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Shelley's Bookshelf
Secret of the Scroll
Chester D. Campbell
Durban House Publishing Company, Inc.
7502 Greenville Ave., Suite 500, Dallas, TX 75231
ISBN: 1930754248, $15.95
Chester D. Campbell attended the University of Tennessee and edited a local magazine. He has
written speeches, worked in advertising and public relations, and management. He served in the
Army Air Corps in WW II, was an Air Force intelligence officer in Korea, and retired from the Air
Force Reserve as a lieutenant colonel. He presently lives in Madison, Tennessee with his wife.
Retired Colonel Greg McKenzie and his wife, Jill, are enjoying a trip to the Holy Land, when an
insistent vendor sells them a jar filled with what turns out to be an ancient papyrus which contains
directions for items that could cause World War III in the region. When McKenzie's wife disappears,
he decides his background in intelligence might be of more use than the local police who have an axe
to grind with him, and that axe has a long reach:
"'That's for sure. The reason for my call, I wondered if you know a patrol sergeant named Christie?'
'Gerald Christie?' 'Short guy, fortyish, short brown hair.' 'That's Gerald. You run into him?' 'Yes.
Unfortunately.' 'I can imagine. He's Mark Tremaine's brother-in-law.' I winced. If that was the luck
of the draw, my luck wasn't worth two cents."
McKenzie splits his time negotiating with two opposing groups, who want the artifact, and
consulting experts to determine just what he has in his possession. When one of the experts is killed,
McKenzie swings into high gear to get his wife back.
Secret of the Scroll is a thriller in every sense of the word. Written post 9/11, Campbell brings a
wealth of information into play in the person of Greg McKenzie. He simplifies the age-old conflict
for the reader, all the while setting up cliff-hanging situations designed to keep the reader glued to
his book. I couldn't put it down! His writing style is as full of energy as his characters. Campbell
makes McKenzie into a 65 year old rebel who is irresistible and appealing. Great!
Southern Justice Lisa York and Terri Avery
McIntosh Press
450E Country Club Dr., Simi Valley, CA 93065
PH: 805-796-8618
E-mail: Averyyork@southernjustice.org
ISBN: 0971231303 $12.95 Southernjustice.org
Lisa York and Terri Avery have gotten together on the premise that women should be able to be
good friends and work together without constantly harpooning one another. Lisa York is an
executive manager who has also had a career with the Navy. Terry Avery is a successful writer,
businesswoman, and world traveler.
Detective Lane O'Shay had a terrible experience of rape and being brutally beaten and left for dead.
When she is called upon to solve a similar case involving a mysterious woman named True, she finds
herself not only embarking upon a journey of self-healing, but a path that will lead to a playa in
Mexico, remembrance of past history, and a new life for both herself and True, as True finds her
missing family:
"'Your father's father was named Don Felipe Martine. When he learned that your father had a gringo
mistress and two mixed-blood children, he sent his drug lords into the village.' Joy Wren's voice
grew smaller and quieter as she continued. 'They took what they wanted, and then they killed,
burned or destroyed what was left. All were fleeing for their lives. Don Felipe had planned the raid
while your father was on business in Belize, so that he would not be there to protect us...'"
Southern Justice is one of the most passionate, gut-wrenching, and thoroughly satisfying novels this
reviewer has read in a long time. The sensitivity of the two writers shines through on every page.
Although the authors claim to have no writing degrees, it is evident that their skills are very well
honed. I couldn't put the book down, and found myself crying along with the characters as they
picked their way through problems that were so real and easy to relate to for women that it is hard
to see why women don't understand each other better.
Southern Justice is a wonderful book that is a real page-turner. There is a murder mystery, but the
greater mystery lies in the character's search for healing and self-realization. It is a psychological
masterpiece, and is a beacon for any women who have been hurt by others.
Encore to Murder
Bill Stackhouse
iUniverse
ISBN: 0595256244 $17.95 US, $29.95 CAN 14.99 (GBP) U.K.
The various and sundry ways that people find to put their writing talents to work is fascinating. Bill
Stackhouse has a plethora of writing talents, as a mystery writer, playwright, and scriptwriter for a
production firm. He has penned seven plays, four of which have won awards. He has written
promotional videos for NASA, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Army Aviation & Missile
Command. Encore to Murder is his third novel, following up Stream of Death and Hickory,
Dickory.
Former homicide captain Ed McAvoy thinks he is in semi-retirement as Police Chief of Peekamoose
Heights, in the New York Catskills. He is in the bosom of family and friends, from the loud mouthed
sister-in-law, Lucille and his nephew, Larry, his partner and protege, to the local watering hole
called the "Plough and Whistle Pub," a cozy bar with its welcoming roaring fire. His direction of the
play "Match Point" is the closest to murder he thinks he will get until a body is discovered in a
sports car that has apparently missed the bend up at Ashokan Pass. But was it an accident?
"Ben's mind returned to his suite where he sat at the desk with the telephone receiver in his hand.
'Forgive me, Deanna, for sounding so dense, but are you saying that she was wearing contact
lenses?' 'Yes, but it's no big deal. I'll just...' 'I'll be right over.'"
Bill Stackhouse does a great job of combining his talents in the area of the stage with his prowess as
a mystery writer to create the "perfect investigation." Usually we as readers are watching as the
killer tries to outwit the police, but Stackhouse flip-flops that idea to create an intriguing story that
keeps the pages turning and the reader guessing. Ed McAvoy is a lovable, and obviously handsome,
ex-Detroit cop who still remembers the death of his partner, Kaz, in bittersweet flashes that come at
the most unexpected times. But he is rock-solid as an investigator, and his support system enables
him to come up with some innovative and unusual detecting devices that are most interest and
entertaining. This is a great read from an author who has the ability to make us feel good even as we
are reading about the death of a gorgeous model and businesswoman.
Woman, Divided
Melody M. Suppes
XLIBRIS.com
29707 Island View Drive, Palos Verdes, CA 90275
phone: (310) 544-2493 fax: (310) 544-8664
ISBN: 0738852597 $24.99
Melody Suppes is a Palos Verdes, California resident. She is a screenwriter and novelist. This is her
first Detective Herman Grabfelder mystery, the second being in production and tentatively entitled
Banana Bubblegum.
