though he searched for his beloved. Grieving and heartbroken, he
travels on to Alexandria only to meet up with King Ptolemy who is battling his sister-wife
Cleopatra for the throne. Gordianus accepts the king's invitation to the palace and finds he must
deal with Caesar who wants the Egyptian civil war to end so whoever is the ruler can pay back
the money owed to Rome. When the son he disowned is charged with trying to poison Caesar and
Cleopatra, Gordianus realizes he still cares about Meto; he vows to find the real culprit so his son
can go free. A Gordianus the Finder mystery is always a special treat and in THE JUDGMENT
OF CAESAR he proves that even though he is in his sixties, he can match wits with the most
Machiavellian of people including Julius Caesar and Cleopatra. Readers see how Caesar falls
under Cleopatra's spell and through the research of Steven Saylor we are treated to a period of
history that is both dramatic and colorful. Egyptologists and mystery fans are going to cast
positive judgment on this exciting novel.
My Scandalous Bride
Christina Dodd, Stephanie Laurens, Celeste Bradley, and Leslie LaFoy
St. Martin's
ISBN: 0312995229 $6.99, 352 pp.
"The Lady and the Tiger' by Christina Dodd. In 1813, Laura Haver obsesses over who killed her
brother, first secretary to Lord Keith Leighton. Clues take her to a smuggler's cove where she
poses as Keith's wife not knowing that her "husband" is there seeking the identity of who
murdered his employee. "Melting Ice" by Stephanie Laurens. After a decade in India, Dyan St.
Laurent Dare comes home when his brother died making him a duke and quickly wants Lady
Fiona Winston-Ryder as his wife because he loves her. A debauched gala gives him the
opportunity to serve as her gallant rescuer and hopefully forever lover. "Wedding Knight" by
Celeste Bradley. In 1813 Alfred Knight avoids scandal so no one can point the finger that he is
just like his mother, which leads to his agreeing to wed Betina Trapp who wants nothing to do
with him. Betina persuades her twin Kitty to take her place temporarily as Alfred's fiancee. Kitty
falls in love but she fears he will drop her once the subsequent scandal erupts that the switch will
cause. "Proposition" by Leslie LaFoy. In 1877 Lord Rennick St. James knows that the clock is
ticking against him as the woman he always loved Julia Hamilton is engaged to someone else. Just
back in England, he has four days to seduce the widow into marrying him or face cold self
imposed exile again. These four nineteenth century historical romances are fine novellas that fans
will appreciate because the lead couple in each case seems genuine as they star in a scandalous fun
frolic.
A Feast of Poisons
C.L. Grace
St. Martin's
ISBN 0312310145 $23.95, 256 pp.
In 1472, Canterbury physician Kathryn Swinbrooke and her bridegroom Colum Murtagh are
doing the King's business in the English village of Walmer, but also spending time alone in a place
of their choice. Lord Henry is a close confident of King Edward IV and he has invited three of the
French King's advisors to his manor house to see if they can agree to terms for a peace treaty
between the two countries. Colum and Kathryn are investigating a claim that Lord Henry killed
his wife. In Walmer, someone is poisoning the villagers who killed the three Lancaster supporters
who came to the village after the Yorkists won the war. None of the victims are innocent, most
are criminals but Kathryn knows murder is illegal no matter the motive. She investigates, but
almost gets herself killed by an archer with a deadly arrow. The murders in the village spread to
the manor house where one of the French delegates is poisoned. To avoid a possible war between
the two countries, Kathryn uses her skills to identify who is behind the Walmer murders. Now she
just has to live long enough to prove it. Fans of Sharon Kay Penman and Roberta Gellis will
appreciate the storytelling abilities of C.L. Grace and the meticulous research that found its way
into the plot, making it an entertaining as well as educational reading experience. The protagonist
is a strong willed independent in an era when females were considered chattel of their men folks.
C.L. Grace makes the aftermath of the War of the Roses come alive to appreciative readers.
Never Tell
Selena Montgomery
St. Martin's
ISBN: 0312993064 $6.99, 352 pp.
In California, when Analise Glover attended school, she looked up to Linguistics expert Professor
Nathan Rhodes until he stole her work. When she confronted him, he tried to kill her, but she
survived killing him instead. Her friend gets her out of there, but not before he tosses the body
into the sea. A few years later, Analise uses the name of Dr. Erin Abbott, a criminal psychology
professor at Burdeen University in the New Orleans area. She receives a package containing five
obits of people who were murdered and she soon sees a pattern that links the name to the murder
weapon and ultimately back to Nathan. She reports her finding, but the police write her off as a
quack. However, overhearing the discussion, Bayou Ledger reporter-owner Gabriel Moss thinks
he might have a story to save his fledgling newspaper in the professor and the "ABC murders".
Reluctantly Erin agrees to partner with Gabe to uncover the identity of a killer as she expects to
be the last victim. As they work together, they fall in love, but she feels that she could never stay
with anyone permanently because of all the traumas she suffered. Romantic suspense readers will
not only appreciate this exciting serial killer romance, but will also tell peers how good an author
Selena Montgomery is. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action as Erin deciphers the
clues that the culprit sends her way. She struggles to identify the murderer as the evidence points
to Nathan who is a dead man. However, no one else could know what the killer knows except
Nathan and her. She also doesn't know what to do about her growing love for Gabe.
Public Displays of Affection
Susan Donovan
St. Martin's
ISBN: 0312992327 $6.99, 352 pp.
Raising her two preadolescent children by herself, Charlotte Tasker has been a widow for nineteen
months. She loved her late spouse Kurt, but has never forgotten her tryst near National Airport
with a stranger in which she lost her virginity and had the best sex of her life. Following the
murder of his partner and his partner's family, DEA Agent Joe Bellacera is told to lay low until
the Guzman Mexico drug cartel is stopped. Joe pretends to be wannabe mystery author Joseph
Mills as he relocates to Minton, Ohio. Next door is Charlotte, the woman with whom he shared
the best sex on his life near National. He also chipped his tooth in the heat of their passion. He
looked for her for years, but now that he found her, he must keep away from this soccer mom for
fear of Guzman killing her and her two children though he cannot deny the growing love he feels
for the three Taskers. Romantic suspense fans who take a chance on Susan Donovan will
conclude that the exhilarating novels of this author knock readers off their feet. Though the
probability of the lovers meeting under these circumstances seems outrageous, the audience will
not care one iota, as the tale is terse and the cast fantastic, especially the hero and his beloved
Taskers. PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTIONS is a fine entertaining contemporary romantic
intrigue even though the suspense comes late as the audience watches Joseph battle between his
heart and his fears for his beloved threesome.
The First Wife
Diana Diamond
St. Martin's
ISBN 0312321473 $24.95, 304 pp.
Eight years ago, an intruder burst into the home of William Andrews; the thug killed his wife Kay
and almost William too. The perpetrator was never caught and Bill spent the next few years
building up his empire to the point where he became one of the most powerful men in the world.
He never was serious about any woman until he read the articles about him written by Jane
Warren who painted him in unflattering light. Bill buys the newspaper that employs Jane and
arranges for her to interview her new boss. Jane thought he would fire her but after a rough start
there relationship turns romantic and he asks her to marry him. After she says yes the "accidents"
start. Jane believes someone is trying to kill her. She thinks it has to do with Kay's death and the
woman in Paris who William remits a monthly sum. William doesn't confide in his fiancee, but
Jane digs and the deeper she gets, the more desperate the perpetrator is to get her out of Bill's life
permanently. Diana Diamond writes a juicy romantic suspense novel that demonstrates the power
that the rich and powerful yield. The heroine thinks her own husband is a suspect in the attempts
on her life but there are plenty of other people who would like her dead because she is a threat to
them. All Jane's troubles go back to THE FIRST WIFE and she intends to uncover the secrets
her husband is hiding or die trying (which she almost does). This is a must read for fans who like
action, romance and intrigue in the tradition of Jackie Collins.
Healing Magick
Mary Taffs
Awe Struck E Books
ISBN: 1587494353 $TBA
The explosion shattered the Bedrock; everyone considered it destroyed until it transmits a
telepathic message to Adept Diana to send for a healer. Everyone agrees that something must be
done to restore the balance by saving the key source of magick and protection for this stronghold.
The selection of who will perform the task seems odd. Failed Healer Sulis believes she is too inept
to do the job needed to help the injured Bedrock. She will be accompanied by Mage Llyr, selected
because he knows first hand the Bedrock; he has his own demons of remorse as his soulmate died
in the explosion that he survived. The unlikely duo begins their trek, but enemies want to finish
the destruction of the Bedrock in order to bring chaos to the land and will try to kill the healer and
the mage to accomplish their agenda. Unless this pair can bond, they will fail. As they struggle to
survive, bonding forms when love flows between these two walking wounded souls if both take a
chance on the other. The "Magick" romantic fantasy series is some of the best tales on the market
today. The current novel, HEALING MAGICK, is a wonderful work that sub-genre readers will
enjoy as a stand alone or with its predecessors (see MAGICK and MORE THAN MAGICK). The
exciting story line never slows down especially when the quest begins. However, the key to a
Mary Taffs' tale is the cast and this one contains terrific protagonists struggling with their
previous failures and a delightful secondary group including their superiors and their antagonists;
all who make for a fine rounded tale that fantasy and romance readers will cherish.
The Hundredth Man
Jack Kerley
Dutton
ISBN 052594821X $23.95, 320 pp.
It was his first autopsy as a pathologist for the mobile Alabama police department and it went well
until he found an object in the victim's anus that exploded and destroyed his hand. The head
pathologist hires Dr. Ava Davenelle as his replacement and Detective Carson Ryder who is
observing the autopsy is almost immediately smitten. The case Carson is working on involves a
victim with his head surgically removed from his body in almost perfect condition except for the
knife wounds that that the killer inflicted. Ava finds writings on the public area of the body and
Carson thinks they are dealing with a sociopath personality. A special unit was formed to deal
with killers like that with Carson and his partner heading up the unit but police politics push them
into a lesser role. Two more decapitated victims are found, also with bizarre writing on their
torso. Carson finally takes Ava on a date but she passes out from to much alcohol. He uses his
connections to help her fight the disease while looking for a killer who will strike again and this
time the victim could be someone he knows. Jack Kerley's debut novel is an exciting serial killer
thriller that is on a par with the likes of Thomas Harris and Patricia Cornwell. The protagonist
comes from a dysfunctional background and has his own demons to fight but that doesn't stop
him from being an expert detective with an intuitive sense that helps him solve cases. Readers will
enjoy the expert pacing, brilliant characterizations and believable action scenes of THE
HUNDREDTH MAN.
Bubbles a Broad
Sarah Strohmeyer
Dutton
ISBN: 0525947981 $23.95, 304 pp.
In Lehigh, Pennsylvania, Bubbles Yablonsky balances (some would say haphazardly while others
would say that is an optimists' opinion) her profession as a hairdresser with her vocation as a
reporter at the News-Times. Of course she also crosses that with being a single mom, going to
community college, and an occasional bit of mystery solving (some would say that she is the
Murphy in that universal law while others would say that is optimistic). As labor and management
strife rocks Lehigh Steel, former executive wife Carol Weaver, was convicted of illegal
downsizing when she murdered her husband, Hal. Carol escapes from the State Correctional
Institute in Jakeville to offer the story of a lifetime to Bubbles, if the tyro journalist with
questionable sleuthing experience (see EVERYONE LOVES BUBBLES) helps her prove her
innocence. Bubbles' latest adventure is an amusing class warfare that would make both major
presidential party candidates hide as the contrast between working class wanting to become
wealthy (aside to Mr. Gore) vs. Carol and the elite is very funny. Bubbles as usual makes the tale
with her poignant caring and stubborn attitude sort of like The Train That Could driven by a
blond parody. Though the assault on the upper crust becomes a bit tedious as the early eagles turn
somewhat to bogies, fans of irreverent amateurs sleuth tales starring a delightful "loser" who
always insures fans win will chuckle with bodacious Bubbles.
Hot Boyz
Marissa Monteilh
Avon
ISBN: 0060590947 $13.95, 341 pp.
In Ladero Heights, California, few families could match the success of the three Wilson brothers.
Mason is a wealthy successful golf pro married to a lovely woman and father to two delightful
teens. Married Claude is the king of realty in the area as well as women even doing a menage de
trois. Finally the youngest Torino runs Mason's golf club, Foreplay and lives up to that name with
any honey he wants. Beneath the veneer of success lie problems of disappointment and mistrust by
their main women. Mason spends more time at the links than he does with his wife and kids.
Claude's wife, fed up with his wolfing, dumps him. Torino has found the woman he wants
forever, but his record as a rake makes him unacceptable to his beloved. Each of the siblings must
find their own path to plead with their loved ones to forgive their sins, but the road is rocky and
filled with detours many of which are self imposed foibles. HOT BOYZ is an intriguing
contemporary tale that showcases the downside of success in which if the person is not careful he
(or she) could lose sight of what matters in life. The story line focuses on six prime characters, the
three siblings and their main woman. Though quite a handful to keep track of, marvelous Marissa
Monteilh insures each has a unique personality and is fully developed so that the audience can
comprehend the cross the Bennett brothers must bear if they want their loved ones back. Fans will
enjoy this relationship drama that breaks par over the entire eighteen holes.
Lady Whistledown Strikes Back
Julia Quinn, Suzanne Enoch, Karen Hawkins, and Mia Ryan
Avon
ISBN: 0060577487 $6.99, 400 pp.
In 1816 Lady Whistledown provides society gossip to the delight of Regency romance readers as
this quartet attains the high quality expected from the Ton's greatest snoop. "The First Kiss" by
Julia Quinn. Though Tillie Howard mourns the death of her brother Harry, her parents insist she
attend Lady Neely's dinner party; Peter Thompson also is at the party. He was with Harry when
he was killed on the battlefield. Their bereavement leads to mutual comforting and ultimately love,
but both feel guilty that they live while Harry died. "The Last Temptation" by Mia Ryan.
Suspicion falls on Lady Neeley's thirty year old companion Isabella Martin for the missing
bracelet though she has loyally served for a decade. Quickly exonerated, Isabella has come to the
attention of Anthony Doring. He provides her first kiss and realizes he wants to provide a lifetime
of all her kisses, but she is beneath him. "The Best of Both Worlds" by Suzanne Enoch. Charlotte
Birling loves Xavier Mason, but he does not know she exists though she stealthily takes loving
glances at him whenever she can. At a party, he first hears her voice and that excites him. When
he sees Charlotte the Earl knows he wants her. As they fall in love, her mother refuses to allow a
man about the town to court her daughter. ""The Only One for Me" by Karen Hawkins. Twelve
years ago Max Throckmorton married Sophia, but a scandal over cheating cards sent the Earl to
the continent. Sophia now plans to marry Riddleton, but needs her marriage to Max annulled.
However, Max is back and wants Sophia whom he still loves.
Party Crashers
Stephanie Bond
Avon
ISBN: 0060539844 $6.99, 384 pp.
Realtor Jolie Goodman quit her job over her new boss demanding she do an unethical act in order
to make a sale. Jolie temporarily sells shoes at the Nieman Marcus in Atlanta's Lenox Mall. There
she meets Beck Underwood of Underwood Broadcasting, who needs socks and shoes having just
returned from Central America. The duo is attracted to one another, but nothing comes of it not
jus because she is working, but police Detective Salyers arrives to question Jolie about her
missing boyfriend Gary Hagan, whose car was found in the Chattahoochee with a dead woman
inside. The police suspect that Jolie abetted Gary in his escape though she denies involvement. As
Detective Salyers searches for Gary, he quietly warns Jolie to watch herself as he is in danger and
she might be. Meanwhile she runs into Beck at an event that she crashes and soon they begin to
fall in love. However, after Gary, she has doubts about her taste in men besides which she is in
danger from people who believe she has something of Gary's that they want at any cost. Though
the police procedural-Gary subplot in many ways takes center stage and the conspiracy behind all
this is overdone, the contemporary romance between Jolie and Beck is well written and cleverly
interwoven with the case. The support cast adds depth especially those co-workers like the
ultra-tall long necked professional party crasher who mentors the heroine in the arts of attending
celebrity events for free. Fans will appreciate this mixing of humor and love within in a crime
thriller while attending an advanced class in Party Crashing 301.
A Dark Champion
Kinley MacGregor
Avon
ISBN: 0060565411 $5.99, 384 pp.
During the reign of Henry Plantagenet, several English prisoners escape captivity in the Holy
Land because of the sacrifice of some of their peers. One of these Lord Stryker has become the
King's Champion, but also remains loyal to the Brotherhood of the Sword consisting of those
surviving knights incarcerated together in the Holy Land. Lady Rowena de Vitry, the "Lady of
Love" troubadour hates knights whom she believes are barbarians who take what they want from
the defenseless. However, when she meets Stryker sparks fly though neither wants to
acknowledge it. She is shocked when he comes to the defense of his half-brother, a troubadour
like her. King Henry wants Rowena married, but no one seems capable of attaining that status.
His wife Eleanor suggests Stryker wed Rowena so that the monarch can feel secure that a major
supporter owns a critical estate. Rowena has vowed she will never marry any knight while Stryker
has pledged he will never marry as insanity runs in his family. However, the queen pulls strings
using the duo as puppets by insisting that Rowena teach Stryker to sing for an upcoming contest.
Though an exciting treachery subplot seems an afterthought as this is a Brotherhood of the Sword
tale, fans will appreciate this terrific gender war between a gentle acerbic troubadour and a caring
hard-boiled knight. The story line works when the lead couple battle while falling in love as
predicted by that masterful manipulator the Queen. The secondary characters enable the audience
to either see inside the reign of Henry Plantagenet or understand the prime players. Medieval
romance readers will enjoy this tale and look forward to more novels starring other brothers.
What Memories Remain
Cait London
Avon
ISBN: 0060555882 $5.99, 384 pp.
His parents died in a boating accident in Lake Michigan in which most of the townsfolk of Fairy
Cove feel his dad killed his mom. His acrimonious "Dear" Aunt Augusta Greer, the town's
matriarchal leader, treats her nephew Ewan Lochlain and his younger sister Hallie like pariahs.
When he turned eighteen, Ewan insured his sister was safe from his aunt before fleeing town
vowing to return one day to confront his aunt and learn the truth. Fifteen years later, Ewan is
back, needing to know what really happened to his parents. He still regrets that he left behind
Hallie and her best friend Cyd Callahan, the daughter of a drug addict prostitute though he
believes he did the right thing. He knows Cyd thinks little of him for running away, but now he
plans to stay and though she is unaware Cyd is part of his plans. Cyd suffers nightmares that the
Night Man is coming for her, which Ewan believes is a repressed memory. As he seeks the truth
and feels she is the key, Ewan and Cyd fall in love, but nasty Augusta has her own agenda that
excludes her nephew and the whore's daughter. This contemporary romantic suspense is an
exciting tale that will have the audience wonder what happened to the Lochlains. The story line is
fun to follow as Cyd and Ewan add respect and trust to their attraction, which finally blossoms
into love. Though Angela is too much the queen of ugliness, readers will enjoy this solid tale
supplemented by a secondary romance.
Once a Gentleman
Candice Hern
Avon
ISBN: 0060565144 $5.99, 384 pp.
In 1802 when her boss Edwinna goes to the continent on her honeymoon, Prudence Armitage
temporarily takes over running The Ladies' Fashionable Cabinet magazine. Prudence is very
diligent putting in long hours on the magazine that is headquartered in the home of Nicholas
Parrish, brother to the editor. When Prudence falls asleep at her desk and spends the night
un-chaperoned at Nicholas' house, her father and four Viking-like brothers arrive demanding
marriage or satisfaction. Nicholas agrees when he learns that Prudence is the granddaughter of a
duke. Prudence has loved Nicholas since she first met him several years ago, but he does not see
her as a woman. Instead he sees her as a friend and fellow republican. Neither wants this
marriage, but soon love on his part enters the equation. However, instead of showing how much
she means to him, Nicholas allows pride in his social reform beliefs to cause a schism between
them. Though the actions of her father and brothers seem at odds with how they ignore the
extended family mistreatment of Prudence, fans will enjoy this compromise based marriage. The
lead couple is a unique pairing as they are republicans though Nicholas' arrogance and his
"reactions" to having to marry because of her rank seem so much like the aristocracy. Still he and
Prudence are a delightful pairing and her extended kin add depth to a fine tale of love.
Bury the Lead
David Rosenfelt
Mysterious Press
ISBN 089296782X $24.00, 261 pp.
The women in North Jersey are panicking because a serial killer is on the loose, a sociopath who
strangles women from behind with a scarf and then cuts off their heads. His victims have been an
elderly grandmother, a prostitute and a businesswoman. A reporter on Patterson's local
newspaper Daniel Cumming is the only person who the killer communicates with and he has
become a part of the story as much as he reports it. Daniel's editor, Vince Sanders, is overjoyed
because the circulation of the paper is rising at a fantastic rate but something is bothering him so
he calls lawyer Andy Carpenter to represent the paper and Daniel. When the killer informs Daniel
where to find the next victim, he races to the area but he gets hit on the head and loses
consciousness. When he awakens the police treat him like a suspect and after they find two hands
and scarves with blood on it, they arrest Daniel. Vince begs Andy to represent his reporter and he
acquiesces even though he isn't sure Daniel is innocent. There are many surprising twists in this
exciting legal thriller which the author handles with panache and a sense of stark realism. The
characters are off beat originals especially the protagonist who has inherited $22 million dollars
yet his idea of a good time is spending a day watching football, playing with his dog and having
fun with his significant other. He is a high profile lawyer who usually wins cases but this one
means calling in favors. The ending is a surprise that readers will think about for a long time.
The Fractal Murders
Mark Cohen
Mysterious
ISBN: 0892967994 $25.00, 320 pp.
University of Colorado math professor Jayne Smyers sent her paper on fractal geometry to five of
her peers. However, three are unable to respond because they died within a few months of one
another. Jayne, used to finding patterns where none seemingly exist, believes the probability of
this pattern in her relatively small populated field too astronomical to consider as random. She
hires former US Marine's judge magistrate Pepper Keane to set aside his Gordon Lightfoot
collection and investigate the three deaths. The link seems nebulous at best with the only
commonality being math. However, Pepper becomes a bit suspicious of FBI Agent Mike Polk,
who insists coincidence is the only connection since parallel lines never meet. Pepper realizes that
his hatred for Post might be causing him to see a radically different pattern as he blames the
Denver based agent for the death of his lover, but feels that contrary to Euclid these parallel cases
connect at a vertex, which leads back to Post. Mark Cohen furbishes an entertaining private
investigative tale that provides fascinating insight into fractal geometry. Snowflakes and shorelines
aside, the mystery is fun to follow as Pepper looks for the pattern that ties the dead trio together
while Jayne explains her expertise to him even as he hungers for a closer look at her shape. Don't
let the geometry keep you from reading an enjoyable solid analytical mystery that plainly works on
several hyperbolic levels with a final twist in which the sum of the angles of a triangle do not equal
180 degrees.
Loaded Dice
James Swain
Ballantine
ISBN: 0345463269 $22.95, 320 pp.
Acropolis casino owner Nick Nicocropolis asks former Atlantic City cop turned international
gaming consultant Tony Valentine to ascertain how an apparent blackjack novice using a card to
explain the rules could win $25,000. Tony, who happens to be in town showing off the latest
electronic cheating gizmo Deadlock, agrees. Also strange is the fact that the tyro winner Lucy
Price also complains that someone stole her booty from the safe in her room. Stripper-dancer Kris
Blake happens to be the girlfriend of Las Vegas Police Lieutenant Pete Longo until he finds her
dead and Tony's business card advertising Grift Sense among other evidence that the consultant
sees among his beloved's belongings. Pete plans to hang Tony legally or not for he blames him for
Kris' death. Besides his troubles with Pete and the police and his dealing with Lucy, Tony's woes
come in threes. His pathetic son Gerry is attending school in town studying for an advanced
degree in illegal card counting. Gerry's new friends from class are not the type you introduce to
your wife, kid, or especially your father the ex-cop. Gerry always means strife for Tony. All three
scenarios will come together with Tony being the point of convergence. The Grift Sense series is
some of the most amusing best sleuth tales on the market over the past few years. James Swain
rolls a seven with his latest caper, LOADED DICE. The story line cleverly, smoothly, and at just
the right leisurely pace constructs a series of casino cheating culminating with the homicide of
Kris. Fans who appreciate an action-packed fun tale will know this is a sure shot (not a SUCKER
BET) twenty-one star double down winner.
Dead Lines
Greg Bear
Ballantine
ISBN 0345448375 $24.95, 246 pp.
Peter Russell's life turned out much different than he expected. He wanted to write books but
instead made a living taking picture and making movies of naked people when the soft porn
industry flat-lined. Now he is a little more than an errand boy for movie producer and real estate
executive Joseph Benoliel, dependant on him for cash. A consortium is trying to get Joseph to
invest in Trans, a wireless telephone that uses a broad bandwidth so that people can communicate
with each other almost instantaneously. The people making the Trans are giving them away as a
promotional gimmick and folks all over the world have one. The transponder that is heart of the
Trans is located in the bowels of San Andrea Prison. The investors of the new means of
communication didn't know that it interferes with the ghosts of the dead moving on. Earth is
populated with ghosts and nobody knows how to get rid of them except Peter. Fans of Peter
Straub and Stephen King will love this old fashioned ghost story. From the very beginning of
DEAD LINES, there is a sense of foreboding and of anticipation as readers wait for events to
reveal themselves. Some might think that the protagonist wasted his life but in reality he
experienced life as few people can and accepts the consequences. Greg Bear has written a horror
novel that has the audience keeping the lights on at night to keep the ghosts away.
The Botox Dairies
Janice Kaplan and Lynn Schnurnberger
Ballantine
ISBN: 0345468570 $23.95, 320 pp.
While in Burbank Lucy Balder asks her best friend Jessica Taylor back in New York to bake
something for her fifth grade daughter when the she makes something for her own child to take to
school. While Lucy is happily married to Dan and has two other children, Jessica still dreams of
her ex Jacques. She still desires him though his babyish behavior ended their marriage. Afterward
she adopted her child. Lucy informs Jess that she has taken on a lover. Since Jess likes Dan, she is
concerned about what her friend is doing to what seemed a stable contented marriage. From
work, Josh Gordon wants Jess, but Jacques is back and in her mind no one measures up to her
former French spouse. Josh plans to prove otherwise that he, Jess and her daughter belong
together instead of the unreliable French lover. THE BOTOX DAIRIES is an interesting
character study that looks deep into the souls of two women closing in on middle age. The story
line focuses more on Jess, but also provides the audience insight into Lucy. The secondary cast,
especially the males, enable the audience to glimpse even more so than normal into the respective
essences of the two female friends. Though there is very little action, fans of powerfully insightful
life stories will appreciate the profound collaborative effort of Janice Kaplan and Lynn
Schnurnberger.
Bone Harvest
Mary Logue
Ballantine
ISBN 034546222X $23.95, 214 pp.
Fifty years ago in the farming area of Pepin County Wisconsin, someone killed the Schuler family
murdering the parents, their four young children and a baby. Nobody was ever prosecuted for the
crime but the victims were German and there was a lot of lingering resentment towards them
because of what happened in WW II. Only the police and a reporter at the time know that the
smallest finger from each body was cut off. In the present, someone wants the truth about what
happened on July 7, 1952 to surface. That person steals two very toxic insecticides to kill the
flowers outside the sheriff office. Next he poisons a family's chickens and escalates to dumping
the insecticide into lemonade being sold at the Fourth of July festivities, putting one man in a
coma and hospitalizing four others. Deputy Sheriff Claire Watkins races against time to catch the
perpetrator before he does his big finale on July 7, the anniversary of the Schuler slayings. There
is a lot more action than in Mary Logue's previous books (GLARE ICE and DARK COULEE),
but she doesn't short change her characters who are fully developed. In the middle of the
investigation, the heroine's boyfriend proposes and she finds it difficult to talk about the subject
because she is so focused on the case. Readers will like this genuinely good person, her lover who
understands the demands of her job and Claire's young daughter wise beyond her years. BONE
HARVEST is a compelling and absorbing reading experience that readers will find
challenging.
Full Dark House
Christopher Fowler
Bantam
ISBN: 0553803875 $24.00, 368 pp.
Detective Sergeant Janice Longbright learns from long time Detective John May that an explosion
killed his peer Detective Arthur Bryant. John and Arthur first met when the Peculiar Crimes Unit
was established in 1940 and they investigated a weird murder of a dancer at the Palace Theatre.
That case with its odd occult like feel forms the start of a long time friendship and partnership.
Now both octogenarians, it appears that Arthur was writing his memoirs when a six decades old
bomb from the World War II Blitz exploded and killed him. John, who had talked to his buddy
just prior to his death, finds a design of the Palace amongst the ruins of Bryant's residence. Was
his partner killed because someone wants the sixty plus years old crime to remain cold or was this
just an accident caused by the victim's own absent minded brilliant lifestyle? John believes murder
has occurred and he plans to prove it. FULL DARK HOUSE is a terrific police procedural that
uses an occult like homicide from 1940 as the motive for a modern day killing. The story line is
driven by the octogenarian John and to a degree supplemented by his long time detective partner
Arthur though the latter is dead and appears more as either flashback thoughts or the victim. The
sleuthing is fabulous and the support cast realistically add depth to the hero, but when all is said
and done this novel belongs to dedicated John, who somewhat obsessed in solving his pal's death
hopefully is around for a decade or two solving more London murders.
The Taking
Dean Koontz
Bantam
ISBN: 055380250X $27.00, 338 pp.
The rain keeps Molly Sloan indoors so she works on her book that she hopes to complete soon.
However, she observes the oddity of the torrent pouring at over seven inches an hour and it has
luminescent glow as if snow was falling. On her porch is a horde of coyotes acting as if they fear
what is out there but they are friendly towards Molly. Her husband Neil awakens from a
nightmare and joins her. From TV they learn that the storm is worldwide. The Sloans see the
probable cause when an UFO hovers in the sky and weird looking fungus and spores multiply at a
geometric Malthusian rate. People vanish into the ground or levitate into the air; corpses walk and
decapitated heads talk. Special dogs congregate around the beleaguered couple as Molly and Neil
search the nearby town for children of parents who disappeared. They believe that the children
and their guardians cannot be touched. In less than thirty-six hours the world that the Sloans knew
is gone and both wonder how the ETs will deal with the survivors. This apocalyptical thriller is a
chilling frightening tale as two scared souls fight back against overwhelming odds, but take the
time to try to protect the children though being a good Samaritan can mean being a dead
Samaritan. Dean Koontz is at his best with this sure shot New York Times best seller that
deserves many kudos. The science of the invaders is so far ahead of humanity it compares to
prehistoric man seeing TV or movies. Readers will never look at rain the same way as Mr. Koontz
has subtle changed the rhythm.
Lord of the Shadows
Jennifer Fallon
Bantam
ISBN 055358670X $6.99, 575 pp.
During the Age of Shadows when one of the suns began a generation long eclipse, the High
Priestess of the Shadowdancers uses her knowledge of when the Age of Light will return to gain
power. Over the next few decades the Lion of Senet and the High Priestess pursue ruling the
world so that everyone worships the one true religion. The country of Dhevyn is essentially a
satellite of Senet with the Lion of Senet's second son as regent and his queen is the daughter of
the monarch pushed aside. Dirk Provin has betrayed everyone he cares about to get close to the
Lion of Senet and eventually becomes Lord of the Shadows and Lord of the Sun. He is an expert
Machiavellian manipulator who has the populace so frightened that they call him The Butcher.
Little anyone knows that Dirk is working from within in the church to destroy the people's faith in
the Shadowdancers. He did not expect that his plots within plots would have brother fighting
brother in a civil war that could tear Senet in two. This is the last exhilarating book in the exciting
Second Sons Trilogy (see THE LION OF SENET and EYE OF THE LABYRINTH). Readers
are privileged to watch a nineteen year old manipulate a man more than twice his age. The
protagonist is ruthless because he can't see any other way of freeing the kingdom of Dhevyn or do
away with the evil cult of the Shadowdancers who use their religion to commit heinous acts.