Detective Herman Grabfelder is definitely one of a kind. Looming large in the world, with blue eyes
which switch from the remorse and anguish he feels over his wife's suicide to the lasers of a man to
be reckoned with, "Hermie" is adorable in the old dog or teddy bear way. He has hosts of admirers
and people around him who are too scared to tell him how much they care, except his cat, Eleanor,
who knows his secrets, and his car, Roberta, who serves him loyally...bullet holes and all. But it
takes his human friends, Gordie (who looks like an African-American Tom Selleck) and Claire (his
new boss at a substation), plus the intelligent and wounded Nell, his new secretary and soon-to-be
admirer to pull him out of the doldrums when he meets and loses the ethereal Helen, bigamist and
murder victim:
"And so he was helpless and stood stock still while she studied his face with both curiosity and
certainty, as if she'd always know him and was taking her time refreshing her memory. 'Yes...' she
mused, 'I think it would be hard to tell... at first. Until I figured out how to look and what to look
for.'"
Helen, of course, turns up dead. So Hermie takes his famous nose, which drives him crazy in any
public place because it is autistic and can't block out ANY smells, his internal wounds, and his
genius, and puts them to work trying to avenge Helen's death. He also has a serial murderer on his
plate who leaves no trace for forensics other than a certain pattern of stab wounds. Hermie himself is
on the verge of death, but dutifully begins a workout and diet which saves his life. He then finds
himself strong enough to deal with both killers. Being L.A., every day police work is enough to put
anyone under. But Hermie continues doggedly, much to the reader's delight.
Melody Suppes has created characters that are not only larger than life, but are absolutely
convincing and fascinating. Hermie is a sweetie whom the readers will want more of. Great!
The Mystery at Orchard House
Joan Coggin
The Rue Morgue Press
PO Box 4119, Boulder, CO 80306
Tel: 800-699-6214 Fax: 303-443-4010
ISBN: 0915230542 $14.95
Joan Coggin wrote her mysteries between 1935 and 1949, which included the Lady Lupin Quartet
and six girls' books under the pseudonym Joanna Lloyd. Coggin was born in 1898 in Lemsford,
Hertfordshire, the granddaughter of Edward Lloyd of "Lloyd's Weekly London Newspaper." Coggin
lost her mother at age eight, and moved to Eastbourne on the Eastern edge of Britain. She
graduated from Wycombe Abbey in 1916 and spent some time as a nurse at an Eastbourne hospital.
She began writing in 1930 and stopped in 1949. She died in 1980 at age 82.
Lady Lupin Lorrimer Hastings is an attractive, albeit scatterbrained, wife of an older husband who
happens to be a minister. Her husband, Andrew, is the vicar at St. Marks Parish. Lady Lupin is off
for a rest cure, after a case of influenza, leaving Andrew and her two year old toddler for a country
hotel called "Orchard House" owned by her friend Diana Turner. But from the first evening there, it
is evident that Lady Lupin is going to do anything but rest:
"And a good idea of hers, too. I had scarcely got into bed before someone came in to say that her
mother was having a fit and could I lend her some sal volatile. In the end she went away with the
brandy, and by the way, Staines, you'd better get some more, we'll never see that again and it was in
my silver flask, too. Then someone else came in to say that she couldn't sleep with her husband and
what had she better do, then she disappeared, I don't know where, and still another woman took her
place and said that she'd lost her child. Naturally I was upset about that. Suppose it had been Peter!
So I tried to organize a search party and would you believe it, in the middle, after I had woken
everyone up and sent them out into the grounds, the child turned out to be some moldy old
manuscript and I might just as well have stayed in bed."
But possessions continue disappearing, and there are two car accidents. Lady Lupin has to take over
managing the hotel when one accident lays Diana Turner low, and that's when things start to get
really interesting. Written as a complete cozy, Joan Coggin mesmerizes the reader with the
enchanting Lady Lupin and her well-meaning ways. A delightful rainy day read.
Shelley Glodowski
Reviewer
Shirley's Bookshelf
A Savior Worth Having
E.V. Hill
Moody Press
820 North Lasalle Drive, Chicago, IL 60610
ISBN# 0802431291, 174 pages, $17.99, 1-800-621-5111, http://www.moodypress.com
Although it saddens my heart to say that this old world no longer has this excellent author among us,
I rejoice for the joy that surely he must be experiencing. The book "A Savior Worth Having", that he
has left with us, is a touching, loving drawing card for mankind to understand the saving grace of
Jesus Christ. His stories are told in a down to earth, simple way, holding no bars and pulling no
punches, he shares his faith, his experiences, and his decision in accepting Jesus. His reasons for not
wanting to go to hell are clear cut and eye opening! I laughed and I cried reading this outstanding
book by E.V. Hill. An encourager for the faithful and a thought provoking book for the seeker.
Jessie Captures A Star
Tara Panrucker
ISBN# 1553131762
Adventure Book Publishers
http://www.puzzlesbyshar/adventurebooks.com
Adventure@puzzlesbyshar.com 23 pages $3.99 Download
Jessie is a pretty little 7 year old girl who is struggling with being jealous. Why she is jealous of her
best friends two new dollies, and she is even jealous of her brother's birthday presents. Poor Jessie!
Jessie wants something of her very own and decides she wants a star. She closes her eyes and makes
a wish but whenshe wakes up the next morning, no star is there? Jessie is sad! So, she rides her bike
up on the hill, hoping being closer to the sky and making her wish there, it just might come true.
However, the only thing Jessie gets is to go to bed without her bedtime story. Poor Jessie! Finally
Jessie tells Mom what is troubling her and that she really would like to own a star. Jessie's Mom, full
of wisdom took Jessie to an internet site called "International Star Registry", where people can buy
their very own star and even name it. Now Jessie was happy, but she still had to raise the money to
buy her star. This is a great little story, showing that children struggle with different emotions as we
do. Once Jessie confronted her emotions, she was able to turn things around. Jessie even named her
star after her best friend Natalie. A good little tale!
Chilling Stories
Jesiah Adams
The Tale of Shillmore Mansion
Lisa Allen
ISBN# 155313265 50 pages Adventure Book Publishers
http://www.puzzlesbyshar/aventurebooks.com
Download $3.99 adventures@puzzlesbyshar.com
Everybody needs a grandpa like 10 year old Roscoe has. Jesiah Adams, the local storyteller and
Roscoe's grandfather is every child's delight. When Grandpa Jesiah sits on his porch all the children
of the neighborhood gather around, because his stories are made of the fiber that tickles the
imagination of every young heart. Shillmore Mansion, a forbidden place in their world, was such a
mystery to the children that they were delighted to hear Grandpa begin the story of two young
friends Rob and Christina, who would do anything on a bet, even visit Shillmore Mansion! Grandpa
tells how the bully of the neighborhood, Cramer, bet the two that they would not spend 3 hours in
the mysterious abandoned Shillmore mansion. Rob and Christina had never turned down a bet, so
the children made their way to the mansion and the adventure began. This tale was delightful, as Rob
and Christina begin their journey inside the massive mansion. Who were these strange women they
saw doing a weird dance in a circle? Were they truly floating off the ground? The pair really didn't
want to know! Ah! Hidden passageways bring more adventure as the children barely escape being
cornered by a woman, who certainly has all the characteristics of, well shall we say a witch? But
who could tell? Finding a crystal ball that glowed at the onsite of danger was the highlight for young
Christina and meeting the delightful Mr. Peabody who helped the children find their way out of the
mansion before harm came to them, was a very good turn of events. How long had Mr. Peabody
lived there anyway? There certainly were a lot of occupants in what was suppose to be a deserted
mansion! Chilling Stories is a light whimsical read that adults and children will enjoy. I hope they go
back to Shillmore Mansion and do some more investigating, I'd like to know what else is in there, or
who else is in there, and just what they are all doing! Another story? I hope so! A good read!
================================
INTERVIEW WITH CHAS. S. ELINSKY - Author of "MEISAS" Mr. Elinsky, I want to thank you
for allowing me to do this interview with you. Please tell our readers something about yourself.
ELINSKY: I was in banking and finance for over 40 years prior to retirement as a senior bank
officer. I also served as president of several banking organizations because no one else wanted the
jobs! In addition, I was the general manager of the Cleveland Jewish News, a successful local
community newspaper.
SPJ: Mr. Elinsky, is "Meisas" your first published work?
ELINSKY: Meisas is my one and only published book although I am working on a second effort
with a similar format.
SPJ: I am very interested in knowing how you obtained the idea for your work, would you share
that with us please?
ELINSKY: Being advanced in age and with several serious indispositions and being a widower, I
am left with writing as an only alternative to going batty. I have been a storyteller and unofficial
entertainer all my life and many have told me to put my stories in book form.
SPJ: I love your use of humor in your work, and I can tell by Emailing you that you are a great
upbeat person. It's nice to meet someone like you, and I do appreciate you and your work. Tell us,
why put Yiddish in your book? That is a different twist and a very welcome one, I might add! I
found learning what different words meant a lot of fun and learning about Jewish traditions was very
insightful for me.
ELINSKY: Yiddish was the home language of my youth and it bears considerable nostalgia for me.
While Yiddish is a declining language, I found it very useful in communicating with immigrants
whom I taught English (volunteer) as a second language. It permitted me to teach successfully.
SPJ: Mr. Elinsky, how long did it take you to complete your work?
ELINSKY: From eight to ten weeks. Being retired, I was able to devote time to complete
concentration. Much of the material was from personal life and simple to replicate.
SPJ: You do a wonderful job, may I ask you how long you have been writing?
ELINSKY: I earned a degree in English Literature many years ago. I found the academics helpful in
writing bank reports,effective collection letters and excuses for personal defaults.
SPJ: Many of the authors I hear from have a very hard time finding a publisher. How was your
experience in this area?
ELINSKY: No problem. This new digital printing process enabled me to have my book published
fairly easily and rapidly.
SPJ: Mr. Elinsky, are any of the people in your stories, people you know? Are these stories based on
truth?
ELINSKY: The part of the book which deals with my youth and army experience is true.
SPJ: What did you find was the hardest part in writing "Meisas?"
ELINSKY: Researching the facts to ascertain accuracy of events and biblical references. The joyful
part was presenting partial test manuscripts to a select audience and receiving their approval.
Finding a heterogeneous group to test the material objectively was time consuming and
difficult.
SPJ: I have heard often about the dreaded "writer's block", did you experience this at all?
ELINSKY: I did not experience any because I have been entertaining without notes for years and
pretended I was entertaining an audience.
SPJ: Well, you certainly did a wonderful job! How much research went into your book?
ELINSKY: All biblical references and holiday events were double checked for accuracy.
SPJ: You say you are working on another book, would you tell us a little about this work
please?
ELINSKY: I am currently involved in writing somewhat of a sequel. The format is slightly different.
It deals with historical immigration into the United States with factual material followed by
whimsical matched anecdotes.
SPJ: When do you feel your second book will be ready for release?
ELINSKY: I am about one-third through. I do not intend to publish until my first book is on the way
to reasonable sales. All things being normal, I would guess about nine months to one year - G-d
willing.
SPJ: I look forward to reading that work when it is complete. Mr. Elinsky, I have one spot that I am
most comfortable writing at, do you also have a creative spot?
ELINSKY: My computer chair is my one and only writing spot.
SPJ: Thank you! Let me ask you this, did writing this book change you in anyway?
ELINSKY: I realized how little I know and need to increase my efforts in seeking more
knowledge.
SPJ: Don't we all! Mr. Elinsky, what do you hope readers will take away with them after reading
your book?
ELINSKY: I delight in hearing them say, "It was a fun read. I had a good laugh throughout." The
feeling of making readers enjoy and relax during these perilous times because of my personal
contribution is one of tremendous achievement.
SPJ: I will say, it was a fun read! What was your favorite part of the book?
ELINSKY: The introduction as it recalls youth and family.
SPJ: Tell me please, what advice would you give to other authors seeking publication?
ELINSKY: Understand that publishing is easy. Marketing the book is usually very difficult and is
expensive.
SPJ: Please tell us about marketing your book.
ELINSKY: Because of "on-demand" printing making publishing easy, anyone with a manuscript and
some cash can create a book. Creating public demand for that book is key. Contacting book stores
and allowing them to inventory your effort is insufficient. One needs to advertise the book through
promotions, signings, media book reviews and etc. It takes time, money and lots of effort. It soon
becomes evident that a publisher who can afford these things be solicited to produce your book.
Best bet for this, of course, is a professional literary agent.
SPJ: One last question please. Was there anyone who gave you the most encouragement in your
writing?
ELINSKY: Because of my G-d given talent to tell anecdotes (usually on demand), many have
inspired me to put those stories in a book. If the number of people who motivated me to write a
book would buy the book they inspired, I'd be a rich man!!!!!!
SPJ: Mr. Elinsky, please use this space for any thoughts you would like to leave with our
readers.
ELINSKY: I wrote this book at the advanced age of 78 which, of course, means that age is
insignificant when desire is there. I am hooked on to oxygen for emphysema with myriad physical
problems with heart surgery, colon removal, prostate cancer and hearing loss. Authoring this book
forces me to think of humor rather than moan over my physical limitations.
Grandma Moses painted successfully at an advanced age. Consider me a Grandpa Moses (Moshie)
in Yiddish. SPJ: Mr. Elinsky, you are a gem and I thank you for allowing me to do this interview
with you. I have enjoyed getting to know you and I truly enjoyed reading your work " Meisas". I
look forward to your sequel. I wish you the best in the future in all you do. Shalom!