Jennifer Fallon provides an electrifying tale that will have her growing readership thirsting for her
next novel.
Bad Move
Linwood Barclay
Bantam
ISBN 0553803859 $22.00, 310 pp.
The Walker family used to live downtown. However, when used condoms and needles were
found on the street and a five year old girl was killed and cut up and put in the refrigerator, Zack
decided it was time to move to the suburbs, where his family would be safe. Zack obsesses over
his family's safety and he goes to extraordinary lengths to teach his loved one how to remain out
of harm's way, which usually ends up making them furious at him. One day when Zack and his
wife are at the supermarket, he notices his spouse left her purse in the cart. To teach her a lesson
he takes the bag and puts it in the trunk of the car so she will think it is stolen. When his wife
comes back to the car, he realizes she is wearing a fanny pack and he stole someone else's purse.
By the time he tracks the owner down, he finds her murdered in her home and realizes he has
stumbled into a dangerous situation that puts him and his family in harm's way. BAD MOVE is
one of the most exciting crime thrillers of the year as the troubles the protagonist finds himself in
borders on the slapstick. His obsessive need for safety lands him in trouble with businessmen,
politicians and a cold blooded killer who wants nothing more than to murder the hero and read his
latest science fiction manuscript. Making all the right moves, Linwood Barclay has a refreshingly
original voice that this reviewer believes will turn him into a superstar in the crime thriller
sub-genre.
The Last Mermaid
Shana Abe
Bantam
ISBN: 0553584979 $5.50
In 531 on the island Kelmere of the Kingdom of Isles, Picts ambush the royal party as they near
their keep. Prince Aedan, heir to the High King throne, is stabbed trying to save his younger
sister. When Aedan next awakens he finds himself battered in a strange bed and room. He meets
his hostess Ione who brought him from the sea to her island, something she has never done
before. Aedan realizes he is on Kell, the legendary forbidden island. Ione explains that they are the
only living souls on the isle and that she is the Siren of Kell. Ione proves she is a mermaid by
taking him to the sea before they make love. Though he wants to stay with her, Aedan builds a
vessel because he needs to go home to help his people. She says she will die if he leaves Kell, but
he insists curse or not he must do the right thing. However, the betrayal he finds at home will
surely devastate him almost as much as leaving behind the female he loves. The key to this
delightful historical romantic fantasy is that the lead couple seems genuine, critical for the
siren-mermaid to come across as a real person that blends nicely into the Dark Ages in the
Scottish Isles. The story line is fun to follow regardless of the isle that the action occurs on. Fans
will appreciate this charming adult version of the Little Mermaid and readers would like to see
more stories set in this realm.
Dime Store Magic
Kelley Armstrong
Bantam
ISBN: 0553587064 $6.99, 414 pp.
Paige Winterbourne has spent much of her twenty-threes years of life in trouble with the Elders
who felt her defiant ways made her unfit to succeed her highly regarded mother as head of the
American Coven of Witches. However, nine months ago, the Elders and Paige no longer had time
when her mother was murdered. Paige "adopted" a young teen witch Savannah Levine who also
saw her mom die. Conversely Savannah's dad, the powerful sorcerer Kristof Nash, wants his child
that he ignored for years as he recognizes the evil potential. Besides the common thread of
mourning their losses, Paige knows that Kristof dabbles in malevolence and will use his offspring
in the dispute against witches and others. Kristof will do anything to obtain control of this
"weapon" including murder and framing Paige as the culprit. Her best hope to stop Kristof is
attorney Lucas Cortez who is a sorcerer and everyone knows that sorcerers and witches are like
oil and water so why does she think he is such a hunk. DIME STORE MAGIC is a terrific
contemporary fantasy that makes sorcery and witchcraft seem genuine in a world filled with
computers even if it is unbelievable that a witch would ever depend on a sorcerer. The
action-packed storyline is fast-paced and provides strong characterization especially the heroine,
the villain, the hero, and the teen target. Fans will want to be BITTEN by the Armstrong aura that
mystically leaves the audience wondering how their time was STOLEN by an author with the
magic to engage the reader in one sitting spells.
Into the Web
Thomas H. Cook
Bantam
ISBN 0553580922 $6.99, 251 pp.
When Roy Slater left Kingdom County to go to college, he vowed he would never return.
Nobody, not his father or the woman he loves, wanted him. Guilt makes him return to care for his
father who has only a few months left to live. Lila, his only love, lives in the poorest section of the
country but he doesn't expect to see her because she wrote him a note saying she wouldn't marry
him. To temporarily get away from his father, Roy visits Sheriff Lonnie Porterfield, who is called
out to look at a dead body; Roy tags along. The dead man is a tenant on Lila's land so Roy ends
up seeing her and realizes he still has feelings for her even though he won't act on them. Roy's
brother Archie confesses to killing his girlfriend's fathe rand mother two decades ago and hangs
himself in the cell three days later. Roy and his father believe the old sheriff Wallace Porterfield, a
crooked, violent thug, knows more about the case than he lets on and they both start
investigating. What Roy finds out puts him in a killing rage, and only a miracle can prevent blood
from being shed. Master storyteller Thomas H. Cook is a literary giant in the psychological
suspense genre and always writes a story that enthralls the audience. INTO THE WEB is more
than just a story of reworking an old crime in the hopes of getting new information; it is a story of
a father and son who finally reconcile after many years of misunderstandings. The protagonist is a
bit passive but he had to be written that way for the story to work.
Southtown
Rick Riordan
Bantam
ISBN: 0553801848 $24.00, 272 pp.
Will "Ghost" Stirman is the poster boy for a sociopath as he murders seemingly aimlessly though
revenge enters his amoral thought process. However, anyone who knows Will's past will feel an
iota of sympathy towards him as mankind sent Will down his homicidal path when thugs killed his
wife and their infant. Still he does not need much of a thread to connect an innocent to someone
who hurt him or his family. Those involved in the murders of Will's family and anyone associated
with his incarceration have reason to be afraid for Will bloodily breaks out of Floresville State
Prison where he was serving a ninety-nine year sentence. Private investigator Tres Navarre's boss
Erainya Manos is guilty of association, having been the spouse of the guy who not only got Will
put away, but he also was directly involved in the incident that turned Stirman into a killer.
Though she had no previous involvement, Erainya realizes an eye for an eye or perhaps a spouse
for a spouse is a possibility since her husband is dead and the devil is heading her way. Tres plans
to help his mentor survive the deadly Will. Fans of the private detective sub-genre will want to
read this terrific tale that stars a wonderful hero, an intriguing killer, and a powerful support cast.
The story line never slows down as the audience follows the steps towards a final confrontation.
Will is a tremendous antagonist whose mind went over the edge when his family were killed and
cannot delineate right from wrong when it comes to connecting the dots. This fabulous tale will
have readers spending the evening with reliable writer Rick Riordan.
Bad Move
Linwood Barclay
Bantam
ISBN 0553803859 $22.00, 310 pp.
The Walker family used to live downtown. However, when used condoms and needles were
found on the street and a five year old girl was killed and cut up and put in the refrigerator, Zack
decided it was time to move to the suburbs, where his family would be safe. Zack obsesses over
his family's safety and he goes to extraordinary lengths to teach his loved one how to remain out
of harm's way, which usually ends up making them furious at him. One day when Zack and his
wire are at the supermarket, he notices his spouse left her purse in the cart. To teach her a lesson
he takes the bag and puts it in the trunk of the car so she will think it is stolen. When his wife
comes back to the car, he realizes she is wearing a fanny pack and he stole someone else's purse.
By the time he tracks the owner down, he finds her murdered in her home and realizes he has
stumbled into a dangerous situation that puts him and his family in harm's way. BAD MOVE is
one of the most exciting crime thrillers of the year as the troubles the protagonist finds himself in
borders on the slapstick. His obsessive need for safety lands him in trouble with businessmen,
politicians and a cold blooded killer who wants nothing more than to murder the hero and read his
latest science fiction manuscript. Making all the right moves, Linwood Barclay has a refreshingly
original voice that this reviewer believes will turn her into a superstar in the crime thriller
sub-genre.
Maid Marian
Elsa Watson
Crown
ISBN: 1400050413 $23.95, 307 pp.
Born an orphan and a ward of King Richard the Lionhearted, wealthy Lady Marian Fitzwater is
married to Hugh of Sencaster when she is five. When she turns seventeen, he dies under
mysterious circumstances turning her into a widowed virgin as they never consummated their
marriage. Richard's mother Queen Eleanor and Marian's mother-in-law Lady Pernelle agree the
lass must marry the latter's second son Sir Stephen as her valuable lands and wealth is up for
grabs. However, Marian is no longer a preadolescent so she decides to take her fate into her own
hands rather than another ill-conceived marriage forged by plotting females who care not one iota
about her. She procures the help of Robin Hood and his band of merry outlaws. Marian realizes
that once Stephen gains her estates her life is forfeit. As they fall in love, Robin abets Marian's
escape from a deadly trek down the aisle of matrimony, but the royals are coming as she is too
valuable of a property to allow outlaws to stand in the way. MAID MARIAN is an exciting
rendition of the legendary tale starring two fabulous protagonists and several fascinating
antagonists. The story line is at its best surprisingly in the royal courts as plotting and scheming by
designing women showcase an era of court intrigue that would make Machiavelli proud. The
Sherwood scenes are also interesting, but do turn a bit syrupy (I kept hearing Jane Froman
singing). Still this medieval saga is a terrific rendition of the classic Marian-Robin romantic
suspense.
The Hunted
L.A. Banks
Griffin
ISBN 0312320302 $14.95, 512 pp.
The Neteru is born once a millennium to give peace to a trouble world. She is gifted with powers
that enable her to destroy the supernatural creatures who want to bring Armageddon to the world.
Damali Richards is this era's Neteru, a rock singer and leader of a band whose members are
Guardians, sworn to help her in the fight against evil. The vampires were planning a grand feast
starring the human race as the main course, but Damali and her group stopped them. However,
the only man she ever loved, Carlos Rivera, was turned into a master vampire and is believed to
be dead. She doesn't know that he is rescued by a group of monks who are sworn to fight the
Dark and believe that Carlos is worth redeeming. He returns to Damali and they have ten beautiful
days together before they part in anger. He consolidates his empire while she and her group travel
to Brazil where they have to find the creature that is killing and eating scores of humans. The
creature lures Carlos down there as well and tries to seduce him but Damali won't let any evil
being live who threatens her world and her beloved. Both Damali and Carlos are fascinating
characters who are polar opposites. His love for the Neteru is so pure it can bring about his
redemption while she is a powerful mage who needs to battle evil but also wants to be with the
vampire she loves. Their love story makes THE HUNTED a horror novel with a twist that will
appeal to fans of both genres. L.A. Banks has written a work one can sink their teeth into
enjoying every bite.
Jack In the Pulpit
Cynthia Riggs
Dunne
ISBN 0312330111 $22.95, 208 pp.
Ninety two years old Victoria Trumbull is as spry as a person half her age and her mental faculties
are probably sounder than most of those fortyish souls. Her granddaughter Elizabeth is living with
her after escaping her abusive husband Lockwood who unknown to them is on Martha's
Vineyard. He watches his ex-wife and is waiting for the right time to "talk" to her. When the
women find out he is there they take precautions and friends and neighbors save Elizabeth from
what would have been a dangerous confrontation. While Victoria is dealing with her
granddaughter's problem, four people have died on the island within the last month. Victoria finds
this very disturbing and when she checks the town's records she finds the death rate is way above
the norm. She begins to wonder if there is a serial killer on the island but the chief of police, who
Victoria regards as a friend, won't exhume the bodies without solid evidence. Victoria goes to
unusual lengths to prove her theory but makes more than the cops take notice of her efforts.
Anyone who wants to know how a nonagenarian can become a deputy must read JACK IN THE
PULPIT to learn how the heroine's crime sleuthing career began. The who-done-it is well
executed with plenty of suspects including the old minister of the local church, his successor, and
their wives amongst others. The support cast adds color and vibrancy to the storyline. The only
quibble is that the two subplots, the abusive ex-spouse and the four deaths don't intersect at any
point and each could have been the focus of a separate book.
The Dead
Ingrid Black
Dunne
ISBN: 0312326327 $23.95, 320 pp.
Five years ago, Ed "The Night Hunter" Fagan killed his last prostitute, but suddenly vanished
without being caught. In Dublin Post free lance journalist Nick Elliott informs former FBI agent
Saxon that he received a letter from someone claiming to be Fagan and insisting it is time to start
again. Saxon pursued The Night Hunter serial killer without success, but kept a journal with
hopes of a true crime book coming out of their "joint" endeavor; not catching the killer left that
book seemingly dead. However, Saxon is a bit shocked with Elliott's news because she knows
why Fagan and her book vanished since she killed him though everyone else thinks the Night
Hunter lost interest temporarily. Saxon agrees to uncover the identity of the letter writer who has
begun to kill. Though the killing signature and his modus operendi are slightly different, the
Dublin police believe Fagan is back. Teaming with her secret lover Dublin police detective Grace
Fitzgerald, the American expatriate searches for a killer who seems like a fun house mirror image
of The Night Hunter. This engaging Irish serial killer thriller hooks the audience due to the
somewhat acrimonious narration of Saxon at times juxtaposed by her more intellectual sounding
lover as both debate the murders. The story line uses action, though limited, to enhance the
cerebral elements of the plot. The climax is terse, twisty, and terrific, but this tale is totally owned
by the former American fed whose cat and mouse encounters five years ago and now make for a
fine time for readers.
Ice Run
Steve Hamilton
Dunne
ISBN 0312301219 $21.95, 320 pp.
Alex McKnight owns and operates six cabins in Paradise, Michigan and even though it is March, a
snowstorm brings in the tourists who want to go snowmobiling or other sports on the snow.
Unable to leave the business, Alex arranges for his girlfriend, Canadian police officer Natalie
Reynaud to meet him at the Jojibway Hotel for a special romantic tryst. While there, they meet an
old man who is later found dead, frozen in the snow. He left behind a hat with a mysterious
message inside. When Alex goes to the funeral to pay his last respects to the man, members of his
family beat him up. Natalie learns that the message he left behind was meant for her. Her father
was killed by that hotel decades ago and the killer was never found. Simon Grant, the man who
froze to death, knew what happened as does the rest of his family. When Natalie disappears Alex
goes to Canada to find her and sees the murdered body of her mother. He also almost gets killed
by one of the Grant men and almost loses his life when he tracks Natalie down in a deserted cabin
on Mackinaw Island. Steve Hamilton just keeps getting better with every book he writes and his
latest work, a compelling, riveting and enthralling thriller is no exception. The hero is a strong
willed, independent thinker who will go the extra mile for someone he cares about even when they
push him away. ICE RUN is more than an exciting crime thriller, it is a family drama about the
sins of the father being visited on the sons.
Tripletree
Derek Wilson
Dunne
ISBN 0312328745 $23.95, 272 pp.
In the isolated, insular village of Colin Polyts in Oxfordshire, England, the new owners of the
manor house Shelley and June Myles give a masquerade party with guests wearing cavalier and
roundhead costumes. Attending the party is parapsychologist professor and television personality
Nathaniel Gye and his journalist wife Kathryn. From the moment she arrives at the manor,
Kathryn senses an evil, which surfaces with the death of a servant, Tracey Penshan. The death is
ruled an accident. However, Shelley asks Nat to help his wife who believes she killed Tracey in
another life and in this one. June admits she believes this because hypnotherapist Dr. Cardoc
Owens hypnotized her and took her back to a former life where she killed a woman who was
trying to take away her lover. Nat meets Cardoc and concludes the man is nothing but a charlatan,
which Nat tells Shelley. Not long afterward someone kills Cardoc. Nat proves that Penshan was
murdered. Unable to let well enough alone, Nate tries to discover who the killer is and finds
himself in a race against time to stop a third murder from occurring. The gothic atmosphere of the
village and the main house contributes to the foreboding feeling that something terrible is
happening at TRIPLETREE manor house. There are plenty of suspects who wanted the victims
dead. The protagonist becomes obsessed by the homicides, trying to figure out who the killer is so
he can stop him before he kills again. Ironically, the hero doesn't believe in psychic power and
spends much of his time, like Randy thee Great debunking Charlatans. Derek Wilson has written a
very vivid and entertaining crime thriller.
Breach of Trust
D.W. Buffa
Putnam
ISBN: 0399151907 $24.95, 384 pp.
Harvard Law School graduate Joseph Antonelli agrees to come back for a reunion only because
his old roommate Thomas Browning, the Vice President of the United States, asked him to attend
as a favor. At the reception, Thomas says glowing, but untrue things about Antonelli. Afterward
Antonelli meets Jimmy Haviland, who blames Thomas for the death of another student, Annie
Malreaux who fell to her death from the eighth floor of Manhattan's Plaza Hotel. The police ruled
it an accident. Later that night Antonelli meets Browning who asks for his help. Apparently, the
death of Annie is being reopened as a witness has surfaced claiming murder occurred. Browning
feels his run for the Oval office could die with the scandal that he was part of a cover-up even if it
proves false later. He wants Antonelli, the best defense attorney in the country, to defend whoever
is accused of the homicide. Antonelli wants to say no, but agrees to handle the case especially
since the accused is Jimmy, a person who never really recovered from the death of his beloved
Annie. Fans of legal thrillers will take immense delight from the wonderful BREACH OF TRUST.
The story line is loaded with action in and out of the courtroom and the White House. The cast is
fabulous and is led by a remarkable caring hero though much of the show is stolen by the
charismatic VP. Readers will never guess who did what to who as the ending is so buffed.
Blow Out
Catherine Coulter
Putnam
ISBN 0399151877 $25.95 400 pp.
FBI agents Dillon Savitch and his wife Sherlock along with their son Sean enjoy a vacation in the
Pennsylvania Pocono Mountains when a ghost asks him for help. The incident spooks Dillon but
before he can do anything for the spirit of Samantha Barrister he and Sherlock return to
Washington, D.C. because Supreme Court Justice Stewart Quinn Califano was murdered in the
courthouse library. Someone bypassed the security guards and technological safety devices to
perform an apparently professional hit. Savitch and Sherlock find no clues that could lead them to
a suspect. The victim was a moderate judge with no known enemies and never stirred up any
controversy. The only wrong doing they can find is that he is having an affair with Eliza one of his
legal aides. His other aides Danny and Fleurette thought their boss walked on water. When the
culprit kills Danny and Eliza, the Feds use Fleurette to flush him out but that plan fails almost
killing Fleurette, Savitch, Sherlock and Sean. While they try again to capture the killer, Savitch
knows that when their ordeal is over, he has a ghost to put to rest. Catherine Coulter can always
be counted on to write an exciting romantic thriller. Her protagonists, Savitch and Sherlock are as
deeply in love as they were in the first book in this series and their love for their son is a beautiful
thing to behold. There is a lot of action and chase scenes in BLOW OUT but the author also
concentrates on her characters and how they act and react to certain dangerous situations. This
book is sure to make the New York Times Bestseller List.
Skylark
Jo Beverly
Signet
ISBN: 0451211839 $6.99, 384 pp.
In 1816 widow Laura Gardeyne begins to wonder if her brother-in-law Jack wants her three year
old son Harry dead. Laura knows that Jack is a highly regarded vicar who seems to do the right
things for his flock and is much kinder towards his wife and child then her deceased spouse Hal
had been to her and Harry. Little incidents make her ponder whether the good vicar wants to
insure he is the heir to the Skylark fortune and not his nephew. Stephen Ball has loved Laura
seemingly forever though he lost her to Hal. When he learns about her fears, he vows to keep her
safe and his dead rival's offspring safe. When another potential heir surfaces with the return of a
"slave" from the east, Laura and Stephen conduct inquiries into who this person is and what is
their claim. As they work together to uncover the identity of this possible beneficiary and to keep
Harry safe, Laura falls in love with her protector. However, paranoia does not exclude that
someone wants you dead and even a loving rogue may not be enough to keep mother and son
safe. Regency romance readers will enjoy Jo Beverly's latest historical romance starring splendid
lead characters and an interesting villain in sheep's clothing though he is a bit too inept. The story
line is fast-paced once Stephen arrives on the scene to the surprise and joy of the heroine. As is
always the case with a Ms. Beverly novel, SKYLARK is a fine read.
Bright Eyes
Catherine Anderson
Signet
ISBN: 0451212169 $6.99
In Crystal Falls, ranch supply store owner Zeke Coulter turns livid when he sees the damage to his
house. When he notices a boy running towards his neighbor's house Zeke follows only to have his
brain malfunction as he sees the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. He informs Natalie that
her eleven year old son Chad vandalized his property. An angry Chad says so what just ask dad to
pay. Natalie knows that Robert is too busy with his latest bimbo to worry that his son is falling
apart. She informs Zeke she cannot pay him at this time. He says Chad can help repair the
damage. Zeke shows a sullen Chad how to use a saw and praises the lad for doing a fine job
making Chad feel good as he is used to his father telling him he is clumsy. That night, Natalie's
other child four year old Rosie cuts a deal with Zeke that allows Rosie and Natalie to help Chad
pay off his debts. Over the next few days, Zeke falls in love with Natalie and her two children, but
know he must go slow as the mom and the son have major relationship problems that become
compounded when Natalie will face murder charges. BRIGHT EYES is an engaging relational
romantic suspense that readers will enjoy because of the intriguing interactions between the cast
including Chester the gander and the strong attraction between the two lead protagonists. Though
Chad overcomes his anger too easily and Robert is too self-indulged, fans will appreciate this fine
contemporary even if the lead couple needs to stop chasing fast mice in her bedroom.
Death by Dissertation
Dean James
Silver Dagger
ISBN: 1570722668 $9.95
Texas student Andy Carpenter believes that graduate school has to be the "lowest circle of Hell in
the Inferno". Attending this hell is tough enough, but two months ago Rob Hayward became a
history PHD candidate too. Andy has had a mixed relationship with Rob since they met in
childhood and though he tries to ignore the handsome allure of this hunk, he fears his hormones
disagree as the attraction remains strong. Andy finds the corpse of Rob's roommate Charlie
Harper in the university library. The police suspect Rob killed his fellow grad student out of a gay
lover dispute. Andy knows that Rob is a slick charmer, but he would never commit murder.
Deciding to help him, Andy recruits his best friend at school, Maggie McLendon (return
engagement from CRUEL AS THE GRAVE) to investigate what happened to Charlie. A second
homicide also points towards Rob with Andy realizing he could be on the short list of potential
victims. Though there is a slight adjustment needed to accept amateur sleuth Andy investigating
the homicide, fans of gay or academic mysteries will appreciate this delightful who-done-it. The
story line is action-packed, but uses the foibles of the intelligent, over-worked modern day
indentured servant classified as a graduate student to provide comic relief. Readers will enjoy the
exploits of Andy as he narrates his struggles with his mixed feelings towards the prime suspect,
not realizing what he has fallen into with his inquiries. Dean James (apt name for an academic
mystery writer) furbishes a fabulous tale due to Andy and his detective sidekick Maggie.
Otherwise Engaged
Laura Young
Silver Dagger
ISBN 1570722811 $9.95, 202 pp.
Her cousin Adam wants to take Travel Adventures reporter Kate Kelly to lunch, an event that fills
her with trepidation because she knows from past experiences that he needs a favor from her.
Sure enough, he wants her to pose as his friend Brett's fiancee for a weekend at his family
Kentucky horse farm because his mother is throwing them an engagement party and his real
bride-to-be disappeared. Against her better judgment she agrees to do it and the magazine is
paying her expenses and that of a photographer because they want Kate to write a story about her
experiences. When they arrive at Blue Grass Winds, they are looking in a barn when they hear an
explosion. A car blew up with someone inside but the body is too burned up for an immediate
identification. While the police are going about their investigation, someone is trying to scare Kate
into leaving through nasty and sometimes dangerous pranks. Her first thought is that it could be
her supposed mother in law who is mentally unbalanced and doesn't want anyone marrying her
precious son. When someone starts shooting at Kate, she decides to investigate even if it places
her life in danger. Laura Young has a wicked sense of humor that she imbues into the storyline.
Even thought the plot is deadly serious, readers will find themselves laughing at slapstick and
farcical scenes. The protagonist is a strong willed woman who makes her own decisions but isn't
afraid to admit when she is wring. OTHERWISE ENGAGED is a cheerful book that stars quirky
and humorous characters in a dangerous scenario.
Jake's Burn: Arson in Cisco
Randy Rawls
Quiet Storm
ISBN: 0974960810 $14.95, 262 pp.
In Dallas, former police officer turned private sleuth Arthur Conan "Ace" Edwards ekes out a
living to complement his retirement pay mostly finding information on cheating spouses. Three
years ago, Ace worked a case for a client from his hometown, multimillionaire Jake Adams,
seeking proof that his wife, Sheila was cheating on him so that he would pay less in alimony and
most likely keep the home he designed. Ace succeeded, but Jake lost the house to Sheila anyway.
Jake wants to hire Ace to investigate who burned down "his" home. Though he would prefer to
stay away from Cisco, Ace accepts because the fee will pay off his outstanding debts. Ace
immediately learns two people died in the fire. He assumes Sheila is one, but has no idea whom
the other is. Though local, townsfolk treat Ace like an outsider refusing to cooperate with him;
except for Bubba, who loved Sheila and was the cause of the divorce. As Ace continues his
inquiries for a conflict of interest pair of clients (Bubba vs. Jake) and falls in love, someone tries
to ace the sleuth whose only allies are his two cats. Fans of private sleuth tales will appreciate the
fabulous JAKE'S BURN that proves one cannot go home even to his own home. The
action-packed story line with a wicked sense of humor engages the audience from the moment
Jake rehires a reluctant Ace to look into deadly arson until the final brawls. A sidebar romance
humanizes the hero who proves to be an ace of a detective and readers will demand further
adventures of this charismatic hero.
More Than You Know
Evelyn Rogers
Leisure
ISBN: 0843952156 $6.99
The jury declared Hollywood actress Toni Cavender not guilty of the murder of porno film
producer Robert Jameson. However, led by the media, the public believes Toni got away with a
lover's spat homicide. Worrying about her missing daughter Maren and needing to escape the
cage that she finds herself in, Toni reluctantly heads home seeking solace though her childhood
memories are not the fondest. Toni hires private detective Damon Bradley to find Maren who she
believes is in trouble. Meanwhile someone tries to kill Toni and comes close in succeeding in their
endeavor. Damon realizes that he must uncover the identity of who is trying to destroy Toni, but
though he is in love with the real persona and not the film star, he knows she trusts no one not
even the detective she hired and loves too. The two mysteries cleverly intertwine into a romantic
private detective tale that fans will enjoy from the moment Toni hears the not guilty verdict until
the final confrontation. Fans will keep reading as they want to know the motive of the culprit as
much as the identity of the perpetrator. The romance is not neglected as Damon willingly risks his
life to keep his beloved safe although he has little hope for the future with her because even with
her returning his feelings and obviously feeling safe in his arms Toni trusts no one not even him.
Her attitude makes MORE THAN YOU KNOW a wonderful romantic suspense thriller.
The Pirate Hunter
Jennifer Ashley
Leisure
ISBN: 0843952806 $5.99
In 1813, James Ardmore lives for his quest to destroy buccaneer Black Jack Mallory for
slaughtering his family. James knows he will not rest until he personally kills Black Jack, but once
that deed is done the obsessed pirate hunter has no reason to live. Because of her father's
connection to Black Jack, James abducts Lady Diana though he knows that will ruin her if it
comes out. However, instead of blithely cooperating, Diana does everything in her power to maim
her kidnapper and to escape. James admires Diana's courage and feistiness. Diana begins to fall in
love with James as she starts to understand his motive though she expects nothing to come of her
feelings as his heart and soul were as dead as that of his family. Still when his plan goes awry and
he lies near death at her feet, she tries to help her beloved knowing that if does not let go of his
past they have no future together. Jennifer Ashley furbishes readers with a fabulous Regency tale
with the twist that the hero is THE PIRATE HUNTER so that much of the venue is atypical of
the sub-genre. The story line is fun to follow as Diana and her deaf child try to "communicate"
sometimes with objects with the obstinate James who finds heaven in her arms. The key to this
tale is Ms. Ashley's ability to keep her readers wondering whether love can lift the cloud from
James' darkened heart as the author slowly alters the hero's internal conflict from one of revenge
and hate to guilt and love.
A Tale of Two Vikings
Sandra Hill
Leisure
ISBN: 0843951583 $6.99, 384 pp.
Except for three foolish months as nine year olds, identical twins Toste and Vagne Ivarsson might
as well have been Siamese because they were never apart for the thirty-one years they have lived
so far. In 964 in the Land of the Saxons, the brothers are in the midst of a berserker battle, but
become separated; each thinks the other died. Toste soon finds he is amidst the nuns of St. Anne's
Abbey where he is immediately attracted to frequent "sinner" Lady Esme, a resident in hiding
form her father for over a decade. Knowing it is time to confront dear old dad, Esme has the
champion to do so as Toste agrees to help her obtain her rightful inheritance. He prays to Odin
that will give him the time to obtain what he wants, Esme. Gorm Sigurdsson has Vagne tied to a
bed in his home. He has mistaken Vagne for Toste, who he expects to wed his daughter Helga.
However, to his shock, Helga recognizes that the incarcerated male is Vagne who she wants to
sire a child with; an arrangement that he finds lacking because he wants to sire several children
with the woman he loves. A TALE OF TWO VIKINGS is a 1930s screwball romantic comedy set
in the tenth century as only the incomparable Sandra Hill could sensationally pull off. The
entertaining story line combines action with humor as the twins find love once they are split.
Historical romance fans who appreciate an offbeat some what whacky tale will want to read (in
one sitting not leisurely) Ms. Hills's fabulous funny frolic.
The Babe Magnet
Robin Wells
Love Spell
ISBN: 0505525364 $6.99
The call from a Dallas police officer informed Holt Landen that not only had Ella Sinclair died in a
car crash, but the heiress named him as the father of her child. He barely remembers the flighty
woman he had a one night stand with in Aspen, but the DNA proves he is also the father of a six
month old child Isabelle with her. Holt leaves New Orleans to pick up his daughter only to learn
that his daughter suffers from Attachment Disorder. Holt is desperate for help so when Isabelle
stops crying while hearing New Orleans radio parenting advice show host Stevie Stedquest speak
on the radio, he offers the childless Stevie a deal. They wed in a marriage of convenience in which
she provides Isabelle with proper loving nurturing and she has that child she wants to raise.
However, Stevie and Holt are opposites in every foreseeable way except that Isabel has hooked
both of them. Now can the baby play matchmaker when neither of the two adults wants the other
though love has blossomed between Stevie and Holt. THE BABE MAGNET is an intriguing
contemporary romance even with using the Stone Age gimmick of a marriage of convenience and
a traumatized baby to bring the lead couple together. Though obviously opposites, Holt and
Stevie are caring people, who readers will like since both try to do the right thing for Isabelle.
However, the infant owns the show as she is unable to allow anyone to reach out to the darkness
with love that is until her daddy and her new mommy shower her with affection because
everybody needs hugs.
Dreamquest
Janet Wellington
Love Spell
ISBN: 0505525925 $5.99, 291 pp.