CONTACT INFORMATION: Email: MrE313@aol.com
Book Purchase Information: http://www.1stbooks.com
================================
Meisas
Chas. S. Elinsky
1stBooks
http://www.1stbooks.com
Ebook $3.95 Paperback $9.50 109 pages
ISBN# 1403315043
ISBN# 1403315051 $18.50
ISBN# 1-4033-1506-X
How often do you read a book that you can learn something and chuckle at the same time? Mr.
Elinsky has achieved this in his work Meisas! A light hearted compilation of jokes, anecdotes and
absolutely delightful tales, all threaded together for the readers pure enjoyment. Have you ever
wondered about certain Jewish traditions? You'll find out what they are about in this enlightening
read. I found myself saying, "Ah, so that is why they do that! Now I understand." Outstanding
information, and written in such a fun way! The author also includes a few tid-bits that will make
you wonder, such as, the information given of the theory that the Native North American's ancestry
is traced to a supposed Israelite migration of the Lost Tribe. Quite intriguing! Could it be
so? Certainly gave me something to ponder, I like that!
I also enjoyed learning some of the Yiddish language, and I liked the listing in the back of the book.I
told my grandchildren that I was their Bubbie. They didn't really say much, but then again, I think
they may call me many names behind my back; they'll just add this one to their list! "Oy Veh!" Now,
if I hear a word, say in a movie, I can look it up and know what they are talking about! Great idea!
All in all, this was both an educational and a fun read. I believe anyone who would like a good
chuckle and a learning experience in Judaism should grab up this treasure and enjoy! Thank you Mr.
Elinsky! Mazel Tov!
RB-The Game
C.C. Colee
http://www.publishamerica.com
PO Box 151, Frederick, Maryland 21705
ISBN# 1592861350 $24.95 397 pages
Finally, I sat down with the final book in this delightful trilogy; I was excited! I have become totally
involved with the characters and was delighted to see how Aubrey blossomed into a full fledged
woman and a true pirate! I loved the way the authors developed this character, from a meek young
girl, into a powerful woman! The authors do not let you down in this final work, as they take you
from adventure to adventure. Battles with other pirates, mutiny and near death for our beloved main
characters fill the pages. Captain Black main quest throughout this work is to find his true love
Mala, who has been kidnapped by the notorious British Captain Alexander. More evil than any
pirate could be, you only wish for this man to have many life's so he can have them ended time and
time again. Although I did smile at his final demise! I loved the way the authors take you to the
Island home of Mala and bring a personal touch into the story, allowing you to meet her father and
brothers and hear delightful tales of her younger days. I giggled at the antics of Aubrey as the Chief
longed to make her one of his many wifes. I don't think he would have enjoyed the spice and vinegar
he would have found she was made of. You will cringe when Aubrey's uncle Jonathan Hacker comes
on the scene and does all in his power to take control of Aubrey and bring to an end the life she has
learned to love. Excellent twist of events ladies! And yes, again, I did smile at his final outcome! I
have to admit the only thing I wanted to see happen, which did not, was for Aubrey to realize she
loved Morgan. Alright, it's true, Jean Luc truly does love her, but Morgan would have been my
choice, had I been Aubrey! What can I say? I thought Morgan was number one from the beginning!
Again readers, there is so much in this wonderful adventure, that I could never bring all of it to light
in one short review. However, let me say this, you will not be disappointed in the final episode of
this trilogy. It is packed full of love, hate, adventure, mystery and yes, finally deep happiness for the
characters we have grown to love. Great job ladies! Where are we going now? This will be hard to
beat! Shirley Johnson/Reviewer
More Than Magick
Mary Taffs
ISBN# 1587493764
Download $4.75 Diskette $8.99 18 Chapters
AweStruck Ebooks
http://www.awe-struck.net
Mary Taffs does it again in her novel "More Than Magick". Continuing the story of Diana and Win
she immediately thrust you into their world of magic and adventure. What a writer! Win finally has
his dream job as Guardian and Diana is being forced to accept her destiny or perhaps lose more then
she ever imagined. This second book of Mary's Magick Trilogy is packed full of twists and turns that
will keep you in high gear throughout the read. The ending made my heart race and I loved every
minute of it. Mary how will you ever top this one? Excellent! A read you don't want to miss.
Shirley Johnson/Reviewer
================================
INTERVIEW WITH MARY TAFFS - AUTHOR OF NUMEROUS WORKS
SHIRLEY: I enjoyed reading Mary's two books in her Trilogy "Magick", and I look forward to the
final work, in that series. I like Mary and wanted to interview her and allow her to tell you her views
and ideas on writing and publisher. I believe you will enjoy this interview and I thank you Mary for
allowing me to do this with you. Let's begin!
Mary, please tell us how long you have been writing.
MARY: I've always wanted to be a writer, and have been seriously pursuing the craft since
1994.
SPJ: Mary, how many hours a day do you devote to your writing?
MARY: It varies considerably, depending on what stage I am in my current book. I spend at least a
couple of hours writing nearly every day.
SPJ: I really enjoyed reading "Magick" and "More Than Magick." How long did it take you to
complete the first two books of Magick? and what inspired you to write in this genre? How did you
come up with the storyline?
MARY: Each of those books took me a year to write. Some of that time was spent doing research,
but most of it was actual writing.
I've always loved stories involving magickal abilities, and I much prefer them to take place in the
world we live in today. When I read The Wizard of Seattle by Kay Hooper, I thought, "Oh, I'd
LOVE to write something like this someday!" But it was still a "someday" in my mind, and no story
ideas came to me as a result of that book.
Then, a couple of years ago, I decided I wanted to try something different than straight
contemporary romance. I started playing with story germs (little snippets that had come to me and
never fit into a book before), trying to turn them into a real story.
One germ had to do with the hero forcing (not persuading) the heroine to go on a trip with him, and
I was wondering how to do that without the hero instantly becoming a bad guy. I realized maybe he
was protecting her without her knowledge, but then why didn't he just TELL her what was going
on? Well, maybe she wouldn't BELIEVE him...
From that germ, I could have ended up with a romantic suspense story (and someday soon, I intend
to venture into that genre, too). But my desire to write something along the line of paranormal
and/or fantasy popped into my mind, and I was off and running!
SPJ: What you are doing is certainly working for you Mary! Let me ask you this, are your characters
based on people that you know, or have known? (I'd sure like to think there was a man like Win
around! :0)
MARY: My characters aren't ever based on real people. (Too bad, I'd love to run into MOST of my
heroes in real life!) I know each of them very well, and I understand them better than I do most real
people.
At the beginning of Magick, Win is brash, young, and sure of himself. He's excelled at his training
and is sure that he'll do just as well, now that he's on his first assignment. But "real life" is never
quite as easy as we think it will be. Many readers will remember their own younger days and identify
with him.
Diana is his opposite, to some extent. Her life has taught her that she's not good enough, yet she's
had it with allowing people to trample all over her. I imagine that most women can find a bit of
Diana hidden somewhere, deep inside themselves.
SPJ: I'm still going to believe there is a man like Win out there somewhere! Let me ask you this,
what do you want your readers to walk away with after reading your books?
MARY: I hope to brighten my readers' lives. So many people view the world today negatively and
find it very depressing. Yes, many awful things happen every day - but many wonderful things
happen each day, too. By enjoying and savoring the wonderful things and not letting the bad things
get us down, our lives can be happier and more fulfilling.
SPJ: Mary, I certainly enjoyed reading your works and they left me feeling good inside. Do you
think writing these books changed you in anyway and if so how?
MARY: They've helped me to become a better writer, for one thing. I've also done more thinking
about philosophy and religion over the past couple of years than I have in a long time!
SPJ: Are you working on the last book yet? If so, can you give us any hints of what is in it?
MARY: Yes, I'm currently writing the first draft of Healing Magick, the third book in the Magick
series. It will be out in May 2004. Win's sister, Sulis, is the heroine of this book. Win and Diana are
in it, but they're secondary characters. Sulis is a Healer, and she had a very traumatic experience
during More Than Magick, the second Magick book. She needs to Heal emotionally - so of course,
I'm throwing her straight into an adventure with a Mage she doesn't much like! To give you a hint
about the story, chapter one of my draft ends with Diana receiving this message from a Bedrock -
Help. Send Healer.
SPJ: It sounds like another winner Mary, I look forward to reading it. Do you have any other works
going at this time and if so what genre are they in?
MARY: I just finished a contemporary romance novella for Christmas 2003, and I'm playing with
plot ideas for a romance with some suspense for late 2004 or early 2005.
SPJ: Did you find it difficult to find a publisher and how long did it take you?
MARY: My contemporary romances don't fit any of the print publishers - they have elements that
aren't allowed in series romances and are too short for single-titles. I tried submitting them to
single-title publishers a couple of times, but got form letter rejections. I kept working to improve my
writing, and then in late 1998, I decided to try submitting to e-publishers. I got a couple of rejections
over the next six months, and then in late June 1999, Kathryn Struck of Awe-Struck said she wanted
to publish Martha's Madness. I was ecstatic!
SPJ: We thank Kathryn as well for bringing to us a super author! What would you like to tell the
publishers out there concerning first time authors trying to get their books published?
MARY: Be courteous, but PLEASE give the author some feedback on what you like or don't like!
It's very difficult to improve in a vacuum!
SPJ: Very good advice! Publishers! What advice would you give to the authors for getting their
books published?
MARY: Write a wonderful book! That's the real secret. CARE about your story. LIVE through the
story with your characters. Don't neglect punctuation, spelling, and grammar - they're usually easy to
fix and will result in a much more professional-appearing story. Don't be afraid to throw away
thousands of words - or hundreds of pages - of your writing. The important thing is to create a
compelling story and then tell it so that your readers will be on the edge of their seats waiting to see
what happens.
SPJ: Let me ask you a question about promoting. Do you have to promote your own work and if so
do you have any tips for our readers in this area?
MARY: Yes, I promote my books constantly. The most basic thing to do is to create a website,
using your writing name as the domain name if possible. Include your book covers, snippets of
reviews, excerpts from your books, and anything else that will attract readers. I run contests every
month and every quarter at my website, for example. Because my contests are listed on various
contest websites, they bring in people who've never before heard of me.
SPJ: Do you ever experience writer's block and if you do, how do you overcome it?
MARY: Not often. I've found that I get writer's block primarily if I'm trying to make the wrong
thing happen in a story. For example, one of my friends was trying to write the first love scene
between her characters in her current book. She set up a situation where they were alone overnight
and would have to sleep in the same bed to stay warm. The characters were very attracted to each
other. They would start to kiss or touch, and something would happen and they would back off.
This happened two or three times! Finally, my friend realized they weren't quite ready. She let them
give up - and the next night, WOW!
I have a rule now - if I'm not making progress in my story, I stop and think about what's happening.
Is it the right thing for the CHARACTERS at this point in time? If not, can I change the situation to
make it work? What else might work instead?
SPJ: Thank you Mary, you have some good ideas there! Let me ask you this, where do you see
yourself in your writing 5 years from now and what are you doing to accomplish that goal?
MARY: I'd like to be writing both romantic suspense and paranormal/fantasy romance, and I'd like
to publish two books a year. To get to that goal, I'm trying to increase my writing output by tracking
my progress and not taking a chunk of time off in between books, as I sometimes have. As I
mentioned earlier, I'm planning to make my next novel contemporary romance with suspense
elements. After that, I think I'll switch back and forth between genres.
I would also love to be published in mass-market paperback within the next 5 years. To try to make
that goal achievable, I'm continuing to work on my writing skills.
SPJ: On a more personal note, do you have the support of family and friends in your writing and
how important do you feel this is.
MARY: Yes, absolutely, I have their support. My almost-90-yr-old mom has been my first reader
since almost the beginning, and my writing career is nearly as important to her as it is to me. Various
other family members are also very supportive, and I have a number of good writing friends. I also
have one friend who doesn't write, but is a big fan and absolutely loves to brainstorm plots with
me.
I think it's really important to have the support of those closest to you, since being a writer has many
ups and downs. Also, speaking just for myself, being a writer is such a large part of who I am that if
someone couldn't or wouldn't accept that part of me, I'd have to wonder about how good a friend
they possibly could be.
SPJ: Those words were full of heart and wisdom. Thank you Mary for sharing that with us. Do you
have an agent and if not do you plan on pursing one?
MARY: No, I don't have an agent currently. I toy with the idea from time to time, but I haven't done
anything active about it for years. I have all I can do to deliver the books I have scheduled with
Awe-Struck!
SPJ: It certainly seems you are doing quite well on your own! Do you read other author's books and
if so what genre interests you?
MARY: I read about 90 books in 2002, and would read more if I had more time. My reading is all
fiction, except for an occasional writing book or other research material. The majority of my reading
is in the general romance genre, primarily paranormal, contemporary, and romantic suspense, with a
few historicals by favorite authors thrown in.