It seems all her life Suzanne Lucas has dreamed of the Native American male or at least since she
was five years old and a visitor to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Now needing to make an
employment decision, teacher Suzanne decides to go on a vacation back to her favorite state park
after the most intense dream yet. However, at the park after seeing an old man, an earthquake
strikes, injuring Suzanne. In the 1860s, Coyote treks to his favorite spot, Anza-Borrego Desert
State Park, to get away from things, but an earthquake shakes things up a bit. When he reaches
his oasis, he sees the injured naked white female. His grandfather informs him that Suzanne is the
bird in the young warrior's dreams that he has envisioned for years. As Coyote helps heal
Suzanne, they fall in love, but avaricious miners abduct his beloved trying to ransom her in
exchange for the location of a legendary gold mine. Even if he succumbs to their demands, neither
knows whether she will remain in the nineteenth century though if love is the ultimate force they
belong together. Time travel romance readers will enjoy Suzanne's trek. The story line is at its
best when the two lovers are confronted with external enemies including stormy Mother Nature
trying to bring Suzanne back to the future. The couple is a fine pairing, but has no strife between
them as each easily accepts the other as their destined soulmate. Still sub-genre readers will
appreciate Suzanne's journey for love and Coyote's acceptance that his cherished one was born
over a hundred years from when they met.
The Exception to the Rulers: Exposing Oily Politicians, War Profiteers, and the Media That
Loves Them
Amy Goodman and David Goodman
Hyperion
ISBN: 1401301312 $21.95, 342 pp.
If a reader has to choose one expose book on the Bush Administration amongst those of
Woodward, Clark, Dean, etc. the Goodman siblings is the one to select. One just needs to read
the authors' logical argument on the Bush "oilopoly" to understand why especially in light of the
alleged oil deal with the Saudis and the oily resumes of much of the leadership. The Goodmans'
analysis of the Iraq War ignores the pronounced ever changing root reasons for armed combat,
but instead follows the money of who gained (via contracts); the authors make a powerful case
that major Bush campaign donors are the winners while soldiers and their family members, and
the American tax payer pay the price. Underlying this and other arguments is their basic tenet that
professional gurus manipulate the media using incredible spins and leaks of "dis and
misinformation" that Spielberg would envy, and the worst gimmick to date is the in your pocket
access that rigs the journalist's feelings. Can one really say something negative about the troops
who feed a reporter, keep them safe, and share stories about home? Though readers will wonder
why Amy has not been declared an enemy combatant, this insightful cautionary tome condemns
the loss of truth, justice and the American way of freedom under the pretext of spreading
democracy to oil slicks.
Pledged
Alexandra Robbins
Hyperion
ISBN: 1401300464 $23.95, 372 pp.
This "undercover" expose is well written and provides an intriguing candid look at Sorority
Houses from a cautionary perspective. Still those students who wish to join will ignore the
warnings while their parents will warn their young. The emphasis of Alexandra Robbins book is to
say no to some of the extreme abuses (not sure that will work any better than Mrs. Reagan's
anti-drug campaign). However, perhaps it is because I am an ancient mariner having graduated
during the Nixon presidency, some of the stunts done by the girls to each other with acceptance
by the "victim" seems childish and cruel, but then again in 1970 I rode roller coasters at Coney
Island and Palisades Park without fear; now I would need Depends. The group-practices also
seem immature yet when I was twenty that was probably fun. The insight into Sorority House life
is very interesting as the author tries to paint a balanced picture. Ms. Robbins realizes that some
coeds need and or enjoy the camaraderie while others feel demeaned by the stunts, which is the
basic truth of group dynamics whether it is an office, a military barracks, or a sorority house.
Interesting and captivating especially as Ms. Robbins describes the actions and reactions of some
of the pledgees and the sisters to one another as today's abused pledge becomes tomorrow's
abusing sister similar to the rites of passage of families.
Whiskey Sour
J.A. Konrath
Hyperion
ISBN 1401300871 $21.95, 288 pp.
Forty-six years old Lieutenant Jacqueline (Jack) Daniels of the Chicago police department heads
the Violent Crimes Unit. She's dedicated to the job, but that cost her when her husband left her
because she paid more attention to work than to him. She has lived with Don for six months but
he dumps her for his personal trainer because she doesn't spend enough quality time with him.
Jack suffers from a bad case of chronic insomnia but that still doesn't prevent her from putting
many hours in on the job. Jack knows with the discovery of the first victim, strangled to death and
tortured post-mortem, that she has a serial killer. He calls himself the Gingerbread Man and wants
media attention. His next victim is tortured for hours before he finally kills her and as with the
previous fatality leaves the victim in the garbage can with her arse pointing out. Two FBI agents
arrive to help then profile the killer but they act more like Abbot and Costello then government
investigators. The Gingerbread Man intends to make Jack his final victim in a duet dance to the
death. The protagonist makes this book a cut above the best in the saturated sub-genre. She is
mature, with a wry wit and a delightful sense of humor. She knows her life is lacking balance but
she doesn't feel sorry for herself. Instead, she takes the advice of her partner and joins a dating
service. Her ability to lead her unit and walk the streets with them makes her a popular and
respected superior. This is a first class, totally absorbing crime thriller written by an author who
will go far in her field.
Joey Dee Gets Wise
Louisa Ermelino
Kensington
ISBN: 0758203306 $14.00, 256 pp.
In Little Italy, Sonny Magro lays dead in the street just outside the church where Father Giannini
led the Mass. Afterward, attendee Joey Dee looks at the blood flowing in the gutter as a reminder
of his quest to leave New York for Vegas with his girlfriend, whose father lies in the street dead.
While Joey stares at the corpse, his friend Vito Santero joins him. Vito had his brains knocked out
of him by Sister Agnes so he cannot put much cogent thoughts together. He tells his only pal Joey
that he saw the thugs who work for crime kingpin Nicky Mole toss Sonny off the roof. Joey
panics because he knows that Vito cannot be quiet and does not know the danger of mouthing.
Not long afterward, Nicky's hooligans realize that Joey knows they killed Sonny. Not wanting to
commit a homicide so soon after the previous one, the Mole mob hire Joey as a chauffeur to keep
an eye on him until they can decides how to dispose of their new employee and the eye witness.
JOEY DEE GETS WISE is an intriguing urban crime Noir without a professional sleuth. The
story line grips the reader with its dark look at life in the city contrasted against the gala of an
Italian Feast (those are worth the trip to the Big Apple). Except for Joey and the mean streets of
New York, the support characters feel more like caricatures out of the New York Italian
stereotype handbook. Louisa Ermelino who makes tours of Manhattan neighborhoods intriguing
(see SISTERS MALLONE) serves as a wonderful guide of Little Italy.
Return to Me
Shannon McKenna
Kensington
ISBN: 0758205600 $14.00
Seventeen years ago Simon Riley fled LaRue, Oregon because of his crazy uncle and a stable fire
he caused to become a famous photojournalist. He finally comes home to learn what happened to
Uncle Gus, who five months ago apparently committed suicide. However, the email Gus sent that
same day to Simon sounded paranoid not suicidal as his uncle mentioned he has proof that will
shock everyone. Simon wants to find out what Gus alluded to though returning hurts. When Gus'
house is not fit to stay in Simon takes a room at El Kent's B&B. She was his girlfriend when he
left town and is angry with him for never returning for her. El treats Simon like a guest, not the
person she always dreamed would come back for her. Simon is upset that she is engaged to Brad
Mitchell as the attraction between him and El is still hot. She informs him that she never forgot
him, but no longer lives for dreams. Neither realizes that the person who Gus was trying to
expose is crazy and willing to kill again. This is an interesting romantic suspense due to the strong
attraction between the two lead protagonists and a wonderful mystery involving the hero's uncle
as holding proof of something or was delusional. Simon can become irritating with his saying that
he only causes trouble and his constant leaving, but readers will root for him and the courageous
heroine to make it. Though the villain is so crazy he could not hide his insanity as he did for
decades, fans will enjoy this you can come home for a second chance at love.
People Die
Kevin Wignall
Kensington
ISBN: 0758204744 $13.00, 220 pp.
He was earning a history degree when he veered one hundred and eighty degrees off course to
become a free lance hit man. He works for a secret service organization in Great Britain but
always knows he could accept employment elsewhere. His latest assignment is to kill Dave
Bostridge, an American in a Russian hotel. Two years later, J.J. aka William Hoffman is plying his
trade when something unexpected happens, the predator becomes the prey. Everyone in his
organization is being killed and J.J. doesn't know why. Ironically, it is at the Vermont bed and
breakfast inn of Mr. Bostridge's family that JJ begins to get a glimmer of what started two years
ago and is supposed to end with his life. Surprisingly enough, J.J. isn't a character that will turn
readers off but an enigma that the audience will want to figure out. The plot is basically simple
and easy to follow but it is the characters and how they interact with J.J. that makes PEOPLE
DIE a very unusual and refreshing tour. Kevin Wignall has talent to create an anti-hero that will
live on in the minds of the reader.
Satisfaction
Thea Devine
Kensington
ISBN: 0758204019 $14.00
In 1894 Behramstead, England, Jancie Renbrook seeks vengeance for her father, deserted years
earlier by his diamond mining partner Hugo Gailliard in South Africa. While the Gaillairds lived
the life of wealth, her family survived on a government job pittance. After years of bedtime stories
of revenge, Jancie arrives at Waybury House as a companion to Hugo's dying wife Olivia. She
plans to cause a rift between Hugo and his son Lujan by flirting outrageously with the father and
seducing the younger. Lujan comes home to care for his beloved mother in her last days. He
detests his father especially with his sexual predatory advances towards Jancie while his wife lies
dying nearby. He wonders what game Jancie is playing though he finds he wants her. To her
chagrin, she falls in love with the instrument of her revenge. With the sins of their sires in the way,
anything between them beyond the death of his mother seems unachievable, but love has a way of
accomplishing the impossible. Erotic romance readers will find SATISFACTION with this
exciting historical tale in which the betrayal by a rolling stone adventurer leads to demons suffered
by their respective offspring. The story line is exciting though Hugo and Edmund show no
redeeming qualities. Jancie and Lujan are a wonderful pairing in and out of bed and his brother
adds a fine rivalry for the heroine's affection. A late sidebar intrigue not involving vengeance
provides further doubts between the lovers, but that seem unnecessary as their sires have done a
wonderful job of that already. When it comes to sex in the Victorian Age, few writers provide as
divine a story as this author does.
The Art of Mending
Elizabeth Berg
Random House
ISBN: 1400061598 $24.95
Now in her fifties, quilter Laura Bartone looks forward to the annual extended family gathering in
Minnesota. Her husband Pete and their two children will accompany her as she gets together with
her parents and her two siblings and their families. However, before they leave, her younger sister
Caroline calls Laura to ask for some private time with her and their brother Steve. When the
siblings meet, Caroline explains that she is very depressed and considering a divorce. Laura thinks
back to how as a child she used to abusively tease her sister, who always tried so hard to gain
approval from their aloof mother, but failed. Caroline explains that she is getting professional
help, but believes her melancholy stems from childhood abusive events that she buried. She asks
her siblings if they can recall any cruelty from their parents, especially their mother towards her.
At first in denial, Laura and Steve start recalling frightening horrendous incidents and other
revelations surface, but whether that will help the depressed Caroline or make things worse for
her and her now stunned siblings, only time will tell. THE ART OF MENDING is an intriguing
deep look at how adults cope or fail to muddle through childhood traumas. The story line is
clearly a character study that enables the audience to see deep inside the three siblings, but is told
from the lens of Caroline. Though the spouses and children seem so perfect (almost Stepford) so
that they never negatively "impact" on the trio especially Caroline, fans of an insightful family
drama will welcome Elizabeth berg's solid perceptive work.
Semiautomatic
Rob Reuland
Random House
ISBN: 0375505024 $24.95
Following his bungled prosecution of a homicide case (see HOLLOWPOINT) Assistant District
Attorney Andrew Giobberti toils in the surreal Brooklyn Appeals Office, the Siberia where those
whose careers are over are exiled until they retire, quit, or die. His personal life feels as if he is at
rock bottom but also still in freefall as he still mourns the death of his daughter and the separation
from his wife. However, he is given a second chance at redeeming himself and a return to the
Homicide 0ffice if he prosecutes the suspect in the murder of a Brooklyn bodega owner. Elation
turns to distrust and he wonders if he is being paranoid as he ponders why this particular case was
given to him. No one will say a word to him especially why him, not even Laurel Ashfield, who
had the prosecution before Giobberti received his so-called reprieve. SEMIAUTOMATIC is a
fabulous legal Noir that gives the audience an intriguing taste of Brooklyn, home of "the dumbest
killers in the world". Andrew is a marvelous lead character as she struggles with a horde of
maggots that eat away at his heart and soul. Still the key to this unique story line is that the plot
hits the audience on three fronts. The obvious legal thriller is enhanced by the in-politics of the
DA Office and by a human salvation story all tied together by Andrew.
Walls of Ice
Norma McPhee
LTD Books
ISBN 155316122X $22.99
A year has passed since the defeat of the malevolent Gandes (see INTO THE FIRE), but some
among the victors still struggle to recover their equilibrium. Desperate to feel human again,
Captain Jannia Wise begs Emarr Dengas to make love to her. Though he wants to make love with
her, Emarr refuses as he is concerned with her total healing from the harrowing cruelty she
suffered by the Gandes. Besides Emarr has his own sexual nightmare from when he was a slave of
the cruel Ziala McGann. Still the time she spends with Emarr and his adopted daughter provides
some solace. Jannia finds Ziala's latest slave ring. She enlists Emarr and a few other associates to
end Ziala's business before other lives are destroyed. Emarr wants to say no again because he
fears a confrontation with the owner who abused every inch of his body and every micron of his
soul. However, he cannot allow the woman loves to fight without him at her side. WALLS OF
ICE is an exciting deep erotic character study starring two protagonists and fans will want them
together as they deserve the best and that would be the other. The story line moves rather quickly
forward as an action-packed thriller yet also makes a full circle spin as Emarr must confront his
worst inner nightmare, "the forces of nurture" that imprinted on his soul. Though reading the first
book helps provide some insight into Jannia's demons (INTO THE FIRE is where Gandes
maltreats her), WALLS OF ICE can stand alone providing the audience with a thrilling tale of
redemption through love and action.
The Priest
Francine Rivers
Tyndale
ISBN: 0842382658 $14.99, 228 pp.
At three years of age a jealous Aaron misses his mama who seems to spend all her time with one
year old brother Moses. His older sister Miriam tries to provide solace, but that fails to ease the
ache in the little boy's heart perhaps because she too misses her mama. Three years later, a
heartbroken mama tells her two oldest children that the daughter of the Pharaoh loves Moses and
he will live with her as his mother. Years later, God speaks to Aaron to go to the wilderness and
help Moses lead the enslaved Israelites to the Promised Land. Putting aside his jealousy, Aaron
becomes Moses' right hand man as they seek freedom. Over time he becomes the First High priest
only to watch his flock fail God. Though feeling undeserving of his role and a failure, Aaron in his
low key manner encourages his people to properly worship the Lord. While performing the
seemingly impossible but critical tasks without acclaim, he also finds a brotherly love to his
charismatic younger brother, leader of the wandering Hebrews. Starting with Aaron, Francine
Rivers, in her Sons of Encouragement series, is telling the tales of five influential individuals who
in the background of a charismatic superstar shaped religion. The first novel, THE PRIEST, is a
biblical fiction work fans will enjoy though the book starts off a bit slowly as readers are
introduced to the key players as described in the Torah. This historical fiction novel turns into a
deep character study in the second half of the novel as the audience feels the emotions especially
self doubts, disbeliefs and concerns during forty years of wandering.
The Salt Garden
Cindy Martinusen
Tyndale
ISBN: 0842373640 $10.99, 316 pp.
San Francisco News & Review reporter Claire O'Rourke is coming home to visit mom for a day
when her car breaks down. Too dark to walk, Claire spend the night in her car. At dawn cold and
dying for a Starbucks, Claire begins her walk towards Harper's Bay. Her trek enables her to meet
her childhood idol septuagenarian author Sophia Fleming. Sophia has spent three decades hidden
from everyone except for her only friend Ben Wilson, who refuses to allow her to become a total
recluse. However, Ben sadly informs Sophia that his son wants him to move away and live with
him; Sophia feels depressed that her only connection to the world might leave. Ben also gives
Sophia a salt watered journal that apparently came ashore from the nearby salvaging of the
wreckage of the Josephine. The book contains the diary entries of Josephine Vanderook, a
passenger in 1933 on the Josephine when it went down. Claire and Sophia forge a friendship over
dreams, the journal, and their different paths to God. This is an entertaining character study that
rotates narration between the two modern day women and the journal entries of Josephine. The
story line enables the reader to contrast the trio. Claire has had an unwavering constant belief in
God; Sophia found the healing of God after a tragedy left her practically a hermit; Finally
Josephine in her shortened life marveled at the miracles God had provided her. Though San
Francisco is portrayed as modern day Sodom while Harper's Bay is Eden (with a serpent) fans of
contemporary Christian literature will appreciate this deep look at the paths of faith.
Dangerous Sanctuary
Lois Richer
Tyndale
ISBN 0842364366 $10.99, 271 pp.
Once she had a loving husband and a son she cherished until the day Georgia MacGregor came
home to see an inferno with her beloved men inside beyond rescuing. Unable to stay in Calgary
and the memories that haunt her, she travels the country side until she finds a job for a cook in the
northern Canadian woods. The head of Camp Hope, Kent Anderson, hires her on the spot,
believing she is a gift from God because she is also a nurse. Kent is attracted to Georgia but he
holds back from pursuing a relationship because he is working to get a promotion to the head
office so his sister, a paraplegic, could have the choices he thinks she needs. While Kent wrestles
with his own guilt, Georgia is in danger from a stalker who will stop at nothing to kill her because
of the pain she caused him. Unwilling to put Camp Hope in danger, Georgia prepares to leave a
place she calls home and the man she loves but the killer strikes out putting them in danger. The
heroine is the victim of two great tragedies and though she is grieving she is strong enough to
reach out and help people. Readers will love her and hope she can find happiness with Kent. Lois
Richer builds up the suspense to unbearable levels while simultaneously bringing people in love
together. DANGEROUS SANCTUARY is an exciting romantic suspense novel that readers will
be delighted to know is the first installment in the Camp Hope series. The audience will be unable
to stop reading until the last page is turned.
Apocalypse Crucible
Mel Odom
Tyndall
ISBN 0842387765 $14.99, 326 pp.
Millions of people across the globe have disappeared and few know why. In Sanlifina, Turkey,
First Sergeant Samuel Adams "Goose" Gandiers knows that his five year old son Chris has
disappeared out of the Fort Benning nursery. Though concerned, he tries not to think about it as
the Syrians are about to attack the American lines and he doesn't have enough military support to
stop them. A rogue CIA agent Icarus tries to find Goose to tell him something about the
disappearances while his immediate superior Captain Remington wonders what to do with the
sergeant who has chosen a different road then him. In Fort Benning, Georgia, Goose's wife
Megan is ordered to keep a low profile until her trial when she has to defend herself in regards to
a teenager she was counseling who vanished while falling off a building; his body was never
found, just the clothes he wore. Megan counsels another suicidal teenage when the MPs shoot
him. Alone and separated by more than an ocean, Megan and Goose struggle with their faith as
demons from hell prey upon mankind. APOCALYPSE CRUCIBLE, the sequel to
APOCALYPSE DAWN, is an exciting military thriller that takes place over a twenty four hour
period. There is plenty of action as a military skirmish is vividly described that readers feel they
are at the battlefield. The protagonist's wife questions what is happening in her world but at her
lowest point, she finds the courage to learn the truth that everyone left behind wants to deny. Mel
Odom has written a powerful tour de force and readers will want to read the next book in this
series as soon as it is published.
Forge of Heaven
C.J. Cherryh
Eos
ISBN: 0380979039 $24.95, 416 pp.
Two galactic empires overlap at the remote Concord Station that orbits a wasteland orb.
Nanotechnical war between humans from Earth and beings from the Ondat Empire fought here
and devastated this tiny seemingly worthless planet and its station because the antagonists realize
the strategic value of the outpost to observe the edges of the enemy. Ages have passed since the
maelstrom of HAMMERFALL ended in an uneasy "cold war" peace, but not before rapid
nanoevolution seeds were created. Observers from Earth, the Outside, and the Ondat keep close
tabs on the planet through implants to those made immortal by nanotechnology. Hero of the
previous war, Marak tries to keep the fragile peace. He has succeeded with help from former
Outsiders Ian and Luz, and Gene War refugee Ila. The calm ends when an Earth ship carrying
Ambassador Andreas Gide arrives. Rumors abound that the visit has to do with an allegedly
leaked nanotechnology; a technology that Earth prefers remained quarantined to this orb while the
Ondat are a bit looser on the research escaping the area. Is war coming once more with this
barren rock again to suffer the consequences? Fans of cerebral science fiction with numerous
concepts to ponder will appreciate this deep look at a cold war on the verge of turning hot. C.J.
Cherryh uses the first part of the novel to develop concepts involving the future of science, war,
and to a lesser degree politics. The second half moves back and forth between action and further
development of the author's message. Readers who enjoy contemplating complex concepts will
appreciate this profound tale in which action takes a limiting role to Ms. Cherryh's
postulations.
Lord of Light
Roger Zelazny
Eos
ISBN: 0060567236 $12.95, 304 pp.
Humanity defeats the native "energy" beings that populated the orb and establishes a colony on
the planet with a Hindu like societal order. Using advanced technology, the crew of the ship
transfers their minds into a new body when theirs is near death. They also develop other advances
that enable them to form a pantheon with god-like powers. Beneath them are the colonists and
even further below in this pyramid of power are the natives. No one bucks the leadership as not
only can they technology reincarnate they can convert others into animals. One of these
techno-Gods, preferring to be called Sam rather than Mahasamatman, feels that the mistreatment
of others is morally wrong. He thinks that he and his peers should share their technology with the
lower strata. His peers insist those beneath them are incapable of dealing with godlike powers and
need their hand to guide them. Sam never claimed the mantle and though he hates what he feels
he must do, this "fallen angel" leads a revolt against his ruling brothers and sisters as he wants to
establish a different world order. This is a deep science fiction novel with religious and social
overtones. The story line is loaded with action, but also takes its time to defend critical arguments
set forth by author Roger Zelazny. The cast fosters the concepts of the plot so that development
is targeted more towards an idea than a character. Still with all that this is a cerebral tale that will
have readers pondering a host of subjects from comparative religions to white man's burden to
fostering American style democracy in Iraq, etc. in a clever novel that will require concentration
or one will miss a point.
No Accident
Kathleen O'Connor
Port Town
ISBN: 1594660182 $8.95
In New England, though the murder looks like a drive by road rage killing, Detectives Mitch
Gallagher and Sal Sclafani think otherwise. They feel the homicide occurred too close to Rayex
Corporation, where the victim, David Forjane worked as a rising superstar in marketing and was
detested by everyone. Mitch and Sal question those who work at Rayex including marketing
newcomer Tess McConnell. Mitch believes that Tess is the most beautiful woman he has ever
seen, but whenever he steps out of his police role he trips over himself trying to just say the right
thing. Tess has been in one bad relationship that she is still paying for and though attracted to the
detective has doubts about men in general. As the two sleuths continue to dig, Mitch and Tess fall
in love, but he knows he must go slow and let her control the relationship even drive his car until
she realizes he plans to be with her forever. However, first a killer must be caught and he knows
the must keep his stubborn Tess safe as she has stepped right into the middle of the mess. NO
ACCIDENT is an exciting police procedural romance starring a delightful lead couple and a
matchmaking partner. The story line grips the audience from the opening scene when someone
shoots David while he muses over being bored with his latest girlfriend. The plot picks up two
types of tension as Mitch and Sal investigate at Rayex and Mitch meets Tess. Sub-genre readers
will take immense delight with this fine tale that insures the investigation and the love subplots
mesh nicely into a fine novel.
Faerie Tales
Martin H. Greenberg and Russell Davis (editors)
Daw
ISBN: 0756401828 $6.99, 309 pp.
FAERIE TALES contains twelve delightful stories from a virtual fantasist who's who. Each
contribution entertains the audience with its enjoyable link between humanity and faerie lands that
make the latter seem genuine. Many of the stories actually provide deep messages, which
normally are surprising for shorts yet with authors like De Lint, Rusch, Hoyt, Huff, and Spencer,
etc. it is to be expected. The other contributors are also top rate (Waggoner, Helfers, Fiscus,
Lindskold, Stemple, Scarborough, and West) furbishing winners as Greenberg and Davis
obviously got the top guns to provide a tale. Some inputs are amusing while others contain
serious tones, but all are fun. Fans of fantasies will appreciate this strong compilation in which
each contribution holds the bar of excellence at the highest levels. An aside to Mr. Greenberg the
guru of anthologies: looking forward to seeing how you can top this treasure.
Sirius the Dog Star
Martin H. Greenberg and Alexander Potter (editor)
Daw
ISBN: 0756401860 $6.99, 320 pp.
This sixteen story collection of speculative fiction runs the full gamut as some tales are pure outer
space or futuristic science fiction; others are alternate history; some are fantasy with even a
historical fantasy included, and finally even private sleuth Zachary Johnson earns his keep. Though
the compilation includes several sub-genres, the two common threads that run through the tales
are a dog is the star or a key player and that each contributor provided a five bark story. The
authors are some of the top of the line and a few brought their normal brand into the anthology.
All the writers provided a superb entry starring canines with fully developed personalities inside
exciting plots. Paraphrasing Groucho: "Outside a dog, a book is man's best friend; inside a dog is
to dark to read" for that is the whimsical approach that turns that turns SIRIUS THE DOG STAR
into a treat for dog lovers.
The Glasswright's Master
Mindy L. Klasky
Roc
ISBN: 0451459822 $6.99, 340 pp.
The kingdom of Morenia ruled by King Hal is under siege by a fleet of Liantine ships blockading
the harbor and a Briantan army surrounding the city. A battering ram is being used to open the
gates to the city while the army of Morenia is getting ready to fight. Their efforts are doomed by
traitors from within the castleso King Hal, his wife, Rani Trader and a few trusted allies flee
through a secret passage shown to them by a Touched woman. The Fellowship of Jair, a secret
cabal of men and women located in every kingdom in the world engineered The King's downfall
because he chose to oppose them. The fugitives flee to Sarmonia where they hope to have the aid
of the King and his army to win back Hal's throne. The Fellowship gets words of the group's
whereabouts and make plans to kill them but Hal is a strong spokesman for his cause and Rani has
powers that she doesn't know about that could change the course of battle. This is the fifth and
last book of this well written and enthralling fantasy series and it is one of the most rewarding and
poignant works in the collection. All the loose ends are tied up, the ending is everything the
reader could hope for but there is also sadness in THE GLASSWRIGHTS' MASTER as good
people die because of the evil of a cabal of power hungry traitors. Mindy L. Klasky proves she's a
world class fantasist by her ability to make the audience believe in the existence of the world
where Morenia is located.
The Quick
Dan Vining
Jove
ISBN 0515137197 $7.99, 320 pp.
Private Investigator Jimmy Miles attends Joel Kinsey's Mensa: a Night of Mystery Party at a
Malibu mansion. At the event, his host introduces him to Jean Kantke, who wants to hire him to
find out whether in 1977 her father, an assistant district attorney, really killed her mother and her
lover. He always swore until he died in the gas chamber in 1992 that he was innocent. Jean knows
that there is something different about Jimmy, who only takes an occasional case and not always
for money. She doesn't know that he's a Sailor, a person who died but still retains his human form
except to those who knew him when he was alive. They see a different face when they look at
him. He never ages and doesn't need sleep. Though alive, he can't be killed although he can be
hurt or injured. Nobody could be better suited to find out the truth about Jean's family than him
because he has to deal with some very nasty people, including other dangerous Sailors. This dark
urban noir supernatural private investigative story is different, quirky and scary because nobody,
including the Sailors, knows why they still live or what they have to do to be at rest. Jimmy is a
refreshingly original character who seems at peace with his state of affairs and helps others like
himself when they first become aware of what has happened. This reviewer hopes that the
protagonist stars in other novels because he is a complex person whose realm is interesting and his
solving a case a delight to observe. Dan Vining has made a niche in the urban noir world that
readers will love.
Deadly Deception
Ilene Birkwood
Five Star
ISBN: 1594141878 $25.95
In New Zealand, the eight person software team was heading towards major success for its
American client when the key member David accidentally fell off a cliff to his death. His depressed
teammates expect the effort to shut down and transferred to the Sates for completion. Widow
Kelly Brandon makes a thorough search to find a replacement with the unique skills that David
had, but no one comes close. Out of nowhere, Californian John Celini surfaces with the same
skills. John has been on vacation in New Zealand awaiting the word to apply for the job. After
three weeks he surfaces saving the effort. Kelly starts having doubts about David's death after
fellow mountain climber Joe Brennan visited and said that an experienced climber like the
deceased could not have died accidentally. She wonders if someone murdered the superstar in
order to replace him with his American stud, but cannot find even a remote motive as she makes
inquiries into those near the cliff when David plunged to his death. This is an entertaining amateur
sleuth tale that at times is hard to follow because the reasons for John's assignment comes out
very late in the tale making it difficult to accept a homicide occurred instead of a freak accident in
spite of Joe's hypothesis. The need to learn what really happened and why grips the readers and
keeps them turning the pages. Kelly is a pleasant protagonist who is falling in love with John, but
mistrusts the way he conveniently showed up like the cavalry in a western movie. DEADLY
DECEPTION is delightfully delicious because of Kelly, a wonderful lead character.
Love, Louisa
Barbara Metzger
Five Star
ISBN: 1410401987 $26.95
In Manhattan, as an omen to her upcoming nuptials twenty-seven years old Louisa Walden
wrecks the Porsche owned by her fiance Howard on their engagement night party. Not long
afterward, Howard fails to show up at their wedding. Alone she goes on her honeymoon. Since
she had no job or place to live, having given up both to marry Howard and needing to escape
New York, Louisa moves in the family summer home in Paumonck Harbor. Louisa meets hunk
Dante Rivera who is working on the property next door and lets her believe he is a handyman. To
his chagrin, Dante is attracted to Louisa, but does not want anther helpless woman in his life as he
has his aunt, cousin and ex wife to wreck his well being. As he realizes that Louisa is strong and
independent especially during a nasty storm, he falls in love with her, but still feels she holds the
torch for Howard. Louisa has to find a way to let Dante know he is not a rebound, but the slam
dunk real love of her life. Though you don't want to lend even a clinker of a car to Louisa (she
wrecks a second one), fans will enjoy this warm contemporary romance starring two wonderful
protagonists dealing with emotional setbacks. While Louisa wonders why Howard chickened out,
Dante's first wife left him for a woman and now wants him to provide the seed for artificial
insemination so that the lesbian couple can raise a baby. Fans will enjoy this fine modern day tale
of a second chance to find real love.
No Just Desserts
Elisabeth Bastion
Five Star
ISBN: 1594141924 $25.95, 230 pp.
Because of her fine ad campaign, MWVB sends New York based public relations expert Lucille
Anderson to London for six weeks to add the Americanization side of a promotion to sell Sweet
Whippo to the public. The creator of the product Braxton "Brack" Clark says the synthetic food
item reduces sugar, fat, salt and consequently calories while providing fiber. Her first day on the
job leads to Lucile tasting the new product and suffering food poisoning. Next she receives
interoffice memo telling the Yank to go home. Lucile and Fiona Gordon, head of the Test
Kitchen, are already at the point of hostilities when the Londoner falls down the stairs and dies. A
wannabe mystery writer, Lucile cannot resist investigating what has been officially has been called
an accident as she thinks otherwise. Meanwhile the local boss Will Hammersmith wants her back
in the States and her client Brack is a hunk that makes London swing for her even if she considers
him a prime suspect. This is a fun culinary amateur sleuth mystery starring a fabulous protagonist
who makes the tale feels like a gourmet dinner. The fine story line focuses on Lucille's woes once
she disembarks in London. The secondary characters bring London somewhat alive, but are more
used as counterpoints to foster better understanding of the novel's star. Sub-genre readers will
appreciate this terrific tale of murder amidst "modern" cuisine.
Dead Soldiers
Bill Crider
Five Star
ISBN: 159414186X $25.95, 240 pp.