I also read mysteries, typically long-running series like Robert B.Parker's Spenser, Sue Grafton's
Kinsey Millhone, and Lilian Jackson Braun's The Cat Who. I've been reading a little straight fantasy,
since my Magick series is fantasy romance, but I find I miss the romance and that I really prefer
stories to take place in a "modern" society that uses technology.
SPJ: Mary, please use this space for any closing statement that you would like to leave with our
readers. Perhaps on your life, your works, or publishing in general.
MARY: I've wanted to write books since before I was old enough to read them, so having the
opportunity to do this full-time is a dream come true. It's an amazing thrill each time I find a reader
who has enjoyed one of my books.
Thanks for the opportunity to be interviewed. It's been great!
SPJ: Thank you Mary for the opportunity of reading and reviewing your books. They are very good
and I recommend them to our readers. (please see review in this column) Thank you also, for
allowing me to do this interview with you and for all the wonderful advice you have shared with us.
I believe you have a great future ahead of you, and will be looking forward to reviewing your next
work. God's blessings!
MARY TAFFS'S WORKS:
All of my books are available from Awe-Struck E-Books. My first five books are contemporary
romances: the Second Chances Trilogy (Celtic Knot, Martha's Madness, and Hot Fudge and
Peppermint), Stitches from the Heart, and Welcome to Nash's. My most recent books are fantasy
romances. Magick is out now and More Than Magick will be out in May 2003. I'll also be having a
contemporary romance novella, A Ring for Christmas, in an anthology coming out from Awe-Struck
in November 2003.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Mary Taffs
Website: http://www.marytaffs.com
Email: mary_taffs@yahoo.com
Books: Awe-struck Ebooks, Website: http://www.awe-struck.net
================================
INTERVIEW WITH NOLAN RADKE, EXECUTIVE EDITOR HOT JAVA
PRODUCTIONS
Turn Off the TV Turn On A Book!
Before we begin, I want to thank Nolan for taking the time to speak with me. It was a lot of fun
learning about a new company that has so much potential and so many possibilities for you, the
author. I hope you enjoy reading this interview as much as I enjoyed doing it. Thank you
Nolan!
Shirley: Nolan, please tell us a little of the beginnings of "Hot Java Productions."
Nolan: Hot Java was an Ad Agency that was founded about 4 years ago by Alan Freeman, who was
a cinematographer and Dave Miller, who was a broadcaster. Alan was working on a movie here in
Seattle and liked it so well that he ended up staying and started this business instead of going back to
California. Alan Freeman and Dave Miller put this together. They were doing commercials,
instruction videos and training videos and came up with the idea for Digital Binding, which is putting
books on DVD. It took two years to come up with the technology that is needed for the length of a
novel to be put on DVD; the process of Digital Binding is patent pending. In October, we started
soliciting manuscripts and now we are getting ready to produce them.
Shirley: Thank you Nolan, that was very interesting. You are the Executive Editor, would you tell us
how you became part of "Hot Java Productions" and what your job entails?
Nolan: The owner read Nancy's book, she was published by "LionHearted", he contacted her about
the job and asked if I would like to work with him as well. That is how we became part of "Hot Java
Productions." I also write, so we know what it is like for authors,we understand their concerns. As
Executive Editor, I look at the manuscripts, I look over submissions and determine which ones I
would like to see in full manuscript. I oversee the editors and place books with them when we have
decided to publish that book. I help them get in touch with the authors. I also send manuscripts to
readers, who give me feedback on the read, but I make the final decision on which books are going
to be published.
Shirley: Let me ask you about submissions to "Hot Java", are you open to all genres?
Nolan: Yes we are, but what we produce is going to be along the readers market out there. We are
not worrying about people fitting a formula, like other publishers. Writers need to write their own
story as opposed to writing a story for us, that is what we are looking for.As far as what genre we
publish in, well we publish them in a percentage of how they are read in the market. I believe
romance is about 60% of the market, so about 60% of the books we publish will be romance books.
However, we are open to other genres as well.
Shirley: Do you accept simultaneous submissions?
Nolan: Yes, we do! The name of the game is to get published.
Shirley: Nolan, what do you look for in a submission? You have already said you do not want them
to follow a formula, but can you give us an idea of what would catch your eye? And would you tell
us about how long an author would have to wait to know your decision on their manuscript.
Nolan: When we get a book we look at a few things. One is, does the person know how to write and
second is the story itself. We are not interested in formula books, we will tell an author that sends in
a formula book that it is too predictable. Write your own story, not one that fits a formula. Right
now for submissions the author should know within a month if we are interested, for manuscripts, it
is taking about 6 months.
Shirley: I am sure you have received tons of submissions, is there still a chance for new authors to
send their work in to you for consideration?
Nolan: What happened, we had a big rush right at the start; so what we have now is more books
then we can produce for the size that we are. We are planning however, by the end of next May to
be able to produce 500 books a year, so in which case there will be plenty of opportunity for new
authors, but I can see it taking us maybe 4 months to get the books out that we have already agreed
to do. That is one of the reasons it is taking us about 6 months to respond to manuscripts that we
plan to accept.
Shirley: You mentioned sending manuscripts to readers. Would you elaborate on that please?
Nolan: Yes, I have put together a questioner for the readers, which is kind of broad. They are to fill
these out and if the book comes back with a definite 100% yes, I would tell all my friends about this
book, I then look at it and determine by what I read in different chapters if I feel this reader is right.
If so, it goes in the yes pile, at which time we have to look at the percentage of what type of books
we are going to publish in that genre as I explained before. If the book comes back with a definite
no, I do the same thing. I want to know why they didn't like it, so I look at several chapters. Perhaps
the reader says it was good at first and good at the end but it was dead in the middle, I want to see if
it was dead in the middle. If I agree with them, I send it back to the author and tell them why it was
rejected. If the mark is somewhere in-between from the reader, I will send it out to a second or third
reader to get another opinion on it. Sometimes a certain genre is not that readers taste, maybe they
could not handle that style or type of book. We try not to let any slip through the cracks, but it
happens sometimes.
Shirley: That sounds extremely fair Nolan. As an author I am pleased to hear that you give each
manuscript so much attention.
Nolan: If we can't publish a work we try to let them know fairly quickly. The ones that we are
actually considering publishing take longer because we have to look at how many other books are in
that genre and whether or not it is as good as those and we need to make sure that publishing
another one will not off-set our percentage of what readers actually read out there.
Shirley: Will the books ever be printed in trade paperback?
Nolan: We won't do that, but it may happen. We have been contacted by a major publisher that
would like to swap books with us, by that I mean, take some from our list and publish them as a
trade paperback and give us some from their list and put them on DVD.
Shirley: That would be added opportunity for the authors as well, that's great! Can you tell us a little
about your contract with authors?
Nolan: I can tell you that we are still working on our contract. Every time we get it back there is
something that we see that we can make better. We have a different contract because digital binding
is brand new, so instead of paperback rights or hardback rights being primary rights, the digital
binding is the primary right and the trade back and all the other things are secondary; but it is still a
Literary contract.
Shirley: Thank you Nolan. I know that you take children's books, would you tell us a little
something about that?
Nolan: We are still working on the Children's Department. Because of the cost involved in doing
DVD's we can't do the really short books. We have a few prolific authors that have sent us quite a
few children's stories that would make up an hours' worth of DVD time and that's about what we
need cost wise. We will be doing works like the children's Bible and children's readers. I worked
with literature all my life, but not on the children's department end of it. I have a reader who reads
the children's books, and for now any that may be accepted are being put to the side until we finalize
that department.
Shirley: I have seen the preview of the children's Bible and it is outstanding. I know adults and
children will truly enjoy that work. The illustrations are wonderful, speaking of which, how do you
decide how many illustrations to provide per book?
Nolan: The illustrations are totally unique to each book, no set rule or number of illustrations.
Shirley: If a author sends in a children's book should they also send in illustrations?
Nolan: We would like to see their illustrations. What it does is allow our illustrators to see what the
author was thinking. Say you get a book about a dog named Quito, he is a fluffy white puppy. Well,
what kind of a puppy is he? If the author sends us an illustration of Quito and his owner, we can get
an idea of what kind of dog they are talking about and the age of the child. One of the things we are
going to request as far as novel type authors is that they send a few pictures if there book is set in a
certain location. This would be after contracts are signed. Here is an example of what I am referring
to. If they have a storyline of someone leaving a port like Cabo and taking a boat to Seattle, we
would like a couple of pictures of the port down there in Cobo. The reason we want things along
those lines is to help our illustrators out. We are more open to visual aids than I think other places
would be. Many times, especially with children's books, the publishers never talk to the authors and
the illustrations come out totally different than the author's idea for the characters.
Shirley: I loved the illustrations that I have previewed for the children's Bible. Colorful and very
pleasing to the eye. I know children will love them.
Nolan: The one thing I have had trouble explaining to people when they are viewing the previews
on the internet is that they do not have the entire soundtrack with them, they only have the voice
over. Take the children's Bible; you cannot hear the crickets or the lion roar. the internet takes up a
lot of time that we don't have to give it. There is a lot more that we could put on there, but to be
time wise we have to judge how much benefit we would get out of that time, so there are things that
we must leave off.
Shirley: I would love to hear the animals and soundtrack, I'm sure it is wonderful! Tell me, once a
book is accepted how much promotion would you require from the author and how much does Hot
Java do?
Nolan: We don't require anything from the author. We will offer them certain promotion
opportunities that they can do. One of the things we are looking at is having them sign the first
group of DVD's that come out. Another thing we are looking at is TV spots and a few spots on
QVC.
Shirley: That sounds great!
Nolan: Most advertising that we are going to do will be Company name recognition to start
with.
Shirley: Your website states that your DVD's will be in stores from coast to coast, would you
elaborate on what stores you are talking about?
Nolan: I can a little bit. We are doing some test marketing in certain stores, I do not want to mention
names as deals are not final yet, where these stores have electronic sections. You have seen where
you go in and they are playing the newest kids video on the TV since they are trying to sell that
video. So, we are doing something like that; also the Internet Coffee Houses, where they have the
internet system set up and are putting DVD players in as well. This way people can drink their
coffee and view demos of products, even purchase them right there. With the background of an AD
Agency, we have a big head start in the marketing and what we are doing is connecting a lot of
things that are already being done out there. Remember, our slogan is "Turn off the TV and turn on
a book."
Shirley: Thank you Nolan. Would you tell us when we will see you list of new titles coming out and
about how many will you be producing at first?
Nolan: We are planning for October with hope of having 20 released, but at least 13 and by
December 20 new titles. Of the first 20 books released only 4 of those books are previously
published authors, all the rest are new authors.
Shirley: One final question please. Where do you hope Hot Java will be in, say, 3 years from
now?
Nolan: For the future, we are shooting at having 500 books a year published and worldwide
marketing. We will have books in several languages. People will be able to read in whatever
language they want, and you know not just for enjoyment of reading and the pleasure of having the
book, but we think it will also help people who are learning a second language.They will be able to
read a book they know well, like Treasure Island in English and then buy the French version, watch
it and bone up on their French.
Shirley: That gives all the new authors out there a lot of hope. Thank you! Nolan would you please
give us a final statement?
Nolan: Yes, this company will open up a new market to authors, this is an author thing. There are, I
guess we would call them non-readers that buy about one book a year; and there are people that
have very poor reading skills. The National Literacy Survey has stated that 90 million adult people
60 or over lack the basic skills needed to fill out a job application in the US. They can read enough
to get by, but they don't read well enough to be functionally literate, so this will open books up to
these people. And then World Wide Unicef has stated there are one out of every six males and two
out of every three females that are illerate. That means they can't even sign their name, so when we
hit the world market, that is in the multi-languages, that will greatly increase the market for the
authors as well. The illustrations increase reading comprehension, so you have the written word, the
spoken word and the illustrations which will help the people to understand the words they are
seeing. I believe we have a bigger market than most publishing houses would have.
Shirley: Thank you Nolan for a great interview and for being so open with us about "Hot Java
Productions." I look forward to seeing what is ahead for your company and wish you and all your
authors the best of luck. We'll be keeping an eye out for your titles and I'm sure they will be a
pleasure to read. Thank you again.
Shirley Johnson, Reviewer
http://www.hotjavaproductions.com
Laurel's Bookshelf
Ghostholders Know
Ford Swetnam
Blue Scarab Press
243 So. 8th Ave., Pocatello ID 83201
ISBN 0937179132, 104 pages at 12.50 paperback
It's a frustrating job, reviewing a poet posthumously. I can't contact the poet and say, "What did
you mean by this?" or, "I really like what you did with this one." Ford Swetnam is gone, but his
poetry lives on in Ghosholders Know. The title poem is his haunting tribute to another poet who
died too soon, Bruce Embree, who took his own life:
Ghostholders know
What Jimmy Reed means:
"About to do a bad thing;"
All the maybes gone.
A bad thing feels
Like the moment before
The start of a long fall.
Some bad things are rifles
Aimed to shoot the body
Off a ghost.