In Pecan City, Texas, Hartley-Gorman College Dean Dr. Gwendolyn Partridge asks (in the form
of a command) English Department Chair Dr. Carl Burns to investigate the stealing of some
valuable toy soldiers along with their container. Carl, who has solved mysteries before, would
prefer to say no, but does not dare effuse his superior. Before Carl even receives a list of suspects
from Dr. Partridge, Police Chief Boss Napier visits him to tell him to back off as the stolen
soldiers are linked to a homicide. Someone killed former professor Matthew Hart leaving a toy
soldier by the corpse. Partridge knows that Carl needs to stay as far away from the official inquiry
as possible, but still gives him the list to begin his interrogation. As he searches for the stolen
soldiers, Carl becomes entwined in a murder mystery that could cost him his life hopefully before
he makes a fool of himself on the softball field in front of the librarian he likes. DEAD
SOLDIERS is an entertaining academic mystery that will hook readers from the moment Dr. P
forces Carl to find her purloined soldiers. Though why Carl feels he had to follow up after the
Boss man told him to back off is a mystery unto itself (he has tenure), the link between the
miniature and the homicide is intriguing. The support cast is a delight, but Carl is the MVP of this
solid amateur sleuth tale.
The Z Radiant
Jessica Reisman
Five Star
ISBN 1594141452 $25.95, 207 pp.
The planet Nentesh is located in an isolated part of space that is only accessible to outworlders
once every twenty years when the wormhole appears. When it opens, people from all over the
universe travel to see this almost mythological orb whose residents welcome visitors with the
festival of Ingress. The people of Nentesh trade for new technology, visit family and make
arrangements to see the rest of the galaxy. During the last Ingress an abandoned baby was
adopted by the locals, and Swan an outworlder came to make a home for herself on this world
since her old life was destroyed. Swan has found a mate Ula, who left the outlander tribes to
come to the city. Aren, who is friend to both of them, is afraid he is going insane as he sees things
that aren't there. Swan is positive that the outworlder who destroyed her world is coming to
Nentesh and she has planned for years to make him pay. What she does not know is that her
revenge puts not only her own life but Aren's in danger. Readers will feel that the planet Nentesh
feels as real to them as Earth does because Jessica Reisman does such a good job of describing
the culture and landscape. The characters also seem genuine because they behave in a manner
similar to our own. Much of the story revolves around Swan's mysterious plan to get revenge on
her enemy but there are many light hearted scenes as the people get ready to greet the
outworlders. THE Z RADIANT will be enjoyed by the futuristic crime thriller audience and fans
of Brigadoon though in outer space.
The Tolltaker
James Sneddon
Five Star
ISBN 1594141460 $25.99, 298 pp.
After four years, Judy Burke is convinced that her husband died in Vietnam even though her son
and her father-in-law believe he is alive. Determined to begin trying again, she moves out of her in
law's home and into an apartment in a nice complex. Bobby is determined to hate the place
because living next door is Nick, the man his mother is dating. Not only does he have to deal with
Nick, he has to pay the schoolyard bully a dime everyday as a toll for crossing the playground.
Bobby makes a friend in the new neighborhood who tells him about the TOLLTAKER, a monster
living in the tunnel part of the long drainpipe. The monster's bill for entering his lair is that
person's life. When Bobby enters the tunnel, he thinks the story is an urban legend until he senses
strange thing. As Bobby's problems merge yet pale next to his agoraphobia, he must find the
courage to face his enemies, monsters, and fears. The scenes in the tunnel will remind readers of
Stephen King's IT but THE TOLLTAKER also finds his way into Bobby's dreams. This allows
him to become closer to his mother when he wakes up screaming from the horrific nightmare. The
protagonist, besieged and beleaguered from all sides has an inner strength that allows him to
protect his friend from harm. James Sneddon has written an exciting horror novel and a coming of
age story in one neat package.
Slattery
Ralph McInerny
Five Star
ISBN: 141040188X $25.95
"Slattery Will Get You Nowhere". Streeter hires private investigator Slattery to rescue his
kidnapped daughter Lois, held against her will. Streeter's partner wants to hire Slattery to not find
Lois. As he investigates whether Lois is held against her will, murder occurs with the cops
suspecting Slattery as the killer. "Slattery Not Included". Badly needing work, Slattery turns to
morgue chasing. He attends the funeral of Michael Whelan and gives his card to the victim's
widow Meg offering to learn the truth about her spouse's death. Meg hires Slattery who tries to
uncover the identity of the killer. While bumbling through his investigation, new partner Gwen
Probst begins solving the case. "The Sincerest Form of Slattery". Stripper Dagmar West wants to
hire Slattery to protect her from her manager Joe Derringer, who she insists will kill her.
However, everything goes wrong as is the norm for Slattery and the cops think he committed
homicide with only Gwen to prove otherwise. "Slattery Winner". The client Walter Benjamin calls
Slattery to hire him to keep his lottery ticket safe. When he arrives at the office, Walter falls to the
floor with a knife in his back. The cops wonder if Slattery finally killed someone with once again
Gwen trying to prove otherwise. SLATTERY is a tongue in cheek private investigative anthology
starring the recognized world's worse sleuth. The tales are all fun as Slattery goes from
investigator to prime suspect rather quickly and typically hired because of his incompetence.
Though his chauvinism towards Probst makes him look petty, fans will wants more Slattery in the
future, but with a growing fondness for his clearly better half.
Slightly Sinful
Mary Balogh
Dell
ISBN: 0440236606 $6.50, 384 pp.
With the battle raging against Napoleon who recently escape from his prison, Lord Alleyne
Bedwin, a diplomat working for Sir Charles Stuart, relocates to Brussels. Though frightened to
do so, Alleyne agrees to deliver a message from his employer to Wellington at the front and return
with the response. He marvels how his courageous older brother survived twelve years of this hell
called war. However, he is shot on his return and though he tries to concentrate on getting to his
sister as he is her chaperone in Brussels, he falls unconscious onto the forest ground. Alleyne
awakens in a Brussels brothel where his angel of mercy is Rachel York. She lives amongst these
ladies ever since Reverend Nigel Crawley conned her and left her broke. Though he suffers from
amnesia, Alleyne wants to help the woman he plans to marry once he regains his memory. Posing
as a married couple, Rachel and Alleyne return to England to expose Nigel as a fraud, not yet
realizing the sinful scandal nor the danger their masquerade causes the two of them. The fifth of
six "Slightly" tales is a wonderful regency romance that charms the audience due to a delightful
lead pair and a fabulous support cast hat brings back many star players from the previous entries.
Mary Balogh keeps the amnesia gimmick fresh through the interrelationship between Alleyne and
Rachel. Sub-genre fans will find SLIGHTLY SINFUL totally entertaining and will eagerly await
the next and final book in this series.
Pipsqueak
Brian M. Wiprud
Dell
ISBN: 0440241871 $6.99 292 pp.
On his way back to the city after treasure hunting for "critters" in Pennsylvania, taxidermist
collector Garth Carson stops at Tiny Treasures in the Jersey Palisades where one can see the
welcoming smog of the Big Apple. There he finds nirvana (the owner looked voluptuously good
too). The store contains an original Pipsqueak the Nutty Nut from the classic 1950s kiddies TV
show. However, nirvana turns to dust when the owner "Cola Woman" refuses to sell the squirrel.
Another patron "Biker Boy" enters demanding the squirrel be given to him. Instead of cash or
plastic, a shot is fired. However, Garth sees that Biker is dead, blood is all over the place, and
Cola Woman was fleeing with his treasure Pipsqueak. Garth soon learns that Cola Woman did not
own the store as the real owner was tied up in a closet and that the cops believe he was lucky to
still be alive. Unable to forget Pipsqueak, Garth concludes that Cola Woman stole his squirrel and
begins a zany search for his lost property not yet understanding the deadly competition in spite of
the Biker Boy homicide. The description above does not quite attain the zaniness of this wildly
amusing urban noir in which the Maltese Falcon is a five decade old stuffed squirrel. The story
line is as out of control as a reader will find without losing control. Instead the audience receives a
way out satirical look at what matters in society (nostalgic junk as treasure while people cannot
afford medical care). Take Swift and move him into twenty-first century Manhattan to
comprehend sardonic Brian M. Wiprud cutting edge humor.
Cold Case Squad
Edna Buchanan
Simon & Schuster
ISBN 0743250532 $22.95, 260 pp.
With the advent of computer databases, the internet, DNA testing and other advances in
technology and science, crimes that couldn't be solved a decade ago might be resolved today. In
Miami, the COLD CASE SQUAD consists of only four people but they are working on two cases
using new investigative techniques and although they haven't solved them they have more
information that could lead to identifying the killers. The first case involves Charles Terrell who
was killed when he was working on his car when it exploded, burning him to a crisp. The coroner
concluded that an accident occurred but twelve years later, his ex-wife asks them to reopen the
case . She believes he was murdered because he was so fussy and meticulous, he would never
work with faulty tools. Also Detective Stone discovers through the internet and databases
unavailable at the time of the Terrell death that a serial killer was murdering female senior citizens.
Although both cases seem impossible to solve the team is confident that they will find the killers.
COLD CASE SQUAD is an action-filled exciting police procedural that starts off at light speed
and only gets faster as the story progresses. As comic relief one of the detective's wives, furious
with her husband, plays practical jokes on him that relieves the tension when it threatens to
explode. Edna Buchanan gives readers an insider's look at a group of men and women dedicated
to finding killers no matter how long they have gotten away with murder.
Orange Crushed
Pamela Thomas-Graham
Simon & Schuster
ISBN 0684845288 $24.00, 288 pp.
Harvard University Economics Afro-American professor Nikki Chase is presently at Princeton to
give a paper at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. She isn't looking
forward to doing it but if she wants tenure, this is one of the prices she has to pay. While there
shevisits her brother Eric and his new girlfriend Kayla as well as her mentor Professor Earl
Stokes, head of the African-America studies and the economics department of the New Jersey
school. Internationally renowned Earl has written a best seller, Color Counts, which is one of the
reasons Harvard wants him to chair the Economics Department. Nikki would love that since she
doesn't get along with the current acting head of Economics. Earl isn't sure what he wants to do
especially since Princeton is building an African-American study center. All plans go up in smoke
when the building burns to the ground and Earl's body is found, the victim of murder. Unable to
leave well enough alone, Nikki investigates and if she is not more cautious could become another
murder victim. The Broncos and Syracuse U are not part of this tale. Instead academic politics
can get ugly even leading to murders as demonstrated in ORANGE CRUSHED. The heroine
plunges head long into the investigation in order to forget her break up with a man she cares
about and in the process finds herself attracted to Earl's son. The protagonist has solved homicide
cases before (see A DARKER SHADE OF CRIMSON) but this investigation is her toughest
because the suspects all wear masks pretending to be something they are not. Pamela
Thomas-Graham has written a fantastic academic mystery.
Misdemeanor Man
Dylan Schaffer
Bloomsbury
ISBN: 1582344604 $23.95, 304 pp.
California public defender Gordon Seegerman detests the time practicing law takes away from his
true vocation, playing the music of Barry Manilow as the lead of the Barry X and the Mandys
band. His current client's case could interfere with his biggest gig, but alas he knows what pays
the bills. Thus, Gordon defends fortyish Harold "willy wanker" Dunn on an indecency charge in
which the prosecutor is his former girlfriend Sylvie Hernandez. The Santa Rita jail is not the
Copacabana and off the record Sylvie (not Mandy) once broke Gordon's heart. Gordon runs into
three obstacles. Sylvie wants to put away Harold for a long time since the accused has a previous
rap, witnesses will testify about the alleged flasher's shortcomings, and one victim is an
eight-year-old girl. The judge is unreasonable on or off the record. Finally Harold rejects any plea
bargain as he insists he is innocent being framed by G-0-D. Bail is high and Harold is placed in the
High Power unit, but some unknown person puts up the cash so that Harold is released. Not long
afterward, Harold vanishes and a key witness dies. Gordon investigates so he can get on with his
gig. MISDEMEANOR MAN records at two speeds. Gordon's satirical groupie like homage is
fun to follow as the lawyer wants to play the "songs that make the world sing". The out of control
misdemeanor makes for an interesting legal thriller, but though the greater portion of the plot
appears as a preliminary act, it cannot compete with Barry X and the Mandys. Often humorous
with some flat notes, readers wanting something different will appreciate this Manilow obsession,
but could Bette Midler be next?
Confessions of a Master Jewel Thief
Bill Mason and Lee Gruenfeld
Villard
ISBN: 0375508392 $24.95, 365 pp.
In the 1960s when Bill Mason was in his twenties, he began a life of crime, stealing jewelry. As he
became more proficient at his profession, he raised the ante soon taking gems from a virtual
who's who of 1960s-1970s Hollywood. Such notables like Phyllis Diller, the Cleveland Mafia
chief, and Bob Hope were among his victims. Mr. Mason especially seemed to enjoy a caper
involving a perfect security system that no cat burglar could crash. Besides meticulous planning of
the theft, Mr. Mason constantly states that the problem with a100% burglar proof security system
is somewhere a human is involved; meaning windows left open, systems not turned on, etc. This
true crime memoir initially leads readers to feel Mr. Mason sounds like a real life Cary Grant in To
Catch a Thief. However, that turns a bit negative when it feels as if the author is boasting about
his daring deeds that led to little jail time, but also the author shows some remorse that his
profession has had a negatively profound impact on his family. Well written and fascinating, the
true crime biography audience will take a kind of morbid delight in CONFESSIONS OF A
MASTER JEWEL THIEF, but count your rings afterward.
Whispers in the Wind
Brenda K. Jernigan
Zebra
ISBN: 0821775367 $5.99
In 1870 Mary Costner accompanied by her brother Billy has proof that she owns a gold mine in
Gregory Gulch near Pikes Peak. Her "partner" Big Jim McCoy is stunned not just because he
feels someone is trying to steal his claim, but that someone is a female. The Marshal informs both
that each has a share. Mary tells Jim that she will dress like a man and work as hard as or even
harder than him as Billy leaves town. Two years pass and things seem relatively smooth until one
day Mary awakens holding a bloody knife near her dead partner. She foolishly flees into a horrific
snowstorm, but is rescued by Marshal Carter Monroe, who takes her into his home. While he
believes she has amnesia, he investigates Big Jim's murder expecting a link to the killing of his
sister. As Carter and Mary fall in love, an unknown assailant abducts her, forcing the Marshal to
decide between love and revenge. If he chooses the former, he might die, if he chooses the latter
she might die. Fans of western romantic suspense will appreciate this deep tale of love vs.
vengeance. The crisp story line is vividly descriptive (my hands remain cold from the storm) so
that the audience obtains a taste of Reconstruction Era Colorado yet still provides plenty of
intrigue. Though the amnesia ploy feels ancient, the lead couple is a delightful pairing that keeps
the ruse fresh as both struggles with unwanted love when each has a secret that they respectively
believe would end any relationship between them. In turn, readers will have a fine time with this
winner.
Perfect Switch
Lisa Plumley
Zebra
ISBN: 0821773429 $5.99, 384 pp.
In Los Angeles, museum advertising historian Meredith Madison takes over her glamorous actress
sister's identity for a couple of weeks while house-sitting in Hollywood. Deciding to accept an
invitation sent to Marla, she goes to a party escorted by a hunk Tony Valentine. However, this no
ordinary gala as Marla signed a contract to star in Valentine Studio Fantasy Acting camp.
Meredith explains to Tony she is not Marla, but he refuses to believe her though she acts very
unglamorous and knows nothing about performing. Knowing he needs the money to keep the
family studio alive, Tony hates the fact that he is attracted to this bonehead Marla until he realizes
that she is telling the truth. As Meredith agrees to pretend to be Marla, but does a poor job of it,
they fall in love, but will he realize what she knew in their first car ride that they belong together
forever? Though twins are currently a relatively large segment of the novel population and
identity switch is older than the printing press, fans will appreciate this amusing contemporary
romance that uniquely focuses on pretending to be someone else is not easy. The story line is fun
to follows as Tony realizes his blunder and his extended family offers advice and matchmaking.
Meredith is a delightful protagonist who struggles to wear Marla's shoes making for a fine
tale.
Losing the Moon
Patti Callahan Quest
NAL
ISBN: 0451211952 $12.95, 384 pp.
Amy and Phil Reynolds leave their home in Darby, Georgia to visits their son Jack attending
Saxton University in order so their child can introduce his parents to his first serious girlfriend
Lisbeth and her parents. At the college, Amy receives the shock of her life. Lisbeth's father is
Nick Lowry, the love of her life when they attended school together before he left without a
word. Twenty-five years of marriage to a nice man and in a matter of a blink Amy knows that her
heart has been telling her that she never got over Nick. He feels the same way as years of
marriage to Eliza means nothing. Nick and Amy know they must ignore their feelings, but when
he and his spouse relocate from Maine to Garvey, the temptation to betray their respective
families has become astronomical. LOSING THE MOON is an intriguing family drama in which
the actions, including the option of doing nothing, of the protagonists will have adverse
consequences on caring people who love them. The key to the tale is that no one is a villain or
abusive person; in fact the support cast is nice people who do not deserve any hurt, but life and
relationships are never simple. Fans of character driven contemporary tales filled with candid
emotion, but no major action will take delight with this warm novel in which someone will be
harmed regardless of the path(s) the lead duo choose.
The Moon by Night
Lynn and Gilbert Morris
Bethany House
ISBN: 1556615728 $12.99
In 1869 Dr. Cheney Duvall Irons-Winslow and her husband Shiloh Winslow return home to New
York City to begin their respective jobs. Cheney is a senior partner practicing medicine at St.
Luke the Physician Private Hospital and Dispensary while Shiloh returns to his managerial
position at Winslow Brothers Shipping. Although Phineas Jauncy unsuccessfully tries to rob
Shiloh who then hires him as a gentleman's gentleman the excitement resides with Cheney's work
at the hospital. In spite of running a top rate operation (no pun intended) that is above the
accepted standard, deaths are suddenly plaguing the hospital. Shiloh and Cheney wonder whether
an angel of mercy, a serial killer, or a negligent medical practitioner is murdering the patients, but
which one and why? While praying to God for guidance, Cheney with the help of Shiloh and a
close friend from the police begin investigation the human caused tragedies. THE MOON BY
NIGHT (the sequel to WHERE TWO SEAS MET) is an exhilarating inspirational historical
thriller that brings to life post Civil War Manhattan through a fine cast of characters. The story
line is very exciting just to follow the medical activities that showcase what is available and known
in 1869 including how easy deaths of patients can occur. Cheney is a terrific female lead while
Shiloh plays more of a support role for much of the tale to his dynamic spouse who in some ways
seems more like a modern day woman. Though some readers will find the numerous religious
references distracting, fans of the father daughter Morris team will appreciate that extra boost to a
fine nineteenth century medical thriller.
Face the Music
Melody Carlson
Multnomah
ISBN: 1590522419 $12.99, 288 pp.
The female teenage Christian rock band Redemption has begun climbing the ladder of success and
even becoming recognized in malls while on tour. However, the trio of high school students,
Chloe Miller, Allie Curtis, and Laura Mitchell has other concerns besides the music though they
each trust in the Lord to guide them. Allie and Laura wonder about what to wear at the prom
while Chloe knows that she really likes twenty-one years old Jeremy Baxter of the Iron Cross
band. A fellow student back Harrison High sends emails to Chloe asking for help in finding her
way to God. However, Chloe has a difficult time turning the other cheek as Tiffany Knight beat
her up a couple of years ago. Will Chloe, who refuses to open the emails, forgive and assist
Tiffany on the path as the singer knows God expects of her or will she continue to believe that
Tiffany could never find the Lord? This is an engaging young adult Christian novel that follows
the trials, tribulations, and beliefs of three young ladies on tour. The story line is predominately
told by Chloe, but fans get a deep look at all three teens plus their retinue and the members of
Iron Cross. FACE THE MUSIC is a warm tale that brings to life the importance that anyone can
be saved if people take a chance on risking rejection by their peers but acceptance by the
Lord.
True Courage
Dee Henderson
Multnomah
ISBN 1590520823 $12.99, 356 pp.
FBI agent Luke Falcon met Caroline at the wedding of his cousin Mark to her sister Sharon. They
are immediately attracted to one another and start dating; but he won't let her get beyond a
certain point. After a year of the same situation, Caroline is ready to call it quits but before she
has a chance to talk to her reluctant beau, Sharon and Mark and their son Benjamin disappear. As
the hours pass, they are not heard from so Luke calls in the FBI treating it like a kidnapping case.
Mark is found in his car, injured and semi conscious. Bloodhounds find Ben hiding in the nearby
woods. Sharon is held for several million dollar ransom but something goes wrong and the
exchange is never made. While they are negotiating for another exchange, Caroline trades herself
for her sister and Luke pulls out all the stops save the woman he now realizes he loves beyond
measure. TRUE COURAGE is a fantastic romantic suspense novel about a family whose faith and
love for one another gives them the courage to get the job done. None of the characters that are
injured and kidnapped fall to pieces but find the strength within themselves to keep on fighting for
the freedom of the ones they love. One of the kidnappers is Luke's old enemy but the mastermind
is someone who knows Mark and his family, their finances, their movements and their priorities.
Finding out the identity of that person is will end the nightmare the family has been living under
for over a week. Dee Henderson is a wonderful writer who pens an action packed thriller with
heart.
Some Danger Involved
Will Thomas
Touchstone
ISBN: 0743256182 $22.95, 304 pp.
After being expelled from Oxford and spending several months in prison, young Welshman
Thomas Llewelyn responds to a Times ad in the "Situations Wanted section that an Enquiry
Agent needs an assistant. Thomas applies for the "SOME DANGER INVOLVED" position.
Following a unique interview culminating with dodging a knife tossed at his chest by the employer
Cyrus Barker, Thomas, not losing his aplomb, gets the job. The Jewish Board of Deputies retains
Barker to investigate the crucifixion murder of Jewish student Louis Pokrzya by perhaps the
brutal Anti-Semite League. Barker leads his recruit through the Jewish ghetto where few want to
talk with a person seemingly of authority out of fear of governmental reprisal even if the two
sleuths have no such credentials. Meanwhile the case provides Thomas with an on the job training
through the various dangerous ethnic underground factions teeming in the London ghettos with
several folks wanting the sleuths silent and others just despising or fearing outsiders. If it sounds
like Holmes and it reads like Holmes, it must be Holmes. Wrong!! Instead SOME DANGER
INVOLVED pays homage to Holmes, but also furbishes a delightfully refreshing Victorian
mystery starring two wonderful protagonists. Barker in many ways is as enigmatic as Holmes and
Llewelyn is the chronicler like Watson. However, this team is clearly different and their journey
into the London ghettoes is fast-paced, vividly alive, and filled with action and awe as Barker
introduces Llewellyn to a mini globe inside the city. Their camaraderie as they share foreign
cuisines inside an exciting who-done-it makes for a wonderful Victorian mystery tale that brings
to life a unique segment of late nineteenth century London.
Object of Virtue
Nicholas B. A. Nicholson
Touchstone
ISBN: 0743257839 $14.00, 284 pp.
Russian art expert His Highness Prince Alexander "Sasha" Ozerovsky learned about the art of his
family's native country from his mother while growing up in New York. Currently he works at
New York's premier small auction house, Leighton, hoping to find that rare item preferably a
Faberge egg or at least a major Romanov piece. Dimitri Durakov insists on meeting with the
"Prince" because he claims to have a Faberge original that has ties to Sasha's family. As Sasha
tries to authenticate the item that is either a brilliant find or an incredible fake, his family sues
alleging ownership. Sasha's boss Dr. Anne Holton places him on a leave of absence to avoid any
hint of conflict of interest while the courts resolve the legal issue. Sasha journeys to Russia to see
more of this private collection not realizing that he will run afoul of the Russian mob when he
begins to determine that some of the items are brilliant forgeries. Though the details into the
Faberge eggs and other Russian art are intriguing, entertaining and educational, this depth at times
overwhelms the prime plot. Still OBJECT OF VIRTUE is an enjoyable art thriller that portrays a
deep morality drama played on two stages. The key individuals such as the hero and his father
struggle with personal desires vs. doing the right thing. On a greater scale they represent the
country-wide trauma of the Old Russia and its heritage vs. the new Russia seeking a better place
for its people. Insightful and well written, readers will appreciate this fine look at Russia through
its art, past and present.
The Shop on Blossom Street
Debbie Macomber
Mira
ISBN: 0778320448 $19.95, 352 pp.
Lydia Hoffman has defeated cancer twice. To celebrate life, Lydia opens A Good Yarn, a knitting
supplies store in Seattle. She also teaches a class on knitting. The first lesson is "How to Knit a
Baby Blanket". Jacqueline Donovan reacts poorly to her son's news that she is to be a
grandmother for the first time. She does not like her daughter-in-law Tammie Lee. Maybe her
bitterness is because she knows her marriage to Reese, a partner in an architectural firm, is dying.
She must make amends with her son Paul so she joins A Good Yarn knitting class. Desperate to
become pregnant, Carol Girard joins the class seeking hope that her and her husband Doug's final
attempt with in vitro pregnancy succeeds. This is her last chance to have the child she craves. The
court ordered Alix Townsend to do community service as part of her sentencing. She decides that
knitting for the Linus Project should satisfy her case worker. However, she needs to first learn to
knit so she joins the class too. This four diverse women bond in friendship and love as they work
on the baby blanket. Though their individual dreams may not be answered, a group dream forges
as each learns the meaning of life. THE SHOP ON BLOSSOM STREET is a fabulous deep
character study that rotates the narration between the women so that the audience has four
subplots that cleverly knit together into a powerful look at the ups and downs of modern day
living. Though not all dreams are fulfilled and some change for instance to cooking, fans will
enjoy Debbie Macomber's strong tale of four females struggling to overcome different
setbacks.
The Roofer
Erica Orloff
Mira
ISBN: 0778320723 $12.95, 304 pp.
The violent Irish gang the Westies has ruled in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen for decades. In that
world the three O'Neil siblings were raised by an unstable mother who finally killed herself and a
father notorious for being THE ROOFER, throwing his enemies off the roof of the tenement
buildings. Two of their dad's cronies helped with caring for the trio. Carol escaped into marriage
pretending that her family was not her own. Tom, a cop, remains mentally unsteady. Ava is the
core of the next generation, loyal to a fault. Reporter Jack Casey does a story on their father that
brings Hollywood interested in doing a gangster bio. When their dad dies, a murder from the
"good old days" resurfaces threatening Ava and Tom. Meanwhile Ava finds herself between the
two worlds that of Los Angeles make believe and New York grim reality. She and actor Vince
Quinn, who has the role of her father, begin to fall in love, but Tom needs his Ava to survive so
she expects nothing permanent to come of this fling plus that homicide still lingers. THE
ROOFER is a fantastic novel but it takes a bit of adjustment to get used to the ultra dark tone of
the story line that reflects the mean streets of the city. Ava serves as the center of the tale and
somehow keeps it together. Flashbacks tell key events in her life and that of her dad so that fans
of urban noir romances will appreciate the contrast between glitter and grim and hopelessness and
love in a deep offbeat tale that is not for everyone but is very exciting.
Without You
Mary Lynn Baxter
Mira
ISBN: 0778320510 $6.50, 384 pp.
In Memphis, Detective Gomez questions club owner Jackson Cole as the last known person to
see Roberta Klein alive. Jackson saw Roberta last night, but someone, and he is the prime suspect,
strangled her. Jackson turns to his former fiancee, Hallie Hunter for legal help though she is not a
criminal attorney. Besides being a divorce lawyer, Hallie wants to tell Jackson she cannot
represent him because he destroyed her trust in him with his betrayal of her though he remains the
only man she ever loved. Adding to her reluctance is that Roberta was at the heart of their break
up. Still she agrees to represent him starting with "uncocking" cocky detective Gomez, who
blithely tramples on constitutional rights. As the evidence mounts that Jackson killed Roberta in a
lover's spat, he and Hallie realize they still love one another, but either he did the deed or an
insider set him up to take the fall. Once the audience accepts that Hallie as an adept criminal
lawyer though that is not her discipline and that Jackson insists on her rather than her
recommended specialist in a homicide situation, fans will appreciate a wonderful romantic legal
thriller. Jackson and Hallie are delightful protagonists while Detective Gomez makes an ideal
antagonist who serves in some ways as the matchmaker who brings the duo back together.
Though the resume of the villain becomes obvious late, but should have been known, Mary Lynn
Baxter provides a strong romantic suspense.
Southern Belle
Fiona Hood-Stewart
Mira
ISBN: 0778320782 $6.50, 384 pp.
In Savannah, thirty-four years old Elm MacBride is hurt when she realized that her husband
Harlan, a two time Congressman with higher ambitions, had a mistress, her high school nemesis
Jennifer Ball. Distraught, Elm visits her friend attorney Meredith Hunter who admits she knew of
the affair, but insists that Elm placed Harlan on a pedestal as being Mr. Perfect. Elm decides to
obtain a divorce while fleeing for Giocanda Mancini's chalet in Gstaad, Switzerland during his
House re-election campaign built on family values. Thoroughbred horse breeder Viscount Johnny
Graney comes to Gstaad because his mother insisted on a family vacation. Johnny, a widow with a
teenage child, and Elm meet. Both are shocked by an instant attraction as Johnny has not found
any woman appealing since his wife died and Elm had always believed that Harlan was Mr. Right.
However, as they fall in love, Harlan with his Lady Macbeth like ambitions will do anything
conceivable including becoming a widower to insure his wife will not remain his only liability to
becoming re-elected. Though it is difficult on the surface to accept how far Harlan (he is too
amoral for his wife and her father not to grasp his real nature) will go to insure another term,
Fiona Hood-Stewart makes him seem very realistic. The story line starts as a character study
predominantly looking close into the heroine as she evolves from her self-indulged cocoon.
Ultimately the tale switches gear into an intrigue as nothing will stop Harlan from his objectives.
The romance between Johnny and Elm underscore the plot transformation that readers will
enjoy.
Cobraville
Carsten Stroud
Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 0743243900 $24.95, 432 pp.
While the United Nations is struggling with a peacekeeping mission in the Philippines, al-Qaeda
plans on a spectacular bombing to disrupt the efforts. US Senator Drew Langan receives classified
information that highlights the al-Qaeda plot, but he sets it aside as he has no involvement in what
is going on and there are capable people working the anti-terrorism circuit. However, the
overseas scenario comes home to roost when someone tries to kill Drew. Meanwhile Drew's
estranged son, CIA operative Cole is working an assignment near Iligan City, the sight of the
al-Qaeda endeavor. He knows that with the United Nations involved,, what could go wrong will
and he could be a collateral damage statistic even if he does everything right; catching malaria
would be a benefit. An ocean and continent apart, the two Langans fight to survive the war on
terrorism. COBRAVILLE is an exhilarating international thriller that contrasts the war on
terrorism on two fronts, state-side vs. jungle warfare. The story line deftly switches back and forth
between the two Langdons as each in there own way struggles to survive. Whether the fight is a
jungle military operation or typical DC political bunko-bunko, fans receive an often humorous,
but always insightful and keen look at a world gone amuck and gory. It is so believable fans will
conclude that Carsten Stroud could make Senator Kennedy and the French believe that he knows
where the WMD are hidden without bushwhacking anyone's reputation.
The Narrows
Michael Connelly
Little, Brown
ISBN: 0316155306 $25.95, 405 pp.
Cherie Dei calls from Quantico with the chilling words "He's resurfaced. He's back". FBI Agent
Rachel Walling dreaded that one day she would hear sentences similar to this, but prayed he did
not return. Alas her prayers went unanswered as the dreaded serial killer The Poet has announced
his return with a package containing a global position system reader that precisely pinpoints the
dead. Graciela McCaleb asks family friend former LAPD detective Harry Bosch to investigate the
recent death of her spouse Terry whose transplanted heart apparently failed him. However, a
blood reading failed to show traces of Prograf and CellCept, medicines needed to keep his heart
safe though several witnesses swear they saw him take his capsules. Harry knows that he has ties
to Terry from his LAPD days so he agrees to investigate. As Harry and Rachel conduct their
inquiries separately, they interconnect with the Poet, perhaps the deadliest cleverest killer of them
all. Harry Bosch is at his best in this thriller as he balances fatherhood, love and a debt to a
deceased friend while trying to outwit (and stay alive) a brilliant killing machine. Rachel provides
an intriguing counterpoint as she is considered a renegade by the brass (typical in novels that a
key Fed is an outsider rather than a bureaucrat), but their only hope to stop the Poet. Though the
twosome is a delight sparring yet teaming, the tale belongs to the villain, one of the best in a long
time. Michael Connelly provides a strong Bosch book that fans will relish.
Moon Rise
Mitchell Smith
Tor
ISBN: 0765300095 $25.95, 480 pp.
His life has been one of a prince though his father the Khan was defeated by the couple who
ultimately raised him (see KINGDOM RIVER). He is second in line to the throne. However,
when King Sam Monroe and his Queen Rachel die in an apparent boating accident in the Gulf and
the heir Prince Newton is assassinated twenty years old Bajaret does not receive the crown;
instead he flees for his life. Bajaret knows that if his enemies catch him he is dead. In a nearby
forest where he is now the hunted, Bajaret meets people reengineered in the Boston labs beneath
the ice. Richard who is more beast than human; sly Nancy, and cold hearted Errol demand that
Bajazet aid them in their efforts to destroy Boston, a place where evil rules. Bajazet would prefer
to hide, but also learns that the Bostonians plan to attack his beloved Middle Kingdom, currently
in chaos caused by the royal deaths. He begins to question whether conspiratorial murders
occurred. This terrific science fiction occurs approximately six centuries after Jupiter' orbit
changed causing a new ice age (see SNOWFALL). The story line is action packed but makes the
climatic apocalypse world seem so real. Mitchell Smith augments that feeling of realism with the
deaths of some of the heroes. Fans of futuristic tales will be reminded of the Sterling Lanier's
Hiero novels with this wonderful trilogy.
Frek and the Elixir
Rudy Rucker
Tor
ISBN: 0765310589 $27.95, 476 pp.
His father Carb a notorious malcontent was forced to leave planet earth a few years ago before
the Gov and his goons made an example of him. He left behind his wife and son Frek to live in a
bio-tweaked house tree in the correct village of Middleville where technology insures everything
is done according to ecological righteousness. Though still a preteen, Frek got the message of
what happens to those who challenge the authority of Gov. By 3003, twelve year old Frek
remains cautious until a miniscule alien vessel lands underneath his bed. The Anvil space ship
insists that Frek was their destination as he must save the world with an elixir to repair the biome.
Gov declares the son a chip off the old block of the father, an enemy combatant. Meanwhile Anvil
has marketing plans for Frek and other humans. Frek accompanied by his canine Wow is on the
run from the law while on a quest across the universe when all he wants is to become a teenager.
FREK AND THE ELIXIR is a deep, intelligent, often amusing but always impertinent satire
ridiculing many of today's "truths" by extrapolating these so called universals accompanied by
technological advances a millennium into the future. The story line uses action but ironically
provides an outrageous look at a disturbingly closed-fortressed culture in which differences are
outlawed as all must support the Gov. Besides Frek being a terrific hero as he grows up rather
quickly (aliens and the government will do that), the cast adds depth and the technology is
sardonically as off the wall as this wild futuristic tale makes 1984 look freedom loving.
The Silent War
Ben Bova
Tor
ISBN: 0312848781 $24.95, 379 pp.
Earth still remains in the cataclysmic grip of economic failure coupled with crippling
environmental disaster. Little hope remains on the planet with the best chance to renew the orb
being the vastly rich asteroid belt. Though the potential wealth seems astronomical, two rivals
have merged trying to gain control of the resources (see THE ROCK RATS). Pancho Lane heads
Astro Corporation while Martin Humphries leads Humphries Space Systems with the former
wanting to share the affluence in an effort to save earth and humanity while the latter wants to
control everything and everyone. Pirate Lars Fuchs lost his beloved spouse Amanda to Humphries
when she offered herself in exchange for his freedom several years ago. Not long afterward,
Amanda dies giving birth. Humphries assumes that the child is of his seed and so does Lars who is
still mourning his loss and seeking revenge by killing Humphries. Meanwhile on a solar system
level, the conflict between Astro Corporation and Humphries Space Systems flares encouraged by
a third interested party, Yamagata Corporation, who plans to gain control of everything once the
two giants pound each other into stardust. This exciting tale is a terrific conclusion to the
action-packed Asteroid Wars (see THE PRECIPICE and THE ROCK RATS). The story line
moves faster than the speed of life until the final confrontation. Though Martin remains as an
extreme example of a mega maniac as one will see embrace a novel, the rest of the cast does not
seem as one dimensional. Fans will appreciate this fabulous tale as well as the rest of a wonderful
futuristic solar system that seems so bleak except for a one sparkle of starlight.
Out of the Darkness
Harry Turtledove
Tor
ISBN: 0765304384 $27.95
The great Derlavaian world war is nearly over with major offensives along several fronts that will
ultimately determine the victor. Magical weapons of mass destruction have caused havoc on land
and at sea. The allies seem poised for a final triumph, but the aftermath may prove costly as they
are divided between Unkerlant and its former "friends" now that neither side needs the other.
Regardless of the fruits of victory, humans try to cope with the aftermath whether they are
amongst the victors or the losers. Pride is no longer an option for anyone as even the winning side
has to deal with the turmoil like nothing ever recorded in the history of the planet. The weapons
such as dragons threaten to be used again but this time with ally vs. ally. In this post word war
environs, survival is all most hope for as the war winds down, and victims sustain one meal at a
time unable to mourn their beloved dead ones. The final novel of Harry Turtledove's alternative
historical fantasy series is the best of a powerful six set collection. The story line starts with the
countdown towards the end of Turtledove's interpretation of World War II as fighting magical
and mundane is furious on several fronts. The tale then switches to a more personalized account
as readers see the impact of the devastating war on a series of characters before that perceptive
perspective merges into a climatic world still on the brink as the victors argue over the spoils.
OUT OF THE DARKNESS is a terrific alternate history that displays the author's skills to make
salient points inside an entertaining military fantasy as few, if any, authors can perform.
The Buried Pyramid
Jane Lindskold
Tor
ISBN: 0765302608 $26.95, 400 pp.
As a captain in the English army Neville Hawthorne was stationed in Egypt where he developed a
passion for archeology. A cousin of Prince Albert told him about the legend of the Valley of the
Dust, the burial place of the pharaoh Neferankhotep, beloved of the gods who protect the
chamber from grave robbers. Neville almost found the pharaoh's burial place but the Protectors of
the Pharaoh stopped him. However, he managed to get directions to the pharaoh's resting place.
Years later he mounts an expedition to find the Valley of the Dust accompanied by his niece. His
guide, Eddie an Englishmen who served with him in the army and stayed to marry an Islamic
woman, gets them to the location after dealing with rival archeologists and a dangerous Bedouin
tribe. When they enter the valley, they are sealed in by the Protectors of the Pharaoh. They
befriend an Egyptian deity and are judged by the Pharaoh as well as other deities in the Egyptian
Parthenon. If they pass they can stay in paradise or return to their own world but if they fail, they
suffer the Pharaoh's punishment. The pantheon of the gods of ancient Egypt are alive and thriving
in the tomb of Neferankhotep but they are deities who understand the foibles of humanity and are
merciful even to those who don't deserve it. The characters, even the villains, are changed by their
ordeal and become better people. THE BURIED PYRAMID starts off as a Lara Croft movie and
then transforms into a fantasy novel. Jane Lindskold has written an exciting and enjoyable stand
alone work with characters that are heroically flawed.
Song of the Road
Dorothy Garlock
Warner
ISBN: 0446693057 $12.00, 400 pp.
In 1935, two months after her husband's death, a poor pregnant Mary Lee Clawson rides the bus
on Route 66 to Cross Roads, New Mexico where her late father owned the Cross Roads Motor
Court. When she finally arrives at the motor court she sees her alcoholic mother having a jolly
good time with people that are mooching off her. Mary Lee is delighted to discover that her father
left her the business with the provision that she looks after her mother. Two cabins are rented to
people she would like to get rid of especially Frank Pierce who her mother says paid her for one
year's rent; Mary Lee has no way to disprove it. The other long term renter is Jake Romero, an
ex-con who was in prison for two years for cattle rustling. He came back to town to clear his
name. He falls in love with her but he doesn't think she could ever love an ex-con. She loves Jake
but doesn't think he would ever want to father another man's child. A dire situation makes them
realize what is in the other's heart. SONG OF THE ROAD is a poignant angst laden romance.
Hearts will go out to the heroine who has to worry about operating the business, paying off the
mortgage, caring for her mother and worrying if her father-in-law will try to take custody of her
unborn. Someone wants Jake and Mary Lee dead so they can gain the property, but though
danger lurks this lead couple has doubts about the desires of their beloved other. Dorothy Garlock
has written a memorable and serious book that will grab and keep reader interested.
Harriet Klausner
Reviewer
Laurel's Bookshelf
Love and Madness
David Rehak
PublishAmerica
www.publishamerica.com
ISBN 1413702767 $19.95 131 pages
Much like The Stranger by Camus, this book depicts a time, place, and philosphy that modern
man would do well to consider.
It's early in the 20th century as Love and Madness begins. The location is Goteborg Sweden. Karl
Lind is an intelligent, idealistic young man with a strong work ethic. Despite his life of wealth and
privilege, he has no desire to be counted among the idle rich. Karl loves his job working for his
father's newspaper, and accepts with humor his family's urging to live a rich man's life. Lively
discussions of philosophical beliefs and religious mores are common around the dinner table and
Karl participates with relish.
The chance meeting of a hedonistic girl with atheistic leanings casts a pall on Karl's life. The first
rush of sexual excitement is soon replaced by boredom and dislike for Bertha and her ways. By
then she's pregnant and he's forced by moral beliefs into a marriage he cannot stomach. It's
downhlll all the way from there. When Bertha establishes a lesbian attachment to her friend
Christine, not even Karl's devotion to his son is enough to salvage his idealism. Bertha and
Christine plot to ruin Karl through vicious lies and sly rumors. They won't be satisfied until he's
lost everything, including his family, money and sanity.
In Love and Madness, David Rehak shows a good man's rapid fall from grace. It's a dark period
piece, a commentary on the past that remains a dire warning for this present day. "Be careful what
you wish for because you just might get it."
Can Horses Cry?
Stephen Paul
Sky Ray Publishing
3000 Tuttle Creek Blvd #42, Manhattan KS 66505-7122
ISBN 0972352732 $13.95 219 pages
With his first book, Stephen Paul gives readers a story that needs to be a movie. Set in modern
day Wyoming, the author drew me into his milieu from page one and kept me there
throughout.
Bailey Calhoun is a Bureau of Land Management investigator, ex-marine, and ex-cop with a
temper. Life has him by the short hairs. He's sick of the system, courts, lawyers, and the stock
market has eaten his savings alive. Except for his wife Dana, he has more compassion for animals
than he does people. When herds of wild horses turn up slaughtered, shot from a distance for no
apparent reason, Bailey goes on a rampage. He drinks too much; his job and marriage hang in the
balance; but all he can think about is catching the scum responsible for killing horses.
Bailey loves his Wyoming home, the high plains and mountains and their wide open feel, the wild
horses roaming free. When Dana leaves him, he channels his suffocated emotions into rage at a
world gone beyond his control. His investigation reveals conspiracy and corporate greed at its
worst. One shocking revelation after another threatens everything he holds dear, including the
lives of Dana and his friends. Bailey vows to bring the bad guys down, or die trying.
The characters are well developed and believable, the sense of place first rate. Can Horses Cry? is
a fine first book. Bring on another, Mr. Paul.
Christening the Dancer
John Amen
Uccelli Press
PO Box 85394, Seattle WA 98145-1394
ISBN 0972323104 $11.95 71 pages
John Amen is a Renaissance man, although I suspect he would be the last to call himself that.
Christening the Dancer is Amen's first published book of poetry, but his poems have appeared in
many periodicals and he is a Pushcart Prize nominee. The breathtaking cover of this book reflects
his talent as an artist, while the poems inside represent the cadences of a natural musician. The
website he founded - The Pedestal Magazine - has a class and style all its own. This is a man who
appreciates and extols the beautiful in life, despite the psychic pain and rage that drive him.
I empathize and rejoice when a poet struggles to express the inexpressible. The figurative
emasculation of modern males is a recurring theme throughout, as are hints of family dysfunction.
There have been "too many hungry hands in private places", sometimes extinguishing adult desire.
Spirit and joy are often desiccated by fear and disappointment, as we end up "passing like ghosts
through marriages and jobs." I understood when Amen says, "I began murdering myself for a
living." And I sympathized with his stunning expressions of impotent acceptance:
One thing I am sure of,
even if the Sphinx's riddle is solved,
I will still be devoured.
John Amen's words speak to and for a society forced to live in a world not entirely of our
making:
God is leading me down
a dirt road of madness
toward an abandoned town called sanity.
This one is special.
Walking the Campus
William Kloefkorn
Lone Willow Press
P.O. Box 31647, Omaha NE 68131
$7.95 35 page chapbook
William Kloefkorn has been the official Nebraska State Poet for more than two decades. In
addition to this distinction of poet non pareil, he is a fiction writer and Professor Emeritus of the
English Department at Nebraska Wesleyan University, retired. Despite this well-deserved
prestige, Kloefkorn speaks humbly and eloquently of humanity and the natural world around him.
His words connect from the heart of a man who loves his world.
The title poem's first stanza shows readers clearly where his heart is:
Under a full summer moon the hackberry
rises beyond itself, each leaf a hand
flat against a dense conglomeration
of Nebraska stars.
"General Science" pits man's knowledge against the natural world, with wry and humorous
insight:
And we stand in the deluge now
grinning, proud as peacocks
in the plumage of our bright
and educated
ostentation.
In "Moving On", the poet recalls death, grief, rapidly escaping time and season, all introduced
with two thoughtfully expressed lines:
Why, on such a flawless, late-October morning, do I think of loss?
Nature's devastation and life swiftly passing become a thing of beauty in "After the Ice
Storm":
After the ice storm
I walk the campus to witness
the remarkably beautiful devastation,
ice into snow into heaviness
not even the limbs on the largest oak
could bear.
William Kloefkorn's work is honored for good reason. Life experience, compassion for his fellow
travelers, and appreciation for the beautiful in life bring a sense of wonder to his words.
Winds Across the Prairie
Debra L. Hall
Author House
1663 Liberty Dr. Ste 200, Bloomington IN 47403
www.authorhouse.com
ISBN 1418422657 $15.75 215 pages
As in her first book, The Easterner, Debra L. Hall's second book of fiction features Nebraska
grasslands and insightful characters. Her prose is beautifully crafted, drawing readers into the
wonders of tall grass prairies and the hardy settlers who claimed the land.
The year is 1868. Life on the Nebraska prairies can be daunting, but Iris Stratton and Andrew
Burgess cannot conceive of life without each other or their glorious grasslands in every season.
Iris is beautiful and reckless, tender and strong like the prairies from which she sprang. Andrew
hails from Boston, but loves the untamed prairies almost as much as he loves Iris. They vow to
marry and make a life together in Nebraska. The prairies can do strange things to people. Some it
shapes into a finer person, while others it hardens into meanness. Leo Branson wants Iris for his
wife and does not care how far he has to go or who he has to kill to get her.
Entwined within this tender love story and paean to prairie life is a touching mystery from Iris's
past. The mystery is revealed when Iris finds long forgotten objects in the attic, and with a cryptic
message spoken by her father during illness: "...the ivy on the wall."
Ms. Hall is a natural story teller. I loved her first book and said it was a "must have, must read." If
anything, her writing has improved and matured with Winds Across the Prairie. To those who
appreciate a well told tale of any type, this one is recommended.
Roadworks
Gerard Readett
Writers Exchange
www.writers-exchange.com
ISBN 1876962968 $3.00 / download and $15.95 CD incl. postage 144 pages
Gerard Readett has crafted himself a fine techno thriller with Roadworks. With European style
and flavor and an international appeal, it's one of the best in this genre I've read in awhile.
The setting is Brussels Belgium in the year 2022. Hugh Ryan is an experienced traffic controller
with the Transport Management Centre in Brussels. His quick thinking and cool performance
under pressure make him very good at his job. Most of the time his work is cut and dried. He and
his colleagues easily maintain free flowing movement of vehicles, buses, and trains that serve the
citizens of Brussels. And then the worst case scenario becomes a reality.
International terrorists and self-serving miscreants of various stripes take industrial espionage and
greed to new heights. Several well planned acts paralyze the Brussels transportation system and
effectively take the entire city hostage during morning rush hour. It could not have come at a
worse time. Every Western head of state is in Brussels for a NATO conference. The international
consortium of terrorists issue a warning: If, within three hours, all Western powers do not pledge
one year's annual military budget to help victims of wars and Western greed, every head of state
will die. Despite the potential loss of life, Hugh sympathizes with that demand. His young wife
died in Africa due to lack of proper medication and health care in a land of crushing poverty.
Maria Depage is a police officer, and liaison between the police and Anti Terrorism Squad. She's
swiftly dispatched to investigate and assist Hugh and his superiors in tracking down the terrorists
via the powerful TMC computer system. The story moves towards the arbitrary deadline swiftly,
with one surprising discovery after another pushing Hugh into the role of reluctant hero. One
branch of terrorists awaits agreement with their money demands, while another accumulates
pieces to the latest western war technology - a laser weapon that will help them control the world.
Most readers will NOT be prepared for the amazing ending to this fast paced tale.
Roadworks is much more than a simple techno thriller. It pits the greed of modern man against a
few people with an idealistic outlook on injustices visited upon powerless societies. Justice is
meted out with ruthless realism. And for this reader, anyway, Mr. Readett's fictional tale predicts
our future if the rich and powerful businessmen and politicians continue pillaging our world. This
one has blockbuster movie written all over it. And I'm looking forward to more books by Gerard
Readett.
Until the Last Dog Dies
John Laurence Robinson
RiverOak - an imprint of Cook Communications Ministries
4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs CO 80918
ISBN 1589190211 $12.99 373 pages
About John Laurence Robinson's first book, I went out on a limb and said, "He writes in a fresh
style, with a distinctive voice. He and Sock Monkey Blues are one of a kind." Well, now I must
amend that statement. As writer, he is one of a kind and the second in his Joe Box series is equal
to the first. Until the Last Dog Dies has that special something, which is a unique story well told
by an excellent wordsmith.
Joseph Jebstuart Box - Joe to his friends - is a true Kentucky gentleman with a somewhat dicey
past. His job as private investigator in and around Cincinnati barely keeps food on the table and a
roof over his head. Only a few months past a case that nearly killed him, Joe's life is a "train
wreck", but he's beginning to see a light at the end of his tunnel. His rough life is behind him; he's
begun a hopeful Christian walk; and the lonely widower has a new woman in his life. With wry,
self-effacing humor and down home realism, Joe faces his future with hope. And then the
members of his combat team from Vietnam begin to turn up dead.
As Joe says, duty and honor are inextricably bound to Dixie's sons. He's duty bound to ferret out
the killer of his combat brothers. As his investigation into each death progresses, a familiar evil
horror is revealed. Robinson skillfully weaves vignettes from combat days in Vietnam with present
day occurences as we learn who's killing veterans and why. Joe may be new to Christianity, but he
knows only God's power can protect him from pure evil. He's in this battle until the last dog dies,
and if that dog is him then so be it.
Robinson is a masterful story teller. His characters are well-developed and charismatic, the
suspense hair raising. Like the author, Joe Box has what it takes. He is a Christian and makes no
bones about it. But he's a tough Christian who takes on evil with power and panache. The Joe
Box series gets my highest recommendation.
The Night the Angels Cried - A Mother's True Story
June Proctor
RR 4, Box 1193, Paris TX 75462
ISBN 0974248304 $9.95 161 pages
On Christmas Eve 1981, June Proctor, four of her six children and her three grandchildren headed
from home to the annual Christmas program at church. They didn't make it. A drunk driver on his
way home from an office Christmas party crossed over into their lane. There was no time for a
defensive move on June's part, no way of escape. June Proctor's life changed forever that
Christmas Eve 23 years ago. The Night the Angels Cried is her story.
June and Richard Proctor maintained a happy, stable home, despite their many moves due to
Richard's career as a military doctor. Theirs was a close-knit family with a strong Christian ethic.
What happened that Christmas eve decimated their family and had far reaching results on
everyone involved. June and oldest daughter Tanya suffered massive injuries but survived.
Youngest daughter Sheilia had injuries less severe. Gone in a split second were eldest son Terry
Glen and youngest son Roger, Tanya's toddlers Becky and Paula and her infant Ruth Ann.
Through a long and painful recuperation, June must deal with horror, denial, sorrow, and her
future absent five loved ones. In recalling happier times when her children were alive, June begins
journaling her thoughts in an effort to heal herself and memorialize her lost children and
grandchildren. Journaling brings focus, but June wonders if her losses will eventually drive her
crazy. Shadows of her lost ones lurk in every corner. Echoes of their voices linger to haunt.
Somehow, through faith, humor, forgiveness, and unimaginable courage, the Proctors groped
their way out of the dark. They learned to speak out against drunk driving but discovered the hard
way that laws are not the answer. Laws punish the guilty sometimes but cannot protect the
innocent victims. For example, the drunk man who killed five of the Proctor family got a sentence
of six months, despite five counts of vehicular homicide. The Proctors believe a change of attitude
is in order rather than a change in laws already existing.
June Proctor has penned a powerful and well-written book. It deserves a wide readership and
would be especially meaningful to those lost in grief as she was. She is an exceptional woman and
writer.
Laurel Johnson
Reviewer
Interviewer note: John Gilmore is the author of ten successful books. He's been variably
described as a debonair cult figure; madcap author; a dangerous writer; and one of the best
non-fiction writers of our time. His work has been reviewed in the New York Times, LA Times,
Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, The Village Voice, and others too numerous to mention
After reviewing his latest book, HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD, (May edition of Midwest Book
Review) I knew he would be a fascinating subject for interview.
LJ for MBR: Your style has been said to "grab like a choke hold and not let go." I agree. Your
writing style does grab and hold the throat and often the heart. There is an underlying poignancy
in your work, no matter how shocking the content otherwise. Is this a deliberate intent on your
part?
John: No, it is not a deliberate intent, not anything that is preconceived. I'm not sure how you'd
go about that; one would be working backwards or with a set of gimmicks as Hollywood does.
They design things with a set of buttons - they're button manufacturers. They're craftsmen at
pushing the cliche buttons. I go for the truth of a situation which happens to be the by-product
of a total commitment to the work. I go for the ding an sich, as the poet Rilke put it,
the-thing-in-itself. There's a heart of the work, an interior truth to it (if you've set out with a
realistic set of experiences), and that is what has concerned me for a long, long time. I do not
work for results, but to peel away the layers of the reality, getting at the basics that is the common
denominator in all human experience, no matter where it is in the world. I do remember a film by
Satyajit Ray that touched me deeply; a young East Indian trying to be a writer, married, a child -
how he deals with the vastness of life, how it renders his desires so wholly meaningless. Lost and
sitting on a hill, he watches the sunrise, this great burning sphere that is the source of life, and his
manuscript just drifts away from his hands. The enormity of the world upon which we live as it
wheels through space that is beyond enormity renders our egos less than grains of sand, in fact
we see it is thought - nothing more than thought that supports all our psychological and
philosophical structures; how easily it dissolves and washes into nothing by a sea we cannot
possibly ever grasp anymore than your dog can deal with a Mozart libretto. We trust. We simply
trust... The poignancy in my work, as you put it, is again a by-product of my commitment to get
to the bottom of the thing, to explore it to its depths and see what's there. It's in the depths that
we don't readily deal with on the surface, that's where the real motor operates, that's the
thing-in-itself. So you could say my "style," the coloring, shading of what I produce, is much like
the work of filmmaker David Lynch; his allegiance is to the heart of what he's dealing with. An
artist can only hope to keep exploring in order to tell the truth; doesn't matter whether it's about a
crime or the personal problems of Marilyn Monroe, or the brilliant intensity of a singer like Janis
Joplin or Maria Callas. There's always more than we see, and it's what we don't see that affects us
because it plugs right into our own experience. Who knows, if you keep digging, if you keep
going, a writer can perhaps lay bare some fragment of the human condition that's new - that we
haven't seen before. That to me is the real goal, even obliquely, and it can only be done by
deep-sea diving into the material, dealing with it bodily, as it were, not by layering gimmicks on
top or tricks to push readers buttons.
LJ for MBR: The subject matter in your books is often dark and disturbing, yet a touch of
humanity always shines through. I get the sense that you approach each subject with a tender
respect, without judgment, whether it be James Dean, Charles Manson, or a fictional character. Is
that the case?
John: Even in my earlier work, I was told that I was a chronicler - a teller of the emotional time -
a recorder of events. I don't think I liked this idea since I wanted to be a brilliant writer, a voice of
the time, not a teller of events. But I came to see that in a way that's what it was. I was after the
heart of the matter and it was an amazing moment for me: I was laying out the events of
something in chronologic sequence, back then I was cutting and pasting pieces of paper, a
thousand different sizes, sticking then on a wall with masking tape so that I could remove, make
space, open and overlay, have room for more cutting and pasting and insertions, and then, after I
had so much of this on the wall, I got a sense of something else I can only describe as a great
snake wriggling through all these scraps, uniting them quite apart from the masking tape, from
the start to where I'd stopped; it was the story, the energy of the entire mess, coming out of it in
the same way you suddenly behold a great picture from a jigsaw puzzle pulling together; you had
no idea what it was. It just shimmered there for me, and I was amazed and suddenly knew what I
was writing about. This snake energy became a backbone, the spine to what I was doing. So
there are the events, but when the events are put in perspective and only then, does the real story
surface. There's a myriad of ways of doing it, but as it's said, the proof is always in the pudding.
It's the task of an investigator unraveling a confusing mess of contradicting facts or events. More
a "what is it," than a whodunit. I wanted to understand, to arrive at the truth, and judgment can
play no part in it. In fact, to editorialize or deal with from a judgmental point of view will keep
that snake hidden in his hole. He 'll never show his face, and if he doesn't, you'll never know what
you're looking at, and no one else will recognize themselves in the eyes.
LJ for MBR: You chose PublishAmerica for your latest book. You have also been published by
Dial Press, Little Brown, Warner Books, Harcourt Brace and alternative publishers like Amok,
Creation Books, and Feral House. Why did you decide to go with PublishAmerica this time?
John: It is too early to say whether this was a completely positive decision on my part, as it's yet
too early. This represents an experiment, dealing with an online and Print-on-Demand, though
legitimate publisher. This online process, I believe, is the future of publishing. I don't mean sitting
and squinting at your computer reading a book, but rather the downloading process in printed
page form, and eventually the ability of book marketers to print-on-demand while you wait. You
can go into the store and order a POD book, and it will be downloaded right there and perfect
bound - I imagine hardbound as well - and you will walk out with your book under your arm.
There will be no warehousing of mountains of books, no remainders to glut the shelves and tables
- those $35 dollar books going for $2.99 or less - and no outrageous retail prices that keep an
author's book in the warehouse, waiting for a remainder sticker, so the publisher gets his cost
back while he focuses on a very few authors who write sophisticated bestsellers (as far from the
thing-in-itself as you can get), who receive outrageous advances or who job out their books to
other writers while the Big Mac boy skips merrily to the bankers. This is the reason we are
witnessing the collapse of the publishing world as we've known it, as we witnessed the cave-in of
the traditional motion picture industry. As a publisher, PublishAmerican is an infant, still
crawling on all fours, and there's one other called Dead End Press which wanted two books of
mine a few years ago. I declined as their contract was not in this writer's best interest. But it is
the concept of such a house that intrigues me. As electronics and the internet advances, and as
online publishers develop, it will be possible for a writer to reach millions of people -in any
language. To communicate to the rest of the world as quick as a click on the keyboard is a very,
very exciting concept.
LJ for MBR: Thunder's Mouth Press did a 25,000 first printing of LIVE FAST-DIE YOUNG,
the memoir/biography about your friend James Dean. That is amazing to me. Tell us about that
publishing experience.
John: I'd been interviewed many times about James Dean over the years. About Janis Joplin and
Jean Seberg and Jane Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson - on and on - but James Dean more
than others. Donald Spoto was the last author to interview me for his book, REBEL. I found
Spoto to be a prince of a fellow, and his book carrying a strong feeling of the times. But since
everyone was interviewing me, and each version varying, I gave thought to writing another book
about Dean, and my relationship with him. My first book was published in '75 or '76, a mild book
which I hadn't planned to write. I was doing an article on Dean because a bio came out that I
disagreed with. My agent suggested I do a book on Dean and he was sure to get a sale. I said
no. I was one of a handful of people who swore they'd never talk about Jimmy. But a day later
my agent said he had a book deal. I had a wife, a daughter and a dog, and needed the money, so I
gave in. The article I wrote ran in Gallery magazine, and the book I did, THE REAL JAMES
DEAN, sold over 150,000 copies. Then came the other books - many interviews and inclusions of
me in a number of James Dean biographies. It occurred to me if I croaked there'd be a lot of stuff
about Jimmy that'd never be known. It would die with me, in other words. Most interestingly, was
the girl who was carrying his child. I'm now one of the last survivors of that tight little circle
hanging with Dean in Hollywood before his sudden death. Since there are a few million Dean
fans, we were dealing with an "obsessed market." I put together a proposal and sent it to six
houses. Five wanted the book, including Carroll & Graff, but only Thunder's Mouth wanted to go
hardcover. They were hot about the book, felt the book was hot, and launched a campaign. The
hardcover is now out of print, with the trade paper having replaced it, and the book has done very
well. It is the best selling of the Dean bios.
LJ for MBR: One reviewer said you accomplish a brave and disturbing new kind of writing by
combining true crime, investigative journalism, and biography. Why are you drawn to this kind of
writing?
John: If it's a "new kind of writing," it isn't something I've been drawn to but something I've
created. The various ingredients you've mentioned are combined, into an overall, I imagine, that's
being transmitted. It has never been intentional, but I suppose more of a landscape I'm involved
with: life seen from a single viewpoint. My perspective. My take on what's shakin'. I confess that
my concern in my work has been almost exclusively to clarify a particular vision. I work from an
internal place; I work out of myself, gathering the bits and pieces of lives and places and things
that I've breathed in, that I've lived. I'm only writing out of that place. If I were painting it would
be the same. I see it all through my eyes, and the integrity is to the piece, and to nothing else. I
write what occupies me and has for all these decades, and my job is to be as truthful to that
occupation as I can, and to what I'm dealing with. If I waver, I'm in trouble. Like losing your
footing on a ledge. I work to unfold something, as it were, to arrive at that snake-like energy, the
life of the thing, the ding an sich. Yes, I've been called uncompromising and relentless in this
pursuit, but you can say I am driven, and that sums it up. I am driven to reveal, to open up the
body of something and go for the heart of it. I believe therein lies the essence of what makes us
what we are, and what makes us live the lives we have. I work for symmetry. For balance. It all
has to work as a whole - like a symphony, if you will. An opera. A novel is like an opera and each
component, once cut and pasted, supports the symmetry of the whole. Something along those
lines. So the ingredients a reviewer has pointed out are really not separate parts of the thing,
subtracted from the whole and given names to. My point is that it would be impossible for me to
isolate any of these things from the work as a whole, and the whole, once balanced, represents a
landscape peculiar to me. So of course that begs the question of the veracity of some of the
things I write, and I've been criticized for being "fast and loose" with facts, as they've said. So
with an equal dose of honesty, I have to say the thing I'm digging into and laying bare, as it
were, becomes a kind of forced compatibility with my point of view. As to being "drawn" to it,
well, I've been close to crime most of my life - from reading True Detective and Black Cat as a
kid; my father an LAPD cop, over the years my associations with cops and crooks alike, always
playing both sides of the fence, deeply, personally, all judgments reserved. Los Angeles in the
1940's, a different kind of place. Called a cultural wasteland by New York. Hollywood, the
movies - my stomping grounds. Having known Mickey Cohen, L.A.'s homegrown gangster. But
mainly, with the exception of SEVERED and the Black Dahlia, true crime has come to me,
sniffed me out to get involved in book or movie deals - the movies failing, turn into books. The
book I am finishing right now, set for Fall publication by Amok, L.A. DESPAIR: A Landscape of
Crimes and Bad Times, is five different pieces I've been personally involved with over many years.
The book represents my farewell to non-fiction, as such.
LJ for MBR: Your book on the Manson family murders has been called THE definitive book on
the subject by many critics. Many feel the same regarding your rendering of the Black Dahlia
case. Why do you think your books stand out from the pack?
John: Because I was engaged completely, and I found so much of the human side of myself
woven into the fabric of these stories. I approached my subjects wholly and completely. People
tell me anything. They confess to me. I've undertaken these projects as extensions of myself. I
have wanted to know and feel and understand, and this occurs in the process of writing these
things. Sometimes it takes me a lot longer than my colleagues, some who whip out books and run
to the bank. Irving Wallace once said if he wasn 't assured of making a lot of money with his
writing, he wouldn't have written. Even years ago when I was writing what they called quickie
pot-boilers - my education and apprenticeship as a writer (I wrote about a dozen novels, nine
days apiece, 225 pages each) - I wrote from inside myself; I didn't go out and dream something
up. I opened a floodgate that changed my life. It goes back to an allegiance to the subject.
Getting into it personally, no matter where it takes you. I immersed myself in the Manson and
Black Dahlia subjects, as I had with the Charles Schmid case in Arizona. The killers became
"friends" of mine. By climbing inside the mountains of rubbish, I have been able to come up with
a handful of nuggets, and it is these gems that seem to have grabbed the readers as if from some
undercurrent, some undertow that wraps around them and takes them into these dark, dark
waters. I do not protect the reader by offering buffers or holding their hands. I thrust them into
the lion's den, or as the case may be, into the dressing room of a beautiful, strange, mysterious
young woman destined to be savagely murdered. Slowly the snake-energy I talked about begins
to wriggle and all the pieces come together; they shine in a luminous way, a strange way. I have
compromised nothing and I've taken the reader to the dark side of the moon. It must be whole,
the happy face side and the dark side. With only a piece of something, you can't get in touch with
the whole, and only by experiencing the whole can I get in touch with this great major field that
is the human condition, where a part of each of us is in a part of everyone else. I need to know,
and be in touch with this world we live in; so many lives, so enormous this life, and I need to
know who these people are -what drives them, what makes them what they are - and who I am
in all of this; what have I learned that I can lay as guideposts for myself, my children, your
children? Are we holy creatures or merely a fungus on a whirling body in infinite space...?
LJ for MBR: You get a lot of press and your name is dropped regularly in high places. Is it the
topics of your books, your past associations, or your persona that makes you an interesting
subject?
John: Wow. I'd say all of it rolled together in one package. My new agent says I'm a voice of
L.A., I'm Mr. L.A., been through all the scenes that were and are, through wars and renovation.
Bright lights and dark places. I'm isolated and out there at the same time. People are attracted to
me because I've been close to icons of our culture: James Dean, Jack Kerouac, William
Burroughs, Brigitte Bardot - even Jack Nicholson, Jayne Mansfield - almost everybody. Bobby
Blake was a friend years ago. Plus the stark quality of what I write about and I don't flinch or pull
punches or pander to anything. I don't care who doesn't like what I do, and that's the maverick -
the rebel. I'm unconventional and yet conservative, and I'll never stop doing what I do until I keel
over dead. So jamming all of that together, you come up with some kind of answer.
LJ for MBR: Do you have an agent or publicist? If so, has that been helpful?
John: Many ups and downs. I've never done well by middlemen, though they are a necessity. In
the past, I knew editors, we got along great, they wanted my work. That's when there were
hundreds of publishers - not a mass conglomerate fighting to stay afloat in a sinking ship. New
York wants guaranteed commercial sellers. Gimmicks to push buttons. Hot copy. They really
don't even read anymore back there. They buy the pitch. Agents buy the pitch. If you deliver a
hot pitch you might get a deal. Publishers and Hollywood are in bed. It used to be hushed-up
one-night stands. Now it's a marriage. The handful of big buck bestseller writers and the genre
market keeps the publishing world from going straight to the bottom. In the main, literature
doesn't sell. Insightful, probing, literary fiction is fading. Overall, few people read anymore. Kids
won't read. There are college students who can't read. Book shops close up left and right. Book
chains go under. Computer games and online activities are where it's at. This generation sees
differently. That is why the internet is so vital, why it will in time crowd out traditional
publishing. You see where I go with this - again. The future of publishing is the internet. As for
publicists, they're like lawyers and pilot fish. One hit on a TV spot can do more than a hundred
publicists or dreary nights at book signing that earn you $2.75.
LJ for MBR: One reviewer described your life as one of frenzied bohemianism. You've been
quoted as saying that you never really found yourself. After a lifetime of world travel and palling
around with big name movie stars and writers, after being an actor, director, and writer, are you
still searching for the meaning that eluded you earlier in life?
John: It never eluded me as much as I eluded it. Hid from myself. I was a rat on a wheel. The
wild times spun and spun; the "frenzied bohemianism" of Greenwich Village, circa '52, wild
painters parties, cheap red wine, loving left and right. But I'd always had what I'd been seeking, it
was simply the search that was keeping me from seeing it. The ride - like the hobo on the rails -
the ride was it, the destination didn't matter. You could ride until they bury you or toss the ashes
in the ocean. The meaning is in being all you are and doing all you can do in the time that you
have. With me it 's the endless open channel to communicate, to clarify a vision peculiar to me,
that only I can create. Allegiance to that cause is the answer for me. My life, I'm seeing now, is a
big mural, a wide tapestry, each shading, character, color, each thread and weave comprises the
whole and it's the whole that's John Gilmore - "maverick," "rebel," "lone wolf writer," or
whatever they call me. I have discovered a spiritual strain running throughout the mural. All the
people, the bohemians, the artists, the dancers, mimes, folksingers, street walkers; the killers and
clowns, the evil ones, the bright sad lights. Oh, they've all been girdled with a sadness, a pathos.
And all of this is what makes life so worth living, so exciting, so much to know and never to tire
of taking it in. All the little people I've known in Texas and Louisiana, the Cajuns and the
cowboys, the riders on Greyhounds, the horsemeat vendor in Paris. The girls, the faces, the eyes,
so fluid and long-gone; the feelings I still carry for Jean Seberg. Yet they're here again, popping
open before me. It' s the continuum of the human condition that's got me captured.
LJ for MBR: You have several new book projects in the works. Give us a hint of what we can
expect.
John: Okay. My novel, HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD is out in the world, and L.A. DESPAIR is
following quickly. What's ahead of me, two BIG books. I don't care who laughs, but a writer
friend has called it the "Great American Novel." By that I mean it's as American as Elvis, and
hopefully will be a kind of universal contribution to the American 20th century scene, from rock
'n roll to drive-in movies. The next book, I can only say at this time that it's focused in L.A. in the
early 1940's, deals with the home front during the War and fans out from L.A. to various sections
of the actual War.
LJ for MBR: Is there any question you wish I had asked, or any other information you would like
to share with our readers?
John: I taught creative writing for a few years, university and workshop level, and I know where
people are at who want to write, who want to communicate. I implore these people to keep the
faith, but above all, to go within. As our world broadens by shrinking down to microchips, the
human remains the same with the same emotions and conflicts and joys and desires. It is in these
areas where the future of important writing lies - not in the blockbuster so-called novels or
high-gloss cinema gymnastics. It is the story of the individual and his function in the overall, in
love and marriage, in divorce, and love and death and simply living that contains the little
peepholes into true insight. Stick with it. For other interviews and reviews of my work, check my
site at www.johngilmore.com.
LJ for MBR: Thank you so much for taking time for this interview, John.
Laurel Johnson
Interviewer
Shelley's Bookshelf
Lethal Cure
Kurt Popke
Durban House Publishing Co., Inc.,
7502 Greenville Ave., Suite 500, Dallas, TX 75231
ISBN: 1930754345 $15.95
Dr. Kurt Popke is a graduate of the University of California and holds a medical degree from UC
Davis School of Medicine with a slew of honors, including Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega
Alpha. He is presently an ER physician and resides in Sacramento. LETHAL CURE is his first
medical thriller to be published.
Dr. Jake Prescott is an emergency room resident used to seeing medical trauma victims. But when
his wife and a stranger come in with injuries resulting from a break-in at his residence, his life
becomes a nightmare. His young daughter, Kelly, has been kidnaped, and the only person who can
tell Jake what this is about is the man who shot his wife. Hampered by feelings of rage and
helplessness, Jake discovers his own capacity for revenge:
"One more chance." Jake slid the needle into the port. "Once I inject the full dose, you'll have
about a minute before you're unable to breathe. If you don't write down what I want to know, I
walk out of here." Jake leaned in close to Metzger's face. "You think my wife messed you up?
Wait'll you see what I've got in store for you. You'll be here along, unable to move. Helpless.
You'll want to fight and scream for air. Beg for your life. Do anything just to be able to take
one...more...breath."
LETHAL CURE is definitely a thriller. There is a lot of blood and gore, which would classify it as
strictly adult entertainment. However, Popke is in a unique position to write the perfect ER
medical thriller, and is also, by the way, a precise and gifted writer. LETHAL CURE fairly pops
with electricity, and is a page-turner of the first degree. Jake Prescott is an authentic hero, with all
the proper failings to make the reader twitch and cheer for him when he finally digs deep enough
into his psyche to rescue the people he loves. The denouement is bittersweet, as Jake gives up
something he loves to gain back his family. The bad guys are so evil that the reader wants to jump
inside of the story and help Jake beat them to a bloody pulp. LETHAL CURE is a gripping read
from an up-and-coming author.
Casino to Die For
Lani Robson Remender & Mary T. Hoiness
Coronet Publishing
PO Box 7732, Phoenix, AZ 85011
ISBN: 0974576301 $14.00 U.S. $22.00 CAN
The duo of Lani Robson Remender and Mary T. Hoiness is one evolving from interesting
personal histories. Remender is a descendent of pioneers who founded Mesa. Lani is an English
teacher and amateur archaeologist whose husband is a lawyer. Hoiness is also an English teacher
who comes from Italian immigrant parentage. She moved to Arizona in the 1960's to teach. She
has been involved with Arizona politics, having campaigned for various incumbents.
Jim Ryan is a defense lawyer who has just hired a new secretary, Jennie Bond. Although there is
an obvious attraction, the two keep it in check. Jennie discovers a glitch in an Internet video
phone Jim has purchased which sheds light on an insurance case he is working on. This case turns
into murder reaching back to the Hohokam of Central Arizona, the mob, and the new Kamaho
Casino, built on ancestral land. Shortly after the casino opens, Billy Horn Deer is found dead in
his car, and his sister Connie Sue is the prime suspect. Ryan agrees to defend her and opens up a
cache of rattlesnakes, some buried treasure, corrupt politicians, and the sins of his erstwhile
girlfriend:
"She looked at him with a cold glare, Yes, I paid him for investigative work. Why all the
questions?' I just came from Glen Johnson's office. He's a detective in the Phoenix PD.' She
nodded that she knew who he was. They have some tape recordings that they took form Charlie's
safe after this death. Your name is on one cassette, and there's some sizzling dialogue captured for
all time on the tape inside.'"
CASINO works on many levels. It is a murder mystery most intriguing. The team of
Remender/Hoiness dig up ancient Hohokam history to provide the motive. It's not too hard to
come up with a cast of characters who each have their own agenda, and the team pull off
excellent plot and character development. Numerous threads provide constant action, and the
protagonists are in constant danger, just as they are drawn together and pulled apart by their
emotions and circumstances. Arizona is an excellent setting for a mystery, and the two do a great
job of covering local color (or cacti, in this case). CASINO TO DIE FOR is a well executed
whodunit with lots of glamour and danger. It is an excellent read from a powerful pair of authors.
A big thumbs up!
The Thirteenth Skull
Bonnie Ramthun
Loveland Press, LLC, PO Box 7001, Loveland, CO 80537-0001
ISBN: 0966269675 $14.95
Bonnie Ramthun has experienced more in her relatively short life than many people dream about.
She was trained as a computer science major, which lead into the military. Once there, she
engaged in helicopter crash investigations, which eventually led to war gaming. Her knowledge of
the military and computers, plus a love of writing from an early age, uniquely qualifies her to write
military mysteries of the first order. THE THIRTEEN SKULL is her third novel, following up the
two critically acclaimed novels GROUND ZERO and EARTHQUAKE GAMES.
Eileen Reed is a big city cop who has come home to Wyoming to assist her parents in a missing
professor case. The professor is an archaeologist, and Eileen not only finds his corpse in short
order, but also stumbles upon an Aztec crystal skull and skeleton, buried beneath buffaloes who
were led over a cliff in the traditional hunt for food by American Indians. In the meantime,
Eileen's boyfriend, Joe Tanner, a defense programmer at a top-secret installation, has just survived
an attempt on his life by two ruthless hit men. Joe flees to his beloved's parents' home, unwittingly
endangering all who are at the Reed ranch, including some interesting guests. But it is the mystery
surrounding Devil's Tower which eventually creates the denouement and solves the case:
" Many thousands of years ago a group of seven maidens were gathering summer berries here.
You may have heard that they were attacked by a bear, but no, this is not so. This place has been
a bad place since the earth was born. Some places are like this, always dark and evil. Some places
are strong and good. This place, even before the Tepee appeared, was bad.'"
Bonnie Ramthun has managed to combine numerous elements into a humdinger of a mystery:
love; treachery; myth; the Great West; archaeology; music; and hunting. Ramthun has a unique
style that grabs the reader from the first page and takes them on a ride that is both fascinating and
grueling. And when it is over, the reader is sorry to see the tale end, which is the mark of a great
novel. The plot kicks and is tightly woven; the characters are interesting and caring; and there is
even pathos for the truly rotten bad guys. A great read from a charming writer!
Shelley Glodowski
Reviewer
Shirley's Bookshelf
Pennies on the Tracks
Danny Lee Ingram
Publish America
http://www.publishamerica.com
ISBN# 1413722865 $14.95 72 pages
Pennies on the Tracks is a collection of enjoyable short stories. I was delighted to find stories that
caused me to think deeply about my past, stories that made me smile and stories that reminded me
of happenings in my own life that I had long forgotten.
I particularly enjoy stories that have a surprise ending, such as, "Winesaps." I will not tell you
what this story is about as it would ruin the surprise element, but trust me it is a story you will
remember for the rest of your life, especially if you are a hunter. Could this tale be true? You tell
me. Excellent job Mr. Ingram.
The book is written in the good old fashion storytelling way, with the author weaving his tales in
and out and wrapping them around your heart and mind; making you feel as if you are a
participant in each story. Indeed, you are on that train, in that cave and holding that gun, as you
become engrossed in the very core of the workings of each character. Well done!
Pennies on the Tracks is full of adventure, mystery, laughter, nostalgia, and even a smell of the
supernatural. A short read full of tantalizing tidbits of literary enjoyment. I recommend this work
to those who would like to take a ride on the rolling rail of an excellent read, that you will
remember as you continue on your journey, that we call life.
Realizing Your God Given Talents
Georgetta Marshall
Publish America
http://www.publishamerica.com
ISBN# 1413700691 $13.95 112 pages
Have you ever looked around at different people in your life and envied their excellence in a
certain area, their confidence, their fortitude and commitment to the endeavors in their lives and
wondered how they did it? Ms. Marshall's book, "Realizing Your God Given Talents" may just
give you those answers.
The author explains how each of us are given certain expertise that we could excel in if we learn
to utilize them. She carefully explains how to become aware and recognize those areas in your life
and gives some great tips for you to use to developed them. Her examples are often
heart-warming and I found them quite enjoyable to read.
Her usage of Scripture is woven gently in and adds a reassuring substance to her words. And she
tops it all off with a listing of resources at the end of her work, giving the reader easy access to
institutions that they can investigate for possible use, in achieving their full potential in their God
given talents.
All in all a very useful read, encouraging and informative. I would recommend this one to all the
seekers out there that may be asking, "What is my Talent?" This book may help you discover the
answer.
Sweet Christine
C.C. Colee
Publish America
www.publishamerica.com
ISBN# 1413724728 $24.95 304 pages
As I sat down to read this new tale penned by two of my favorite authors I wasn't quite sure what
I would find. I was used to stories of pirates and pirate ships coming from these ladies and here I
was faced with a totally different storyline. How well would they do? I will say this, I was not
disappointed.
Set in 1728 we are introduced to Lady Christine Lockhart, the main character of our story, a
beautiful young woman who is looked down upon by all the social aristocrats of the day.
It is said that she is the daughter of a sea captain and only came into her title through the marriage
of her mother to Lord Lockhart. Certainly not blue blood, or was she? You are drawn into the
very soul of this young woman wanting to know what is truly stirring up the hatred from others
that surrounds her.
You meet her family, her mother, her colorful cousins, and Andrew Chandler, Duke of
Kenilworth, the most eligible bachelor in the country and who would one day be Christine's knight
in shining amour. And of course we have Lady Marian Sanders, who is Andrew's mistress and has
every intention of being the Lady of Kenilworth. A woman whom you will see take revenge in
seething rage and fury as her unrealistic dreams are destroyed by Andrew's marriage to
Christine.
The authors do a great job of building the characters and their relationships with one another.
They sprinkle slowly the hints of a mystery about to be explored in the read and they carefully
build up the suspense, taking you step by step into the unfolding drama. Outstanding!
Someone is trying to kill Christine, and Andrew is determined to find out who and to protect the
woman that he so deeply loves. The story flashes back to Christine's youth when she attended
Lady Bellows School for Girls. A terrible secret is hidden behind those walls. Happenings to
young girls that take away their very souls and crush their spirits. Christine had tried desperately
to put a stop to those ungodly events, but had her actions from the past caused the horror that
now plagued her? I'll tell you, I could not stop reading this work until I found out the answer and
was shocked at the person who was trying to take the life of this woman.
Sweet Christine is a historical romance, one that will fill every lover of that genre with satisfaction
above and beyond what they have experienced in any other work. Desperate love, heights of
passion await the reader as they share the union of these two souls. However, it is also a mystery
lovers fantasy read, twisting and turning taking the reader on a roller coaster ride trying to figure
out the age old question, who done it? Tender romance, nail biting suspense, packed full of dark
hidden mysteries stimulating every emotion within us. Romance and mystery at its best, this is one
read you don't want to miss.
Highly recommended!
Coastal Whispers
Jill Eisnaugle
Publish America
www.publishamerica.com
ISBN# 141371076X $16.95 164 pages
What does one expect in a work of poetry? Inspiration? Humor? Words that will seep deep into
your subconscious and draw upon a hidden emotion?
Unlike a story with a plot, each poem written from the heart of a true poet is the expressions of
their soul, the passion of their personal experiences in life written from the recesses of their inner
being, and birthed with pen in hand. This is what you will find within the pages of "Coastal
Whispers."
The author brings to the reader selections that would fulfill any seeker of heart felt words with
delight and satisfaction. Whether it be words of faith in a God that loves us, the majesty of nature
or the tenderness of love, Ms. Eisnaugle pens the words that touch the heart in rhyming poetry
that seems to sooth the inward soul.
One of my favorites was "God's Will", page 25 and I quote a small part, verse one:
There is no greater blessing
Than the knowledge of the
truth.
No greater gift surpassing,
Than to know just what to do.
verse 6:
And let this be my true
conviction
To be a called and chosen
one,
And to back it up with action;
For, "Oh Lord, Thy will be
done."
Words of wisdom, words of truth.
"Coastal Whispers", a book well worth your time, recommended for poetry lovers and for readers
that wish to calm the savage beast within them.
Madison's Miracles
Joye Ames
Avalon Books
http://www.avalonbooks.com
ISBN# 0803496621 $18.95 295 pages
I was quite taken back by this work. I suppose it is because I love the idea of helping street
children and this is part of what the storyline is all about. Maggie Madison and her friend Delta
run a shelter for runaway and troubled children in the heart of Atlanta. Maggie has devoted her
life to this work and is constantly badgering local business people for support money. Most are
generous but one Adam "The Orge" Fuentes never seems to want to help without her constant
nudging. Needless to say their relationship is nothing more then strained.
The true story begins when Adam's niece runs away and Adam finds he must seek out Maggie for
help. His greatest fear has indeed come upon him, but little did he realize that a spark would ignite
between them and despite all the past harsh words and misunderstanding, they were destined to
not only bring a child home, but bring their own hearts home as well.
Madison's Miracles is a story of love, family commitment and devotion to the well being of
children. It is laced with deep seated emotions of past traumas that the characters must face up to
in order to find their true happiness. A well crafted read that brings out the plight and cry for help
of children, sprinkled with a tender love story of two hurting souls becoming one. Highly
recommended.
Dime
Babs Lakey, editor
Quiet Storm Publishing
Martinsburg, W.V.
http://www.quietstormpublishing.com
ISBN# 0974960861 $15.95
I remember my mother telling of sitting in front of the radio in her youth and being entertained by
great storytellers. Being part of the TV generation, I had no idea how hearing a story without
seeing it could heighten anyone's senses. However, living in Germany and not having television
changed all that; as I daily looked forward to the Armed Forces Radio Station, which would enact
a fifteen-minute story each day.
Sometimes mystery, suspense, sometimes comedy, or inspirational, all would fill the air waves and
keep me glued in front of the radio, only than could I appreciate the memory my mother had.
Dime does in words what these stories did over the air. Tiny dices of succulent delicacies that
kept me captivated from beginning to end were between the pages of this outstanding
anthology.
It was a reading ecstasy to enjoy each author's style, storyline and vivid character development, as
I was allowed to taste the talent of each of these crafted writers. I found myself shocked at some
endings, turning on another light in the room after another and even smiling as some of the
mysteries unfolded in the read. None the same, but each one bringing to life a story that allowed
me to experience a myriad of emotions as I traveled from one mysterious read to another. I was
actually sorry when I finished the book; I wanted more. Outstanding job!
Let me tell you this; the reading of this anthology was like opening a box that had many little
compartments. Each one guaranteed to surprise the recipient with tidbits of deep mystery,
paranormal, broken hearts that sought revenge, rolling suspense, and the great sought after chill
factor in a mystery read. Ones anticipation could only rise as they finished one and prepared to
open yet another tiny treasure of a literary delight.
If you want to taste the talents of gifted authors that burst forth with every turn of the page, you
will want to read this work. Chilled, shaken and poured out from the minds of top mystery writers
for your reading enjoyment; your greatest mystery reading fantasy will be fulfilled. Sit back, relax
and choose from the variety of reading pleasure set before you. However, I bet you can't read just
one.
INTERVIEW WITH JILL EISNAUGLE - Author of "Coastal Whispers."
SPJ: Thank you for doing this interview with me Jill, let's begin. Please tell us how you began
your writing career, how long you have been writing and what genres you write in.
Jill: Certainly. I began writing in the second grade. My second grade teacher, Mrs. Regina Chaney
of Jackson, Ohio, had begun a writing program, based upon what she had seen in a classroom
setting, while on a trip to Australia. The foundation for her program and her course assignments
was for students to express themselves in writing, as best as second grade students could do, with
the goal of each student finding the deeper feeling inside his heart and placing that feeling onto
paper.
I chose to write a story about an experience of nature that I had seen while on vacation (A snake
eating a fish during a camping trip that I had taken.) and I shared pictures of the event, along with
my story. My teacher enjoyed the story so much that she saw to it that my story was published in
the elementary school newspaper and I have been writing, in some form, ever since.
My writing began with short stories in 1988 and turned more towards the poetry genre in late
1994.
SPJ: Thank you Jill, that was very interesting. I'm very glad you had a teacher that recognized
your talents. I just finished reading/reviewing, "Coastal Whispers," so I would like to ask you a
little about this work.
Jill: It would be my pleasure.
SPJ: What made you decide to write this book?
Jill: I chose to write "Coastal Whispers" for several reasons, but for one reason in particular: my
longing to be of help to others. Throughout my life, I have longed to be of help to others in any
way that I could possibly be. Due to my auspicious beginnings in life, stemming from my
premature birth, I have always held the greatest respect for the doctors and nurses who helped me
to survive and for the many wonderful people (teachers, friends, family members, etc.) who have
helped to guide me, along life's path. My life has truly been blessed in so many respects.
Several members of my family and many of my friends have told me that their lives have been
touched and comforted by the poetry that I have written to help them through certain, and often
times, difficult situations. I decided to write this book with the hope of being able to reach and
comfort a greater group of people with my writing, while sharing my life's experiences and beliefs.
I feel that my writing and its ability of soothe and console through life's difficult periods is how I
can best be of help to others.
SPJ: How long did it take you to complete your book?
Jill: The poetry compiled within "Coastal Whispers" was written over a nine year time span and
ranges from my first poem, "Christmas Time" written in 1994 through works written in mid-2003.
Compiling the poems and choosing which poems to include and which to leave for future efforts
was the most time-consuming effort. That effort took about three weeks to complete.
SPJ: You chose well Jill. Please tell us, did you find it difficult to find a publisher and if so what
did you do to remedy that?
Jill: When I first began thinking of having my poetry published, I researched literary magazines
with the hope of working my way into the writing world slowly, one or two poems at a time. That
effort, which began in mid-2002, was very unsuccessful and the rejection letters became so
plentiful that I began saving them as "keepsakes". In early 2003, I stopped for a moment and
refocused on my writing, finally realizing that my work might be better enjoyed in a collection.
Through the suggestion of a friend, I submitted "Coastal Whispers" to Publish America and within
two weeks of my submission, my manuscript had been accepted. The "remedy" to me was having
a strong support base in family and friends who never allowed me to lose sight of my dreams.
SPJ: What advice would you give to other authors who are seeking a publisher?
Jill: The best advice I would give to authors looking for a publisher is to learn the art of patience.
It was once said that "Rome wasn't built in a day" and I feel the same is true when an author
works with a publisher. As in any faction of life, there are good publishers and bad ones. The
author should do his homework about the publisher and publishing house before submitting work
to their respective companies.
SPJ: That is a true statement Jill, thank you. Tell us, how much promoting do you do and what
tips could you give to our readers along this line that may help them in this area.
Jill: Promoting has been a very unique process for me. Due to family health issues and personal
time constraints, as the result of those health issues, I have not been able to promote myself and
my book as much as I should.
One of the first things I did for promotion was to create a website dedicated to my book, my
poetry and background information about me, with links to the online retailers where my book
may be purchased. I have also created bookmarks with a poem from my book and the purchasing
information and a brief letter that I place inside each piece of my outgoing mail, introducing
myself and my book. I used my print shop computer software to create address labels in two
sizes. I made one large label with the cover art of the book, my website's address, the "Coastal
Whispers" book title and the book's ISBN number and one smaller label with the ISBN number,
the title and where the book may be purchased.
Lastly, I created a press release that I sent to local radio stations and newspapers but so far, I
have not had any feedback on such efforts. The media is a difficult entity with whom to deal.
SPJ: Indeed promotion is always a big issue with all authors. I wish you well with your efforts in
that area. Now, may I ask if you have an agent and if you think this is important for an
author.
Jill: I do not have an agent. Writing is a difficult business and as I have found, in many respects, it
is a business where the author is left with tied hands, any way that they might turn. Agents are
very useful, if the author is blessed with the financial resources required to pay them. I am certain
that authors with agents are probably more successful than those without agents. However, many
authors, myself included, thanks in part to today's economy, are not financially able to put forth
money to pay an agent to market their product. Sadly, it seems in more instances than not, by the
time an unknown author receives his royalty and pays his agent, there is no profit left for the
author. Thus, those authors are left struggling to make ends meet, freelancing or working other
jobs, in order to habit their writing efforts.
SPJ: Jill, please tell us, what has writing this book done for you and what do you hope it will do
for your readers? What do you hope they will take away with them after reading your work?
Jill: Writing this book has been a unique and enjoyable process for me. I have always been
someone who is eager to learn and attempt new things and in doing research on publication and
studying different poetic forms in striving to better my writing, the publication process has given
me a newfound appreciation of the time and effort that it takes for an author to be both effective
in their approach, while remaining true to one's self-made integrity.
It is my greatest desire that the reader can take with them a renewed sense of warmth, serenity,
peacefulness and hope from the poetry that I have compiled for this collection. If fifty years from
now, the reader is unable to remember the name, Jill Eisnaugle, but is still able to remember a
poem from my book or if he is able to recall the meaningfulness that I hoped to portray in my
book, then my efforts, goals and purposes for writing this book will have been met.
SPJ: Thank you Jill. Now, how supportive was your family in your writing experience and how
important do you think this is to a writer?
Jill: My family has always been very supportive of each and every endeavor I have embarked upon
in life and my writing is no exception. My parents are my biggest writing supporters and they
taught me at an early age that I could do anything and be anything that I wanted, as long as I set
my mind to it and put forth the effort that it often takes to reach the goals that we set for
ourselves. I feel that support from the author's family is one of the most important aspects of
obtaining success in writing. Without the support of those persons who are closest to him, the
author is left wandering solo in a world that can be quite overwhelming. As has been proven to
me on many occasions, one's family will be there for them, regardless of the reason and will
remain long after many of one's friends and confidantes are gone.
SPJ: Do you have any other works in progress? If so, in what genre and when will they be
released?
Jill: My second collection of poetry entitled, "Under Amber Skies", is currently being reviewed by
Publish America for potential publication. I am in the process of writing a mystery/suspense novel
for young adults entitled "Dreamsicle Forest". The mystery novel is a continual work-in-progress
and has not yet been submitted for pre-publication review and I have been asked to submit some
of my poetry for a hardbound collection that Ms. Jennifer Butler of Austin, Texas is compiling to
be published this fall by iUniverse, entitled "Another Heart Dreams". I plan to submit my
selections to her work within the next two weeks.
SPJ: All of that sounds very exciting. The best of luck to you in those areas Jill. Tell us, how
many hours a day do you write?
Jill: I do not have a set limit in regards to "hours a day that I write". In many instances, I have
found myself seated at the computer with no ideas about which to write and no plans to write,
while seated. Then, all at once, an idea will become clear and I will end up writing a poem. I guess
one might say that on occasion I am a "spur of the moment" poet.
SPJ: Is there a special place that you write, one that inspires you? Has there been a special person
who inspired you to write?
Jill: I do not have a special place where I write but I am moved by my love of nature, family, and
my spiritual beliefs and those things all enter into my inspiration for my work. I have come to the
realization that many of my poetry ideas come to me while I am asleep, but I have found that I can
write anywhere and at any time, when the idea calls for it.
Everyone with whom I have ever been in contact throughout my life has, in some way or another,
given me a reason to continue my writing. I have always had the tendency to look for the best in
every situation, just as I have realized that everything in life, good or bad, happens for a reason.
Hence, even the people who have had adverse affects on my life have taught me something
worthy of remembering and sharing through my poetry.
There are some very special people who have affected my writing far greater than others. My
parents have had a tremendous influence on my writing. Obviously, I am still very indebted to my
second grade teacher for creating the writing workshop in her class, something that without which
I may have never picked up a pen with a reason behind doing so. However, I chose to dedicate
"Coastal Whispers" to my sixth grade reading teacher, Mrs. Sharon Needham, for the positive
influence that she had on my life.
Mrs. Needham entered my life at a time of great turmoil for me. I was in the middle of a
tumultuous sixth grade school year that placed me in six different schools over the course of that
1992 school year, due to work obligations that required my family to move every thirteen weeks.
I had always been known in elementary school as being good at writing short stories but I had
never shown any personal interest in sitting down to read a book. The thought of reading a book
was one that never entered my mind, nor did it ever appeal to me. Mrs. Needham, through her
class, broke through my stubborn streak and thanks in part to her unique teaching techniques,
strong-willed discipline and attitude that "only the child who does not try shall be the one who
fails", I was able to take from my two months in her class, a renewed reason to put forth more
effort in pursuing my education and a great love and respect for reading that I had never had
before. I'll always be grateful for all that Mrs. Needham did to help me. She is an inspiration to me
and a friend, still today.
SPJ: That is quite a story, thank you for sharing it with us. Tell me this, has having a book
published changed your life in anyway and if so please share that with us.
Jill: I do not feel that having a published book has changed my life. The person I was before the
book publication is the person who I am now and the person who I will remain. Being raised in
Southeastern Ohio, in a county of approximately thirty thousand residents and a village of, at the
best, two thousand residents, one learns to have the greatest respect for the simple things in life -
the beauty as seen in a sunrise, the stillness by the lakeshore on an autumn's night, the love of
friends and family members, etc. and I could not ever see my life as lived any differently than that,
book publication or not. Though now living in Texas in a county of approximately four hundred
thousand residents and a town of nearly fifty thousand residents, I have not lost nor will I ever
lose sight of where I was born or the morals and principles on which I was raised.
SPJ: Good for you Jill! Now, where do you hope your writing career will be in 3 years and what
are you doing to achieve that goal?
Jill: I have not given much thought to where my writing career will be in three years. I think my
best plan is to take writing offers as they come to me, while living life one day at a time, realizing
that whatever is meant to happen, will indeed happen. It would be my hope that three years from
now, I will still be able to continue sharing my beliefs with the world through my writing and that
by then, I am able to have a better grasp towards effectively promoting myself and having my
work noticed, whether with the help of an agent or not. I am always researching different styles,
forms and laws of poetry and over the course of the next three years, I can still see myself doing
these things. I feel that my writing is something that will always be there for me, whether I ever
make a career of it or not. In the end, if for no other reason, I will continue to write for my own
personal satisfaction.
SPJ: A question a little off the beaten track. Do you read and if so what genre is your
favorite?
Jill: Yes, I read in several different genres with traditional poetry, along the lines of Robert Frost
and Elizabeth Barrett-Browning, being favored. Aside from poetry, I read everything from sports
publications to mystery novels with the occasional children's book, for fun.
SPJ: Would you tell us a little about yourself, outside of being a published author?
Jill: Aside from my writing, my main love in life is fishing. Whether staring down a five foot shark
or relaxing quietly on the beach, waiting for the next high tide, I am a nature enthusiast and love
being outdoors. I also enjoy swimming, camping, tending to my flower gardens and spending time
with my family, including my dog and cats. I appreciate basketball and baseball the most, but
watch many forms of sporting events, both live and on television and I have been told by many
that I should have been born a generation beforehand, due to my old-fashioned principles and love
of music from the late 1950's through the mid-1970's. I am an Oldies station fanatic.
SPJ: Thank you Jill. Please use this space for anything you would like to share with our readers
concerning publishing, writing or your publishing experience in general.
Jill: I have often been asked what I would share with someone who is hoping to one day write or
pursue some other avenue that interests them. The best advice I can give is to never lose sight of
your dreams. If YOU believe in your heart that something is possible then, until proven otherwise,
you should continue to pursue that dream. Through my book and the paths I embarked upon
leading me to its publication, I am living proof that miracles and dreams do happen. Do not ever
give up on yourself or your dreams and do not ever allow anyone to sway you in a different
direction from the things in which you believe. Cling to faith, cling to a strong support base,
whether from family, friends, clergy, or some other source and keep trudging ahead until your
goal is met. As long as you believe in and show respect for yourself, then you will receive respect
from others and you will be more able to reach your dreams.
SPJ: Thank you so much Jill for those warm words of wisdom and thank you for doing this
interview with me. I wish you the best in your future and look forward to reading more of your
works.
Shirley Johnson, Interviewer
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Publish America -http://www.publishamerica.com
Jill's Reflections - http://spirit_angel3.tripod.com
E-mail: poeticfisherman@hotmail.com
Jill Eisnaugle
4201 Quaker Drive, Texas City, Texas 77590-3751
INTERVIEW WITH JAN JANSSEN
EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF "WHISKEY CREEK PRESS."
First, thank you Jan for doing this interview with me. I have had some contact with Jan and have
found her to be very easy to work with, extremely 'author friendly' and quite a nice person. I am
sure you all will enjoy this interview with her. Please let's begin.
SPJ: I'm excited to know about your company, would you please give us some background
information, when it was started, what the vision is behind it and your mission statement.
JAN: I'm going to quote Bev Haynes, our publisher, and founder of Whiskey Creek Press, who
says it best. "Whiskey Creek Press opened for book sales in April 2003 with 2 titles. With the
February 2004 releases, our catalog hosts 45 titles and, so far, 50 titles have been scheduled for
the rest of 2004. We are very proud of this accomplishment. Our books are good. We look for a
strong plot, believable characters and a writing style that can pull it off. We feel the reader will
agree with us. Our goal is simple, we want to bring our authors wonderful books to the reading
public.
I believe WCP stands out from other companies because of our easy-going style. If the book is
contracted we give the author help in formatting. For readers, we stand out because of our
outstanding books. We had four EPPIE finalists in our catalog and one cover art finalist for the
QUASAR award. Two of our books won their Eppie Category, and our cover artist won the
Quasar for best cover art."
SPJ: Thank you Jan, would you please give your name and position in your company
JAN: Jan Janssen, Executive Editor, Whiskey Creek Press
SPJ: Please tell us how long you have been with the company and what your duties are.
JAN: I've been with Whiskey Creek Press nearly since its inception. I began working as Senior
Editor in March of 2003 and became Executive Editor in March of 2004.
Duties! Goodness, that is an ever changing list, always in flux! Generally, all queries and
submissions pass through me. I am the acqisitions editor, as well. We have a wonderful staff of 15
editors, which I oversee, assigning MSS and co-ordinating completion of all edits. I also have
editing duties of my own with several authors writing for WCP.
SPJ: That is a lot of responsiblity, but I know you do a great job at it. Would you like to share
anything about your fellow workers and the jobs they do.
JAN: I want to say that all of our staff give it their all! From Art Director Scott Carpenter and his
staff of great cover artists, to Production Manager Jewel Adams, who works tirelessly to make
our website a hit, to our Review Co-ordinator Cindy Davis, who helps put our books out there
for reviewers. And of course, publisher Bev Haynes, who oversees everything with grace, and a
very necessary sense of humor!
SPJ: I know that a staff that works well together is a true blessing for an author. Let's get to the
meat of the interview, the questions that all authors want me to ask.
Let's talk about submissions.
Are you open to submissions, and if no when do you think you will be?
JAN: Yes, we are always open for submissions!
SPJ: Must the authors query first? How many queries do you receive in a given month?
JAN: Please query first, with a one or two page synopsis of your book. Right now we're
averaging about 30 queries a month. We have quiet times, and times when my inbox
overflows!
SPJ: Would you please tell us what type of books you publish, are you looking for specific genres,
or is the field wide open? Also, what formats are your books published in?
JAN: We publish all types of fiction, from Romance to Sci/Fi and Fantasy. Westerns, Horror,
Mystery and Suspense. Romance sells the best, and our line of erotic romance, Torrid Romance is
what we call it, sells like hotcakes! We are no longer accepting submissions for Children's/Young
Adult, or Non-fiction.
At this time, our electronic formats are HTML, PDF, and MobiPocket. We also offer a POD
Trade paperback version of our books to authors who wish to take advantage of the option. The
only line we don't do trade paperback for at this time is our Torrid Romance.
Q: Tell us about an author having their work published in trade paperback.
Is this something Whiskey Creek does for them, or is it a paying option?
May all authors partake of this? I know you mentioned the erotic may not, but what about all the
others?
JAN: Our Print on Demand Trade Paperback option is entirely voluntary. We offer it to all of our
authors in the contract, all genres, except for our Torrid Romances. These sell best as ebooks. A
lot of our authors like to have a hard copy of their book in their hands. Release of the Trade
paperback is simultaneous with the ebook version.
We have an arrangement with a printer to print the trade paperbacks. The author is responsible
for paying the one-time set-up fee (per book contracted) to our printer. If they wish to order
copies to sell for themselves, they may order at a special author discount, for which no royalties
are paid. Or, they can order at full price and collect royalties.
SPJ: It appears that the author is given every opportunity for his/her work, that's wonderful. What
do you look for when a submission comes in, what catches your eye?
JAN: This bears repeating, the first thing I look for is a professional, well-constructed Query
letter, with good grammar mechanics. It makes it much easier to read! Concerning actual content,
I'm always attracted by intriguing plot twists, realistic characters, natural dialogue. Showing and
not telling. On a personal level, I love paranormal stories, so that pulls me in, as well as humor.
But a wonderfully complete-- and well-written--query and synopsis always urges me to read
further!
SPJ: Are there certain works you will not publish?
JAN: We are not accepting Childrens/Young Adult, or Non-fiction. We have a few limits for our
Torrid Romance line and these can be found in our submission guidelines at
www.whiskeycreekpress.com
SPJ: Would you give one tip that might tilt the scale and help the author's work to be
accepted.
JAN: Make sure that you know your story, and that your synopsis lays it out in an interesting, and
organized, manner. I like to see that an author knows exactly where their story begins, where it's
going, how it gets there, and how it is resolved.
SPJ: What makes you see "RED" when a submission is presented to you?
JAN: I have to admit, I'm a stickler for things like tense changes (eg. of bad - starts out the story
in present tense, switches to past, then back to present throughout), poor punctuation, spelling
errors, stilted dialogue. If I get a manuscript with these problems, I'm not encouraged to read on.
So, the story may be wonderful, but I can't find it, mired in the mess of poor mechanics.
SPJ: Fair enough. Please tell us, how long is the wait before the author will know if their work is
accepted and do you take simultaneous submissions?
JAN: I try to get back to authors on queries in a day or two, and on full manuscripts in 4 to 6
weeks. We do take simultaneous submissions, but please let us know it is one. And if you accept a
contract from another publisher for a manuscript that is under consideration with us, please let us
know that as well. I can get a little testy when I spend time reviewing a submission, making my
decision, drafting a letter and contract and sending it to the author, only to find out they signed
with another publisher last week and did not withdraw the manuscript from our submission
list!
SPJ: I can certainly understand how that would be upsetting to you. Please tell us how many
books do you publish in a year and is that a set figure?
JAN: At the present time, we publish 5 books a month , 4 in our regular fiction genres and 1 each
month in our Torrid Romance line. That's 60 books a year. As sales increase and submissions rise,
we may look at increasing that number.
SPJ: That is a good amount of books to publish and certainly is good news for seeking authors
who often come against closed doors. Where can your books be purchased? Are they stocked in
bookstores and do you have a return policy. (This may seem like a strange question but is a real
concern for authors with some publishing houses)
JAN: Our electronic books are listed for sale on our own site, and with Fictionwise, BookIsle,
Amazon Z Shops, and Knowbetter.com.
Our POD Trade paperbacks are listed for sale through our site only. The author is primarily
responsible for marketing and promoting the paperback version. But bookstores may order print
books for their store through our website at a discount. For Booksellers, we offer a 20% discount
for 10 or more books of any mix of titles. We accept returns which are in saleable condition.
SPJ: A few more questions about author submissions please. May authors send their submissions
via email?
JAN: Yes, in fact, we accept submissions only by email. We are an epublisher, and we do all our
work on the internet and through email, including editing.
SPJ: Thank you Jan. Do authors have to use your cover art or are they allowed to use their own
idea?
JAN: Authors may use their own cover, if they own the rights to that cover design. Our cover
artists will also work with you to perfect an idea you may have, if its suitable. The Art Director
and Publisher do have final say on what goes on the cover.
SPJ: Please tell us, how are your authors paid? Do you give advances and do you work with a
standard contract?
JAN: Whiskey Creek Press is a royalty paying epublisher. Royalties are paid out quarterly at the
rate of 30 percent of the net download price. We do not give advances. Our contract is a pretty
standard e-contract.
SPJ: Promoting is always a big problem for authors. Please tell us, what type of promoting do you
do for your authors and what is required of them?
JAN: We have a review co-ordinator who will send out ebooks to various sites, but authors are
also responsible for finding review sites. We promote our books through our site. As I mentioned,
authors are mainly responsible for the promotion and marketing of the trade paperback. We highly
recommend that our authors have a personal website to promote their work.
SPJ: If the author's work is accepted, what is the amount of time from acceptance to print?
JAN: We are now setting release dates into 2005. The average time from acceptance to release is
about 10 to 12 months. Sometimes less, or even a bit longer, depending on the genre of the book
and the slots we have open for it.
SPJ: Do you have a good working relationship with your authors?
JAN: I like to think we have a good working relationship with our authors. We have a list to
which we subscribe all our authors so they can network with each other, and so that we can keep
in touch with them as well.
SPJ: I would like to ask you this please Jan, as a publisher, what is the hardest part of your job
and why?
JAN: I can say, as Executive Editor, the hardest part of my job is having to write rejection letters
to hopeful authors. It never gets easier.
SPJ: I can imagine how hard that is, I know it's hard to receive a rejection letter. On the positive
side, what part of your job makes you smile?
JAN: When I get an excited email from an author who has been offered a contract for their book.
It makes me happy to know that I'm instrumental in helping them realize a dream
SPJ: Do you feel it is important for an author to have an agent? A publicists?
JAN: In epublishing, an agent isn't really necessary. Profit margins are tight. Most epublished
authors are 'jacks or jills-of-all-trades'. They write the book, they sell the book, they publicize and
promote the book.
SPJ: Where do you see your company in the next 5 years?
JAN: Again I'd like to defer to Bev Haynes, our publisher, and I quote " I have a dream for that
time frame. I hope to have a subscription service which will offer the reader a FREE handheld
reading device if the reader signs on and purchases, oh, say 10 downloads a year. I have my
fingers crossed that one of the devices pulls out ahead of the others and becomes the universal
device. WCP's history is not long, but we are here for the duration. My five-year-old
granddaughter is interested in making books when she grows up, so the future is very
bright."
SPJ: Would you tell us something about yourself, are you an author and if so please tell us some
about your work(s).
JAN: I've been a writer for most of my life, and I good one (I hope!) for the last 30 years or so.
I'm married, with two grown children, and I live in Northern Ontario, Canada. Due to the
wonders of the internet, I'm the Executive Editor of Whiskey Creek Press, which is based in Lusk,
Wyoming! :) I'm a romance author and I have one book out with Whiskey Creek Press, Loving
Ben, and I'm currently at work on another.
SPJ: Please use this space for any closing remarks you would like to leave with our readers about
yourself, your company, or publishing in general.
JAN: Shirley, this has been a very thorough interview with so many well-thought-out questions! I
think you've covered it all. I'd just like to say--to aspiring as well as established writers--keep on
writing! Follow your dream, because we'll keep looking for those special books to bring to our
readers!
SPJ: Again, I want to thank Jan for taking the time to do this interview with me.
I know that I have learned a lot about "Whiskey Creek" and found the interview
to be excellent. I really believe they have a bright future and I sincerely wish Jan and Whiskey
Creek, their authors, and all those that are part of this company the best in the future. Thank you
again Jan.
Shirley Johnson, Interviewer
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Jan Janssen
Executive Editor
www.whiskeycreekpress.com
jan@whiskeycreekpress.com
INTERVIEW WITH JOYCE AND JIM LAVENE - Co-Authors of numerous works. (Please see
review of "Madison's Miracles" in this column)
I chose to interview Jim and Joyce because I have read and reviewed several of their books and
truly enjoyed them. I wanted to know the couple better and see what they had to share with us,
let's being.
SPJ: Thank you for doing this interview with me. May I ask you first please to tell us a little about
your background as writers.
Joyce: My Mom published my first poem when I was 9. I started writing novels when I was 14
after I read War and Peace over the summer and thought I could do a better job!
Jim: I was a late bloomer. I only started in the last ten years. We write sci-fi, romance, mystery,
non-fiction and suspense together.
SPJ: You are quite a prolific couple, that's great. I just finished reading/reviewing "Madison's
Miracles" so I would like to ask you a little about this book.
What made you decide to write this book and how did you decide on the storyline and tell us a
little bit about your characters and how you came up with them.
J&J: We have a friend who works with street kids. She's a lot like Maggie Madison. We told her
if she didn't find a significant other, we were going to write one for her!
All of our characters are always a blend of people we know or people we've seen and imagined
how they are. In this case, Delta is a nurse we met at a writer's conference a few years back. We
were just looking for the right story for her. Megan and Jazzy are our nieces. They wanted to see
their names in print!
SPJ: I'm sure Megan and Jazzy are thrilled! Did you do any research for your book? If so please
tell us a little about that and how long did it take you to complete it?
J&J: The only research we did was answering emails from our friend. Her stories are enough to
fill more than one book!
SPJ: Ah! so there may be another? How long did it take you to complete your book?
J&J: About 6 weeks.
SPJ: I know that this is not your first book, but when you first became a published author, did you
find it difficult to find a publisher and if so what did you do to remedy that?
J&J: It's always hard to find a publisher. We just kept sending out submissions until we found an
editor who liked our work. We believe there's someone out there for anyone who's willing to try
hard enough. Look how many publishing companies there are!
SPJ: That is very true. What advice would you give to authors who are looking for a
publisher?
J&J: Never give up! Enjoy what you do. Write what you want to write. Don't let anyone tell you
that you can't do it. Start small but think BIG! Learn to write a great synopsis and query letter
(even if you don't like them).
SPJ: Oh my! The dreaded synopsis and query letter. They can be scary. How much promoting do
you do and what tips could you give to our readers along this line that may help them.
J&J: We promote all the time. We don't like signing books or reading out loud from them. We
write articles within the field of our fiction subject matter, give workshops, go to a few
conferences, maintain our websites and newsletters. All of those things provide a good base for
us.
SPJ: May I ask if you have an agent and if you think this is important for an author.
J&J: We have an agent now, Jacky Sach of BookEnds. But we've only had her a few years. It all
depends on what you write. Romance is still very open to new writers. Sci-fi and mystery aren't.
Most new authors who haven't published don't get much help from agents, even when they agree
to represent them. There are still plenty of editors out there who will work with new writers. You
just have to find them. Then get an agent.
SPJ: What has writing this book done for you and what do you hope it will do for your readers?
What do you hope they will take away with them after reading your work?
J&J: Well, we hope it's encouraged our friend to date for one thing! But otherwise, we always
hope our romances will give readers a sense of how important love can be in a person's life.
Maybe because it's very important in our lives.
SPJ: That is really nice. Tell me, how supportive was your family in your writing experience and
how important do you think this is to a writer?
J&J: They were very supportive. But our children are very creative as well. They thought it was
cool to have parents who write for a living.
SPJ: I think it is too. Do you have any other works in progress? If so in what genre and when will
they be released?
J&J: We're wrapping up the first book in our new mystery series, Peggy Lee Garden
Mysteries/Berkley Prime Crime, due to start spring 2005. Our Adam's Media book, Everything
About Novel Writing, will be out in October 2004 as will our 9th Sharyn Howard Mystery, Last
Rites, with Avalon Books. We have a contemporary suspense romance novel, Constant Craving,
coming out in June 2004 with Awe-Struck E Books and a romantic sci-fi, Amelia Gallant, coming
out with them in September 2004.
SPJ: Wow! Talk about prolific! What can I say? How many hours a day do you write?
J&J: 8 hours, usually 6 days a week.
SPJ: Is there a special place that you write, one that inspires you? Has there been a special person
who inspired you to write?
Jim: We share an 8 foot, custom made desk with a 21 inch monitor where we write together. Our
office looks out on our garden where the herbs and flowers grow and the cats play. We both love
being there.
Joyce: My grandfather always told me I could be an author if I was willing to work at it and my
Mom told me I could do whatever I set my heart to do. That's pretty inspiring.
SPJ: Thank you! Has having a book(s) published changed your life in anyway and if so please
share that with us.
J&J: Probably the biggest change is that we can drive around talking about plots and characters
and know that we're not only going to write them but also sell them. It's taking your dreams
seriously.
SPJ: A dream that has become a reality. It doesn't get better than that does it? Where do you hope
your writing career will be in 3 years and what are you doing to achieve that goal.
J&J: It's so hard to answer that question. Since we gave up our jobs and started writing full time,
it seems like nothing could get better. Naturally, we'd like to make more money (who wouldn't?).
But we also try to learn something with each book. We'd definitely like more time to go out and
interview people and write their stories. We work at achieving both of those goals every day!
SPJ: A question a little off the beaten track, do you read and if so what genre is your
favorite?
Jim: Sci-fi and fantasy.
Joyce: Regency romance and romantic fantasy.
SPJ: Would you tell us a little about yourself, outside of being published authors?
Jim: I love computers and any other kind of electronic gadget. I enjoy photography and
gardening. I'm diabetic (we wrote a book about that), enjoy yoga, long walks and driving in the
country. I love my wife of 33 years, my kids and grandkids.
Joyce: I love gardening, water painting and photography. I do tai chi every morning. My
grandchildren are as home in my office with their paints and doodles as I am. I enjoy long walks
and driving in the country. I'm a certified herbalist. I love my husband of 33 years, my cat, Quincy
and my dog, Hershey, not necessarily in that order!
SPJ: Thank you Joyce and Jim, it sounds like you have a wonderful life. Please use this space for
anything you would like to share with our readers concerning publishing, writing or your
publishing experience in general
J & J: We didn't join our first writing group until we were published but would like to encourage
all writers to do so. It's a great experience. Writers are wonderful to be around and they can give
you a place to wail and celebrate. Just remember that you have to be the final judge of what's
working and what's not working in your writing. Use a group as support and encouragement but
not as a place to judge yourself or others.
SPJ: I don't know about the rest of you but this is one interview I enjoyed doing and I hope you
have enjoyed reading. If you haven't checked out
Jim and Joyce's work, I encourage you to do so. You won't be sorry.
My very best to both of them and I look forward to reading more of their work in the future.
Shirley Johnson/Interviewer
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Silhouette Books
www.eharlequin.com
Avalon Books
www.avalonbooks.com
Adams' Media
www.adamsmedia.com
Berkley Prime Crime
www.penguinputnam.com
Awe-Struck E Books
www.awe-struckbooks.net
joyce@joyceandjimlavene.com
jim@joyceandjimlavene.com
www.joyceandjimlavene.com
www.sharynhowardmysteries.com
www.peggyleegardenmysteries.com
Shirley Johnson
Reviewer
Vicki's Bookshelf
The Sons of the Dragon King: A Chinese Legend
Ed Young
Antheneum Books for Young Readers/Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10020
ISBN 0689851847 $16.95, 28 pages, www.SimonSaysKids.com
The Dragon King has sent his nine sons out to find their places in the world, but rumors abound
each son is apparently as aimless as the next! One son does nothing but stare into space, another
spends his day frolicking in a stream, another plays with fire, and still another hollers from noon
till night. When the king realizes it's time to visit each son to see if the rumors are true, what he
finds surprises him, for each son has a special gift that continues to serve and enrich China's
culture to this very day. Two-time Caldecott winner Ed Young brings us this new picture book
legend of a special parent recognizing the potential in his very special children. In doing so, he
shows how a simple folktale shaped a visible part of Chinese cultural history.
Poodlena
E.B. McHenry
Bloomsbury
175 Fifth Ave., NY, NY 10010
ISBN 1582348243 $16.95, 32 pages, www.bloomsbury.com/usa/childrens
Poodlena Pompadour is a star. She lives in a high-rise in a big city, where, everyday, she powders
and pinks herself to perfection. And every day at three quarters past four, she parades through the
park, keeping clean, keeping perfect. She wouldn't think of mingling with other dogs, and doesn't
dare touch anything with a spec of dirt on it. No, she's too neat and too pink for that. Will
Poodlena ever learn to let loose and have a little fun? Maybe with the help of some mud This
picture book is a charmer, with a simple lesson that pretty-in-pink toddler princesses should take
to heart.
My Light
Molly Bang
Blue Sky Press / Scholastic
557 Broadway, NY, NY 10012-3999
ISBN 043948961X $16.95, 32 pages, www.scholastic.com
Caldecott Honor artist Molly Bang uses simple poetic language and dazzling paintings to take
young readers on an enlightening journey in "My Light." The picture book story follows the paths
of the sun's rays, showing the many ways in which we obtain energy from its light. Though we
often take it for granted, the sun provides the energy that powers everything on Earth, from plants
and trees to machines and cities. From windmills and solar cells to fossil fuels and dams, "My
Light" provides a fascinating presentation of the way we use our amazing natural resources to
light up the world. As in "Common Ground," Giverny Award winner for Best Science Picture
Book, Bang uses a story to explain the basic concepts behind electricity and our energy resources
in a compelling and accessible manner. For ages four and up.
Maroo of the Winter Caves
Ann Turnbull
Clarion Books / Houghton Mifflin
251 Park Avenue South, NY, NY 10003
ISBN 0618434089 $15.00, 136 pages, www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com
Hard to believe Maroo is already celebrating her 20th anniversary with this new hardback edition.
The prehistoric novel has aged beautifully, telling the tale of Maroo and her family as they return
to the winter camp where the rest of the tribe awaits. But along the way they meet with disaster: a
hunting accident takes the life of Maroo's father and seriously injures her uncle. Slowed by grief,
the blizzards are soon upon them leaving them with only one option: Maroos and her younger
brother must continue on to the camp alone and return with help for the older family members left
behind. The treacherous trail holds new dangers in this gripping tale of survival in the harshest of
environments. Ann Turnbull has painted an enduring portrait of prehistoric people whose
fortitude, courage, and family devotion confirm the enduring traits of human nature.
Art Against the Odds: From Slave Quilts to Prison Paintings
Susan Goldman Rubin
Crown Books / Random House
1540 Broadway, NY, NY 10036
ISBN 0375824065 $19.95, 64 pages, www.randomhouse.com/kids/
"Art was very important to me it helped me fly over the terrible reality into another world. I
drew my dreams, my hopes, and my wishes." That statement from Helga Weissova, a Holocaust
survivor, beautifully demonstrates the power of art, and puts the book's humble images in proper
perspective. During World War II, a young girl in the Terezin concentration camp in
Czechosolvakia drew pictures of things around her. At the same time on the other side of the
world, a young Japanese American woman drew pictures as an internment camp prisoner in
California. These and many other lives are gathered side-by-side in "Art Against The Odds" to
show how art created during times of duress has helped people cope with intolerable situations.
This is a particularly emotional area of "outsider" art ranging from prisoners and psychiatric
patients to poverty-stricken peoples from South Bronx to Kenya. Filled with full-color
reproductions of paintings, slave quilts, and found-object constructions, this poignant collection
reminds readers of the power of the human spirit to find beauty in all things.
Amalee
Dar Williams
Delacorte Press / Random House
1540 Broadway, NY, NY 10036
ISBN 0439395631 $16.95, 180 pages, www.randomhouse.com/teens
Singer-songwriter Dar Williams' debut novel is a moving novel of friendship, hardship, and the
power of coming together. Amalee's world is all out of order. She's used to chaos, because of the
frequent presence of her father's bantering, bickering group of fun friends. But now her life is full
of uncertainties. School isn't what it used to be, and she's begun questioning her relationship with
her friends. But when Amalee's dad becomes seriously ill, the chaos takes on a new form, and the
ways of coping come from some very unexpected places. As her life changes, she learns to copy
by holding on to what is concrete and real: love. With clear-eyed and tender, funny prose,
Williams gives us a child's eye view of a world under pressure, with everyone rising to the
occasion in his or her own unique way. For ages 9 and up.
The Children's Illustrated Bible
Retold by Selina Hastings, illustrated by Eric Thomas
DK
375 Hudson St., NY, NY, 10014
ISBN 0756602610 $22.99, 320 pages, www.dk.com
Written in conjunction with educators and religious advisors, "The Children's Illustrated Bible" is
a retelling of favorite Old and New Testament stories retaining the original feel and poetry of the
Bible, while appealing to contemporary young readers. Background information, color maps and
photographs, pictures of artifacts, and even descriptions of the food people ate, all help to enrich
understanding and convey the meaning behind the stories. From Mt. Sinai where Moses received
the Ten Commandments to the shores of Galilee where Jesus performed many of his miracles,
familiar scenes are illuminated with a unique visual and descriptive approach.
Transformers: The Ultimate Guide
Simon Furman
DK
375 Hudson St., NY, NY, 10014
ISBN 0756603145 $24.99, 144 pages, www.dk.com
Hard to believe this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Transformers toys, those half-robot,
half-vehicle fighting machines. They're the latest subject in DK's "Ultimate Guide" series of
hard-back fan books, giving top-notch, encyclopedic treatment to a wide variety of pop culture
characters from Mickey Mouse to Batman. Once just an action figure, Transformers morphed into
comic books and an animated TV series, and this illustrated reference book featuring more than
600 color images -- looks into every infinitesimal nook and cranny of the Transformers universe.
The guide investigates and reports on the Transformers' epic history, unique mythology, large
cast of characters, and the series' many intergalactic wars. Cross-section artwork reveals the inner
mechanics, overview artwork shows additional detail, profiles are given for key characters in each
generation, and reviews are given of toy lines, the TV series and comic book chronologies. The
authorized book covers it all, from the "Generation 1" through "Beast Wars," "Beast Machines,"
"Transformers Robots in Disguise," "Transformers Armadea" and "Transformers Energon." For
Transformers junkies of all ages.
William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Retold by Bruce Coville, illustrated by Leonid Gore
Dial Books for Young Readers
345 Hudson St., NY, NY 10014-3657
ISBN 0803727089 $16.99, 40 pages, www.penguin.com
There is perhaps no work of fiction quoted as often as William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." This
haunting tragedy of the prince who acts too slowly has touched audiences for centuries. Now
Bruce Coville, who has adapted other Shakespearean works, retells "Hamlet" in a picture book
format for readers eight and up. He incorporates essential lines into his own rich prose, creating a
version that is accessible and enjoyable to young audiences who are likely experiencing the Bard
here for the first time. Acclaimed artist Leonid Gore ("Lucy Dove," "Sleeping Boy") adds intense,
dreamlike images in acrylic and pastel, making this a sophisticated volume for new and old
Shakespeare enthusiasts.
The Frog House
Mark Taylor, illustrated by Barbara Garrison
Dutton Children's Books
345 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014.
ISBN 0525461744 $15.99, 32 pages, www.penguinputnam.com.
A tree frog sees a family put a special apple-shaped birdhouse in his tree. The frog has never seen
a bird live in an apple, so he thinks it must be a house for a frog, naturally: a frog house. On a
whim, he moves in and different birds and animals come to visit and check things out for
themselves. Never has the frog had so much attention, or so much fun. The sweet story is
illustrated in a folksy style resembling painted and carved wood to mimic the hand-made frog
house itself. A lovely first picture book from new author Mark Taylor.
The Shakespeare Stealer Series
Gary Blackwood
Dutton Children's Books
345 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014.
ISBN 0525473203 $14.99, 282 pages, www.penguinputnam.com.
Sent to London to steal Shakespeare's play "Hamlet" for a rival theatre company, orphan Widge
begins a journey that will change his life. As he works his way into the Globe Theater to do the
deed, Widge gets close to the players, and he's unprepared for the welcome he receives form
Shakespeare's company. When they offer to make him an apprentice and teach him to act, Widge
feels a sense of belonging for the first time in his life. Then the plague threatens London and
forces the closing of the theaters. So Widge and his fellow actors take their plays on the road, and
soon Widge secures his place in the company as an actor. His writing skills also come
unexpectedly into play when Shakespeare needs him to help finish a new script. With the
company's future uncertain, can the show still go on? This thick collection of three titles "The
Shakespeare Stealer," "Shakespeare's Scribe" and "Shakespeare's Spy" will at least insure that
the historical adventure story will go on.
Dog of Knots
Kathy Walden Kaplan
Eerdman's
255 Jefferson Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49503
ISBN 0802852599 $15.00, 132 pages
When Mayim's mother takes a job in Northern Israel, Mayim lust leave her best friend and
much-loved grandmother in Jerusalem. But she quickly makes new friends in Haifa: Chaim, the
butcher; Mr. Saludi, the Palestinian vegetable seller; Mrs. Koslovsky, her neighbor; and a
mysterious stray dog that lives down in the wadi. No one seems to know anything about the dog
except that he is very old and has been making the rounds in town for a long time. Everyone has a
special name for him Bailey, Laffah, Adel, Havi. Mayim calls him Knotty, but he comes to none
of these names. Set in Israle in 1973, during the time of the Yom Kippur War, "The Dog of
Knots" is the engaging story of a nine-year-old girl who struggles to find her voice amidst the
terrors of war. She seeks the courage of those around her including the mysterious stray dog
but finds instead that they need courage from her. A poignant first novel from a talented new
author.
The Lord's Prayer
Heidi Holder
Front Street
20 Battery Park Ave., Asheville, NC 28801
ISBN 1932425039 $16.95, 28 pages, www.frontstreetbooks.com
The Lord's Prayer, believed to be taught by Jesus Christ to his disciples, has been an enduring
source of faith and inspiration for centuries. Aritst Heidi Holder gathers together all of the Earth's
creatures the tiniest insect and the most delicate butterfly, the goldfinch and the salmon-crested
cockatoo, the deer and the leopard -- to illuminate the promise of the prayer and to celebrate the
beauty of the world. The illustrator includes interesting, detailed notes on the images, explaining
the traditional and personal significance of many of the plants and animals portrayed. An elegant
and heartfelt tribute.
Falling for Rapunzel
Leah Wilcox, illustrated by Lydia Monks
G.P. Putnam's Sons / Penguin Putnam
345 Hudson St., NY, NY 10014
ISBN 0399237941 $14.99, 32 pages www.penguinputnam.com
"The course of true love never did run smooth," to quote William Shakespeare. And doesn't
Rapunzel know it, in this franctured fairy tale retelling. When the prince spies her high in her
tower, he's convinced she is the girl of his dreams. Of course he think s he can save her the
traditional way, but this is no traditional Rapunzel. She throws down everything but what the
prince asks for including a surprise that does, indeed, make all his dreams come true. Young
girls in the princess phase will love the bright heroin and bright colors in this funny tale of how
misunderstandings can lead to "happily ever after."
Inside Mouse, Outside Mouse
Lindsay Barrett George
Greenwillow Books / Harper Collins
1350 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10019-4703
ISBN 0060004665 $15.99, 32 pages, www.harperchildrens.com
One mouse lives inside the house. One mouse lives outside the house. Both mice are on the move,
but where are they going? And how do they get there? Follow the mice down, across, under, up,
in , out, behind, between, below, over, through, along and around various obstacles until both
mice (one inside and one outside) arrive nose to nose, at the window to say hello to each other.
Lindasy Barrett George's detailed paintings track the mice's parallel journeys and invite creative
participation in this fresh picture book take on the adventures of a city mouse and a country
mouse. For young ones ages 2 to 5.
Scamper and the Horse Show
Jessie Haas, illustrated by Margot Apple
Greenwillow Books / Harper Collins
1350 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10019-4703
ISBN 0060013389 $14.99, 32 pages, www.harperchildrens.com
Molly and Anna are getting Scamper ready for the horse show in this new picture book. They're
especially excited about Costume Class the costume they have planned for themselves and
Scamper is the best ever! But things don't go as planned. When a rain shower almost ruins the
competition, the girls have to work hard to see the silver lining behind the clouds. Sometimes a
horse show, as it turns out, can bring out the best in both horses and people. Created for and by
horse lovers. For ages 4-7.
Little Rat Rides
Monika Bang-Campbell, illustrated by Molly Bang
Harcourt Inc.
525 B Street, San Diego, CA 92101
15 E. 26th St., NY, NY 10010
ISBN 0152166246 $15.00, 32 pages, www.HarcourtBooks.com
Little Rat is back in a sequel easy-reader chapter book adventure to "Little Rat Sets Sail." This
time Little Rat can't wait to ride a horse, just like her daddy did when he was young. But when
it's time for her first lesson, she almost changes her mind. No ons said her horse, Pee Wee, would
be so giant! But Little Rat is determined. So with a bit of encouragement from Daddy Rat and
lots of help from gentle Pee Wee her dream of becoming a fancy rider might just come true. The
story is more complex and heartfelt than most easy-readers at this second-grade level.
Rocko and Spanky Go To A Party
Kara and Jenna LaReau
Harcourt Inc.
525 B Street, San Diego, CA 92101
15 E. 26th St., NY, NY 10010
ISBN 0152166246 $15.00, 32 pages, www.HarcourtBooks.com
Once the purview of crafty do-it-yourselfers, the once-lowly sock monkey is now the subjects of
thousands of websites. Now they're the fanciful subject of picture books by sisters Kara and Jenna
LaReau who are clearly having a ball embellishing the kitschy creatures with whimsical
personalieis. In "Rocko and Spanky Go To A Party" the first book in the charming post-modern
series -- the twin monkeys in question have been invited to a party and need to find a gift. Though
the local Gift-O-Rama has plenty of cool presents like roller skates and legwarmers the
monkeys can't agree until the find something perfect. But there's one important detail Rock and
Spanky have forgotten so when they finally get to the party, they're in for a big surprise.
Hungry for more? The bonus recipe for peanut butter and banana sandwich should hold you over
until the next picture book installment.
Bro
Robert Newton Peck
Harper Collins
1350 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10019-4703
ISBN 0060529741 $16.99, 150 pages, www.harperchildrens.com
In the first pages of "Bro," we learn that as a young child, Tugwell Dockery witnessed a
gruesome scene of violence, anger and blood which rendered him unable to speak. Now with his
parents dead and his older brother in prison, Tug is forced to return to his grandfather's house to
begin a new life amidst bloody memories. But Tug's older brother is willing to risk his life to
protect Tug. Bro escapes prison and attempts to save his brother, but it is his feared grandfather
who ends up doing all the saving. Filled with mystery and intrigue, "Bro" will bring tears to
readers with an ending as surprising and dramatic as the first five pages.
Molly Moon Stops The World
Georgia Byng
Harper Collins
1350 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10019-4703
ISBN 0060514108 $16.99, 378 pages, www.harperchildrens.com
Spunky Molly Moon is back and this time she's hypnotizing her way to the Academy Awards in
Los Angeles. Along with Ricky and Petula the pub, Molly is tracking the sinister activities of
American billionaire Primo Cell, who wants to become President and take over the world. He has
all the Hollywood celebrities in his power. But Molly Moon has an amazing power of her own,
which even she doesn't know about. Byng's first novel, "Molly Moon's Incredible Book of
Hypnotism," was a smash hit, earned a million pound advance for its first-time English author,
and will be made into a 2006 movie. Something tells me this hypnotism thing works .I'm
absolutely over the moon for Molly.
Princess in Pink
Meg Cabot
Harper Collins
1350 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10019-4703
ISBN 0060013389 $15.99, 256 pages, www.harperchildrens.com
The actor who portrayed Freddy Krueger in all those horror films once told me with a resigned
sigh while on the set of his hundreth sequel "You don 't get off the merry-go-round til it
stops." Well, Meg Cabot must be getting awfully dizzy from all her turns in the "Princess Diaries"
franchise. Her latest is book number ten in the ligh-hearted saga of Mia Thermoloplis normal
girl-turned-royal-highness. In "Princess in Pink" things are looking up for Mia. She's the newest
staffer on the school paper, her miraculous completion of freshman algebra is just around the
corner, as is a new baby brother or sister. But Mia has one wish: an evening at the prom with
Michael on her arm. Michael, however, does not share the dream, and worse still, a service
workers strike (with Grandmere and Lilly on opposite sides) threatens the prom altogether.
Hilarity follows, and G-rated teen angst. For devoted fans only but then, that's a tidy sum.
The Garden
Elsie V. Aidinoff
HarperTempest
1350 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10019-4703
ISBN 0060556056 $16.99, 403 pages, www.harperchildrens.com
What really happened in the Garden of Eden? In the tradition of "The Red Tent" and "Troy"
comes "The Garden," a contemporary reinterpretation of one of the world's oldest stories The
Creation. Eve's own narration reveals her education in, exploitation in and expulsion from, the
Garden of Eden. The first-time author reimagines the Garden's cast of characters with Eve as an
empowered woman comfortable speaking her mind; God as a competitive creator; Adam as an
innocent, yet weak, clean slate of a man; and the Serpent as a worldly, wise and endearing
teacher. The relationship between these characters reaches a fever pitch when the Serpent helps
Eve through the horror of Adam's sexual aggression an act ordered by God. The book certainly
couldn't have enjoyed a more timely publication date, falling on the heels of such religion-based
media sensations as "The DiVinci Code" and "The Passion of the Christ." With so many people
studying the mysteries of the Bible, "The Garden" is guaranteed to intrigue curious YA
readers.
Arrowhawk
Lola M. Schaefer, illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska
Henry Holt & Co.
115 W. 18th St., NY, NY 10011
ISBN 0805063714 $16.95, 32 pages, www.henry.holt.com
Touched by news of a red-tailed hawk injured by a poacher's arrow, author-teacher Lola M.
Schaefer followed the real-life drama with her fourth-grade class and was inspired to write this
picture book. It's a courageous story of an endangered bird of prey who, through sheer
determination, survives eight weeks in the world with a poacher's arrow through his thigh and
tail. Told in strong, succinct language, the narrative witnesses his every move, and imagines his
agony as he perseveres. A bold story of one animal's remarkable journey from danger and rescue
to freedom that will be useful to inspire appreciation and respect for nature in young minds.
How I Found The Strong
Margaret McMullan
Houghton Mifflin
215 Park Ave. So., NY, NY 10003
ISBN 061835008X $15.00, 144 pages, www.hmco.com
In the spring of 1861, the serenity of Smith County, Mississippi, has been shattered by Abraham
Lincoln's declaration of war on the South. Young and old are taking up arms and marching off to
war. But not ten-year-old Frank Russell. Although he's eager to enlist in the Confederate army,
he's too young, too skinny, too weak. After all, he's just "Shanks," the baby of the Russell family.
War has a way of taking things away from a person, and this war taks from Frank a mighty sum.
Margaret McMullan tells the coming-of-age tale among deft depictions of the horrors of both war
and slavery in this powerful, thought-provoking historical novel that will resonate in hearts and
minds long after the final chapter.
Remember: The Journey to School Integration
Toni Morrison
Houghton Mifflin
215 Park Ave. So., NY, NY 10003
ISBN 061839740X $18.00, 80 pages, www.hmco.com
On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court declared segregated schools unconstitutional in
Brown v. Board of Education. This pivotal decision ushered in an emotional and trying period in
our nation's history, the effects of which still linger. Recalling this tumultuous time, Toni
Morrison has collected a treasure chest of archival photographs that depict the events surrounding
school integration. These unforgettable images serve as the inspiration for Professor Morrison's
text a fictional account of the dialogue and emotions of the students who lived during the era of
change in separate-but-equal schooling. "Remember" offers a unique pictorial and narrative
journey that introduces children to a watershed period in American history and its relevance
today. "Remember" is a powerfully moving work that deserves a place in every classroom across
America, and a special curriculum spotlight each May 17.
Bed Hogs
Kelly DiPucchio and Howard Fine
Hyperion
114 Fifth Ave., NY, NY 10011-5690
ISBN 0786818840 $15.99, 32 pages, www.hyperionchildrensbooks.com
Snoring isn't the only think that Little Runt has to deal with when he sleeps with all the bed hogs
in his family in Sooey, South Dakota. They dance and drool in their sleep, and have stinky feet. As
he strategically throws each hog out of the bed, Runt exclaims "Aahh, much better!" Finally
alone, Little Runt realizes he will never get to sleep without his familiar bed hogs. Kelly
DiPucchio hams it up in her debut for this fun read-aloud picture book. Kids will enjoy the
backwards countdown, and repeating the book's familiar refrain until all the bed hogs are kicked
out.
The Supernaturalist
Eoin Colfer
Hyperion
114 Fifth Ave., NY, NY 10011-5690
ISBN 0786851481 $16.95, 268 pages, www.hyperionchildrensbooks.com
Best-selling author Eoin Colfer ("Artemis Fowl") takes readers to the not-too-distant future with
"The Supernaturalist," a novel replete with his trademark high-tech action and humor. In a place
called Satellite City, 13-year-old Cosmo Hill is unfortunate enough to come into the world
unwanted by his parents. And so, as are all orphaned boys his age, Cosmo is dipped in a vaccine
vat and sent to the Clarissa Frayne Institute of Parentally Challenged Boys freight class. The
orphans, called "no-sponsors," are out to work by the state, testing dangerous products unsafe for
human use. By the time the no-sponsors are sent to their cardboard utility pipes, given their
nightly meal pack, and finally fall asleep, they are often covered in wounds from the workday.
Cosmo nearly dies escaping, but is rescued by a gang of "Supernaturalists," a motley crew of kids
with psychic ability one that Cosmo soon learns he too has. Together they patrol the city, trying
to save what's left of humanity from the Parasites. Or so they think. When they discover a
horrifying secret, it forces them to question everything they believe in. A tremendous novel of
futuristic suspense for ages 10 15.
Paul Needs Specs
Bernard Cohen, illustrated by Geoff Kelly
Kane/Miller
P.O. Box 8515, La Jolla, CA 92038
ISBN 1929132611 $15.95, 32 pages. www.kanemiller.com
This Australian import is a helpful fictional picture book story designed to introducer young
eye-glass recipients to their new corrective eyewear. Told from the point-of-view of Paul's young
sister, Sally, she explains the symptoms Paul experienced and worried over. "Has the world gone
fuzzy, Sal?" he ponders. Wise-beyond-her-years Sally figures out the problem and takes bro to the
optometrist's. Each spread gently walks readers through the eye test process and glasses selection
process. Though the writing is more utilitarian than interesting, the bold and bright contemporary
art makes the ordeal fun, not scary, and goes a long way to lighten the mood.
Kingfisher First Dictionary
Kingfisher First Thesaurus
Kingfisher / Houghton Mifflin
222 Berkeley St., Boston, MA 02116
ISBN 0753458071 (Dictionary)
ISBN 0753458072 (Thesaurus)
$9.95, 176 & 144 pages, www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com
Bright, attractive, and easy-to-read, these new hands-on reference books for young readers are
excellent choices to introduce students to practical dictionary and thesaurus usage. More than
1,000 striking images will draw them in to the "Kingfisher First Dictionary" color photos and
illustrations, primarily and more then 1,500 word entries will bring them back again and again.
A simple "how to use" page gives basic directions, entries are succinct with occasional
pronouncing details, color-coded edge strips makes eases alphabetical searches (though tabs or
cut outs would have greatly enhanced this feature). More thorough, full-page definitions are given
in to a handful of subjects such as vegetables and musical instruments, and scattered wordplay
activities add fun and games. "Kingfisher's First Thesaurus" is considerably less-colorful and more
utilitarian, containing no nonsense word finders, topic features, and an illustration or more on
every page, as well as wordplay activities.
One Night
Margaret Wild
Knopf / Random House
1540 Broadway, NY, NY 10036
ISBN 0375829202 $15.95, 236 pages, www.randomhouse.com/teens
If only takes one night to change your life forever, poses this serious, yet hopeful novel-in-poems
for ages 12 and up. Gabe, Al and Bram are a well-oiled, party-throwing machine. Gabe is the
handsome but heartless girl-collector. Al is the drifter and drinker who keeps things interesting.
Bram is the ruthless, calculating schemer. Their no-holes system for the party that's the best-kept
secret in town is perfect, especially for three boys who have everything to hid. Until the night
Helen shows up. In just one night they will be swept up in the "perfect" party that changes
everything. The common teen themes of anger, love and disillusionment are the foundational
issues here, and readers will identify with at least one of the primary characters. The intensity of
the drama tumbles everyone through betrayal, grief, coping and ultimately the hope for love and
happiness that young teens crave. The novel-in-poems format, however, takes getting used to and
is likely to limit its appeal.
Tending To Grace
Kimberly Newton Fusco
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
1540 Broadway, NY, NY 10036
ISBN 0375828621 $14.95, 176 pages, www.randomhouse.com/kids
The coming-of-age novel, "Tending To Grace," tells the story of fourteen-year-old Cornelia, a girl
who has cared for her mother Lenore for as long as she can remember. She cooks her meals,
cleans the house and has become accustomed to her solitary existence. But when Lenore takes off
with her new boyfriend for Las Vegas, Cornelia is abruptly shipped to her Aunt Agatha's farm in
New England, and at first wonders if her life with her mother wasn't so bad after all. Cornelia
must now find her place living with her crazy, independent Aunt but with no one to take care of, it
looks like Cornelia might have to finally take a closer look at herself. First-time novelist Kimberly
Newton Fusco is a fresh new voice. For ages 12 and up.
Ruby and the Sniffs
Michael Emberley
Little, Brown and Company
1271 Ave. of the Americas, NY, NY 10020
ISBN 0316236640 $15.95, 32 pages, www.twbookmark.com/children
With a broad not to Goldilocks, this adventurous sequel to "Ruby" reintroduces the irrepressible
mouse with city-smarts and a sassy, attitude that like-minded youngsters can't help but appreciate.
With her bright red overalls and backwards baseball cap meke her a hip heroin who's not afraid to
rise to a challenge. When she hears a commotion in the supposedly vacant apartment upstairs and
assumes that the racket's being made by burglars, nothing can keep her from investigating. But
when the noisemakers turn out to be the new piggy neighbors, the Sniffs, simply moving in, Ruby
gets an extremely ham-handed welcome. Wordiness and confusing dialog unfortunately smothers
the story, making this an unusually difficult picture book read.
You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together
Mary Ann Hoberman, Illustrated by Michael Emberley
Little, Brown and Company
1271 Ave. of the Americas, NY, NY 10020
ISBN 0316146110 $16.95, 32 pages, www.twbookmark.com/children
Following the success of her New York Times bestseller, "You Read to Me, I' ll Read to You:
Very Short Stories to Read Together, award winning author Mary Ann Hoberman created this
cheerful companion. Designed with budding readers in mind, each of the eight fairy tales have
been given a new twist and is set in three columns and three colors as a script for two voices to
read separately or together. From the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk (in which Jack negotiates for
the ogre's hen) to Goldilocks (in which Baby Bear helps the famed intruder find her way home),
acclaimed writer Mary Ann Hoberman cleverly disguises reading skill development in her
child-friendly rhymes, while Michael Emberley's warm and witty watercolors make for another
irresistible package.
Hilda Must Be Dancing
Karma Wilson, illustrated by Suzanne Watts
Margaret K. McElderry Books / Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10020
ISBN 0689847882 $15.95, 32 pages, www.Simon SaysKids.com
From the author of "Bear Snores On" comes this new picture book take of a hippo who just
doesn't know her place. Hilda loves to dance, but there's just one problem she's a hulking hippo
who's not too light on her toes. When Hilda dances, it sounds like this: KA-BUMP! KA-BUMP!
CRASH! CRASH! CRASH! What's a born-to-dance hippo to do? The other animals beg her to
find a quieter, safer hobby more in keeping with her bulk. Knitting, perhaps? Or singing? For
Hilda, nothing else will do, of course. A cute and rollicking story about being true to oneself for
young readers ages 4-6.
The Hippo-NOT-amus
Tony and Jan Payne, illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees
Orchard Books / Scholastic
557 Broadway, NY, NY 10012-3999
ISBN 0439564182 $15.95, 32 pages, www.scholastic.com
Portly is a young hippo trying to be everything he's not. The hippo-NOT-amus, after all, didn't
ask to be a hippo he was just born that way. Frankly, he's starting to find being a hippo kind of
boring eating grass and standing in the water all day up to his eyeballs really, no fun at all! So
Portly embarks on a journey to figure out what kind of animal to be, and along the way meets all
kinds of inspiring creatures. The bright and simple repetitive text makes his identity crisis a funny
adventure for young readers ages four to eight.
The Amazing Mr. Franklin: or the Boy Who Read Everything
Ruth Ashby
Peachtree Publishers
1700 Chattahoochee Ave., Atlanta, GA 30318-2112
ISBN 1561453064 $12.95, 144 pages, www.peachtree-online.com
This new early reader biography of Benjamin Franklin celebrates his upcoming 300th birthday and
focuses on his love of books. Ben Franklin was always a "bookish" boy. The first book he read
was the Bible at age five, and then every printed word in his father's small home library. Ben
wanted to read more, but books were expensive. He wanted to go to school and learn more, but
his family needed him to work. But Ben turned his love of reading and learning into something
more by first working as a printer's apprentice, then setting up his own printing business. Later he
became the first bookseller in Philadelphia, started a newspaper, published "Poor Richard's
Almanac," and organized the first subscription lending library: the Library Company. This
fast-paced biography presents well-documented facts, and demonstrates how Franklin's insatiable
desire for knowledge was the foundation of all his great accomplishments. Inspiring reading for
ages 7 to 10.
Daredevils
Anne Capeci
Peachtree Publishers
1700 Chattahoochee Ave., Atlanta, GA 30318-2112
ISBN 1561453072 $12.95, 122 pages, www.peachtree-online.com
This easy-to-read adventure is the second in the new "Cascade Mountain Railroad Mysteries"
series for elementary school readers. With "Daredevils," excitement is in the air in the Pacific
Northwest. The remote railroad camp town of Scenic, Washington is preparing for an air show
starring Ross Elliston, a dashing flying ace. Billy, Finn and Dannie can't wait to meet the Great
War hero who happens to be Finn's uncle. But the kids' enthusiasm is dampened by the antics
of Phillip Mackey, a spoiled rich kid visiting from Chicago. And there's something else: bootleg
liquor is being smuggled into Washington state from Canada, and police keep botching gangster
raids. The fast-paced story is fun, the color illustrations lively, and historical background
accurate.
La La Rose
Satomi Ichikawa
Philomel / Penguin
345 Hudson St., NY, NY 10014
ISBN 0399240292 $15.99, 32 pages, www.penguinputnam.com
La La Rose is a pink rabbit. She and her little girl, Clementine, are absolutely inseparable. Until
one day in Luxembourg Gardens, that is, when the unthinkable happens: La La Rose gets left
behind. Boys toss her in a trash can, a jogger runs with her, a dog drags her from the fountain. As
La La Rose keeps getting farther and farther from her Clementine, hope is lost too. Will she ever
be safe in Clementine's arms again? In this touching love story, Satomi Ichikawa captures the very
special love between a child and her favorite stuffed animal.
Splintering
Eireann Corrigan
Push / Scholastic
557 Broadway, NY, NY 10012-3999
ISBN 0439535972 $16.95, 184 pages, www.scholastic.com
Told in alternating brother-sister perspectives, through a series of free verse poems, "Splintering"
is a moving story about a family that has its fa‡ade shattered by a random act of violence and must
deal with all that is revealed underneath. It's about the aftermath what happens after a stranger
breaks into a house and attacks a family. As she did in "You remind Me of You," author Eireanne
Corrigan uses poems to cut to the bone. The immediacy of the narrative voice is a powerful
magnet that will deeply touch the hearts of sensitive young adult readers.
Inside Grandad
Peter Dickinson
Wendy Lamb Books / Random House
1540 Broadway, NY, NY 10036
ISBN 0385746415 $15.95, 120 pages, www.randomhouse.com/kids/
Does it just happen that Gavin and Grandad see the seal while they're fishing in the harbor of their
quaint Scottish town? And that Grandad talks about the selkies, the seal people who can take
human form? Gavin and Grandad have always been close. So when Grandad suffers a stroke and
lies helpless in the hospital, it's up to Gavin tries extra hard to get through to him, even when
everyone else gives up. Desperate, he turns to the selkies for help but are they real or imagined?
And what can he give them to show them how much it matters? Despite the fantasy elements,
"Inside Grandad" is largely predictable and sentimental. Sensitive readers age 9 to 12 may find it a
moving portrait of family devotion.
The Assassins of Rome
Caroline Lawrence
Roaring Brook Press / Millbrook Press
2 Old New Milford Rd., Brookfield, CT 06804
ISBN 0761319409 $15.95, 164 pages
The latest in "The Roman Mysteries" series takes readers back to September, A.D. 79 in Ostia,
near Rome. There, Flavia Gemina, the sea captain's daughter, Nubia, an African girl, and Lupus, a
mute boy, are celebrating their friend Jonathan's birthday. A visitor from the past arrives to see
Jonathan's father, but the next day, both have them have disappeared. When the three friends
discover that Jonathan has gone on a secret mission to Rome, they're determined to follow him.
The quest takes them to the Golden House of the Emperor Nero, where a deadly assassin is at
work, and brings them face-to-face with the terrible destruction of Jerusalem and its impact on
Jonathan's family. This fourth volume in the series is a fast-paced adventure based on solid
research based on ancient Roman life. For middle grade readers 9 and up.
Belling the Tiger
Mary Stoltz, illustrated by Pierre Pratt
Running Press
125 South Twenty-Second St., Philadelphia, PA 19103-4399
ISBN 0762418893 $15.95, 32 pages, www.runningpress.com
For the first time, Mary Stoltz's 1962 Newbery Honor winner, "Belling the Tiger," returns in a
new picture book format, featuring bright new artwork by illustrator Pierre Pratt ("Albert, the
Dog Who Liked to Ride in Taxis"). The classic story is of two small mice who become heroes in
the most unlikely way when they get the big idea to hang a collar around a hungry cat 's neck to
warn the mousy prey. When Bob and Ozzie mistakenly nominate themselves fo the task of belling
the housecat, the two find themselves outside their home for the first time ever. They stow away
on a ship and sail to a strange land where they bell the biggest cat they've ever seen. But will
anyone back home believe them? A grand tale, well told, and freshly rendered for new
generations.
The Trucker
Brenda and Mark Weatherby
Scholastic Press
557 Broadway, NY, NY 10012-3999
ISBN 0439398770 $15.95, 32 pages, www.scholastic.com
It's a dream come true when a little boy's toy turck becomes a real one in the new picture book,
"The Trucker," for boys age 3 to 5. Early one morning, as little Wesley is playing quietly in his
room, something happens to his red semi-flatbed rig. First it begins to rattle and shake, then it
grows, and grows, and grows. The whimsical story an bold, realistic illustrative art makes the
excitement of the adventure come alive. "The Trucker" is a wonderful, high-octane fantasy for
young truck lovers everywhere.
Tales From Shakespeare
Tina Packer
Scholastic Press
557 Broadway, NY, NY 10012-3999
ISBN 0439321077 $24.95, 192 pages, www.scholastic.com
More than 400 years after the death of William Shakespeare, his creations continue to inspire. Ten
of the Bard's most popular and powerful works for readers of all ages, are gathered in this
beautiful compilation by Tina Packer, President and Artistic Director of Shakespeare & Company.
Ten plays Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Othello, King Lear,
Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It. Macbeth, and The Tempest are retold with rich
Shakespearian wit and wisdom. The piece de resistance, however, is the art. Each play is
accompanied by splendid original art by 10 acclaimed illustrators, namely Gail De Marcken. P.J.
Lynch, Mary Grandpre, Leo & Diane Dillon, Barbara McClintock, Barry Moser, Mark Teague,
Kadir Nelson, Chesley McLaren, and David Shannon.
Powerful Words: More the 200 Years of Extraordinary Writing by African Americans
Scholastic
557 Broadway, NY, NY 10012-3999
ISBN 0439409691 $19.95, 178 pages, www.scholastic.com
Words can motivate and stir the soul. Words can open the door to new and better ways of
understanding. Words can change things. "Powerful Words: More the 200 Years of Extraordinary
Writing by African Americans" gathers together the dynamic, timely, eloquent and enduring
writings of more than 30 African Americans from colonial times to today. Edited by Wade
Hudson, this impressive collection explores the many essential aspects of the African-American
odyssey in America: the courageous struggle against slavery, discrimination, and racism; the
shaping of a national African-American community; and the enormous contributions that
community has made to help our country grow. Evocative portraits illustrate the lasting impact of
writings by Benjamin Banneker, Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. DuBois, Mary McCleod Bethune,
Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison, Lauryn Hill and many more.
Jump Man
James Valentine
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
1230 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10020
ISBN 0639868723 $14.95, 270 pages, www.SimonSaysKids.com
Theo knows the rule, just as every kid for the year 15 billion and 73 does: When using your
TimeMaster JumpMan for routine time travel, don't touch anything. And usually, when traveling
to routine JumpSites like Three Seconds After the Big Bang or the Building of the Great Pyramid,
this is no problem. But Theo's latest TimeJump is anything but routine. First, this Jump has put
him in the early 21st Century, of all places. Second, he's found himself visible to Genevieve and
Jules, just as Jules is about to ask Genevieve out on a date. And finally, his JumpMan won't send
him back where he came from. Will Theo get back to his own time without disintegrating? Will
the very fabric of space be torn to shreds? And most importantly, will Jules ever get to ask Gen
out on that date? Only time will tell in this roller-coaster ride of action humor, and suspense.
Contemporary fun for ages 8-12.
Wonderful Words
Selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Karen Barbour
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
1230 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10020
ISBN 0689835884 $16.95, 32 pages, www.SimonSaysKids.com
This collection of 15 poems about reading, writing, speaking and listening is a tribute to those
wonderful words everywhere. Whether we're sharing poems or secrets, acting onstage, or just
telling jokes, the words we use are out best friends, these selections agree. Works by Emily
Dickinson, Eve Merriam, Carl Sandburg, Richard Armour, Karla Kuskin, Ann Whitford Paul,
Nikki Grimes, Patricia and Fredrick McKissack and others, make whispers, metaphors, and
dreams come alive, while Karen Barbour's cheerful illustrations interpret the magic of language
with vivid hues.
The Truth About Forever
Sarah Dessen
Viking / Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers
345 Hudson St., NY, NY 10014
ISBN 0670036390 $16.99, 376 pages, www.penguinputnam.com
Filled with fear since the death of her father, Macy spends a summer learning to let others into her
life, especially Wes. Wes is a study in contrasts he's a reform school resident and soulful artist,
the kind of boy who makes grils swoon when they see him, though he doesn't notice. He's
completely different from anyone Macy has ever knows, but something about him lets Macy break
out into the unknown, away from her carefully crafted life. At its core, this novel is about
beginnings and endings, losses and gains, all folding into one long stretch, one lifetime, and one
forever. Together, Macy and fans of author Sarah Dessen's popular novels, will learn to cope
with the curves life throws.
Flying Blind
Anna Myers
Walker & Co.
435 Hudson St., NY, NY 10014
ISBN 0802788793 $16.95, 180 pages www.walkerbooks.com
Ben Riley is restless. He loves his adopted father, Professor, but he doesn' t want to sell the
"magic" herbal elixir they hawk at their traveling medicine show. He wants to study real medicine,
but how can he if it means leaving his father? Murphy, their pet macaw, knows what Ben must do.
A self-proclaimed "seer," Murphy receives a powerful message that the three of them must
journey to Florida. Danger awaits them there. Egrets are being slaughtered for their beautiful
feathers, so they are compelled to stop the killing, but soon the lines between right and wrong
become blurred. Anna Myers' intriguing morality drama is coming-of-age story about courage,
desperation, and hope set at the turn of the century. For ages 10 to 14.
Vicki Arkoff
Reviewer
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
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