Ford Swetnam writes of his travels, nature, love, social interaction, and the ever-present railroad
tracks and noises near his home. One of my favorite poems about the railroad was "Eighty four
forty four:"
We know it's a widowmaker.
I grew up on the Norfolk and Western,
The last railway to run on steam,
And love it I did though I knew
It daily killed miners
Long since scoliotic
From digging enough coal
To kill firemen.
Some of his poems rhyme - such as "Lemon Creek Prison - Juneau". Most are free form. All tell a
story in distinct and revealing style. Sometimes two brief lines reveal a man and his quiet thoughts,
such as in "Residents, Visitors, Occasionals:"
Too fragile today, unwitting,
Talked better than I listened.
There is stark poignancy, such as in "Sick Friend" and "Pahandlers' and delightful social commentary
as in "301", about a group of men playing darts:
You've got to remember that
This is a dart game here,
Taking place in a bar
In Pocatello, Idaho, Pinto City
In the Appaloosa State,
Which the railroad put up in five years,
And which the wind is still
Taking down, sometimes
With the railroad's help.
Ford Swetnam's work had its own following when he lived. I'm hoping that following will increase -
despite his death - because somehow I think that he will know.
A Calendar of Crows
Michael Sowder
New Michigan Press
51 Cedar Crest, Tuscaloosa AL 35401
ISBN 0-9725095-0-X, 27 pages chapbook at $5 plus $1 s and h, www.newmichiganpress.com
Michael Sowder's credentials support his abilities, or vice versa. He teaches creative writing and
American Literature at Idaho State University, acts as faculty advisor for ISU's Black Rock & Sage,
and is a multi published poet and essayist. A Calendar of Crows won the New Michigan Press
contest
His first poem, July's "Watching Crows" has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. I quote here an
excerpt from that poem:
At dawn, they're in the trees
outside my tent, anxious for my camp to clear.
I hike out, and they come down yelling,
landing with wings unfurled behind them,
walking around stiff-kneed and haughty,
lords of the forgotten and discarded.
Each poem is rooted in reality, shot through with whimsy or regret borne on the glossy wings of
crows. Consider September's "Monica", in which the author contemplates a youthful affair and the
part crows played in the parting:
The coffee is good under cedars in the sun.
The crows are squawking, preening in the whitening
air, unmindful of history, memory, regret.
Their quills hold a message we will never
understand. Autumn is the time of gathering together
in roosts of thousands. feasting
in fields of withered corn.
Like the Cherokee before him, Mr. Sowder honors the crow spirit in life as well as death. I found
particularly touching January's "Epiphany", where he buries a dead crow found in the road:
Behind the house I knelt on sunny grass
and unwrapped the bundle of glinting feathers.
Blackness spilled over my hands,
drinking every color. Soft down
covered its head and breast, and talons
hard and strangely large hang from its body.
Eyes brown like acorns.
I held it and spoke to it,
imagining aloud its life, the roost
it must have flown early from, its flight
as if loosed from a bow.
I praised the life of a fallen crow
and with shameless hands
pulled feathers from its left, unbroken wing.
I'm not certain if it is my love of nature, the author's artistry in creating word pictures, or both that
enhanced this book's appeal. Whatever the cause, I thought A Calendar of Crows was
extraordinary.
Black Rock & Sage
Campus Box 8056, Idaho State University, Pocatello ID 83209
no ISBN, 100 pages at $5 paperback plus s & h
At this time, Black Rock & Sage is not available nationally, except through the university. That's
why it does not have an ISBN. I'm happy to report that in the near future, this publication will go
national. Remember the name. If the content of this 2003 edition is any indication, readers will not
be disappointed.
Reviewing a compilation of such quality is no simple task. This edition begins with an interview
with Rick Ardinger of Limberlost Press. Almost everyone who values poetry knows of Limberlost
Press. His interview alone was worth the price. Mr. Ardinger's insights into the days of Ginsberg
and Kerouac were priceless.
Following that interview, you will find black and white photographs and artwork of stunning
composition. Poems in every style from free form to sonnets provoke a laugh, a tear, a pause to
think beyond the obvious. Poetry contributors range from nationally recognized, long-published
poets to young and talented beginners.
I was pleased to find two short stories in this edition. Novelist Michael Corrigan contributes a story
with his trademark ending that leaves readers wishing there was more. And Rachel Lloyd's poignant
prose is outstanding. All contributors lend excellence, but are too many to name each one
individually.
Again, I encourage you to remember the name Black Rock & Sage. It's a high quality presentation
with wonder between its covers.
Autumn Sonnets
Tom Eagan
Aran Press
1036 S. 5th Street, Louisville KY 40203
ISBN 0-9661588-6-5, 120 pages at 14.95 paperback
It's been many a year since I've read sonnets. I remember Shakespeare of course, and Ms.
Browning. Both were favorites. A disclaimer at the front of Autumn Sonnets warns that not
everyone has a taste for sonnets. It further states that reading too many sonnets at one time may
produce palpitations, swooning, nausea and vomiting. I must confess to swooning once or twice
because these are LOVE sonnets. The author calls himself the hackmeister of the Midwest. I beg to
differ.
Mr. Eagan writes of unrequited love in the modern sense, for an imaginary woman.
When this woman loved for decades slams the door on their relationship, no asps or poisons take
him out of pain's way. He simply copes, struggles through each day. Sonnet 39 expresses well his
struggle.
I'm lucky today if I remember how to tie my shoe.
What was it like before you? -- You who threw
a hand-grenade into my psyche's circuitry!
I found Sonnet 46 to be particularly poignant, as he dreams of spending precious time with his
beloved.
I'd love to sit out some summer night with you
and look up at the stars and marvel at
the universe, as other couples do.
Mr. Eagan's sonnets take us through shock, denial, anger, despair and finally an uneasy acceptance.
That acceptance comes complete with a shredded heart encased in stone. Sonnet 83 says it
well.
For nothing will I ever again reach.
I will be a silent stone,
under sun and stars on an empty beach.
The author gives us 108 sonnets to consider. I savored every one. If you love poetry in any form,
give Autumn Sonnets a try.
What Poetry is All About
Greg Kuzma
Blue Scarab Press
243 So. 8th Ave., Pocatello ID 83201
ISBN 0937179124, 245 pages at 15.00 plus s & h
Greg Kuzma is professor of writing in the English Department at the University of Nebraska in
Lincoln. Along with those credentials, he has had more than twenty books of poetry published,
writes screenplays, reviews and critiques the work of others. I hesitated at first to say he seemed
like a Renaissance man to me, until I learned he also created the words and music to an operetta. I
can use that designation now without hesitation. What Poetry is All About is a compilation of
essays that reflect his gift for words. I expected this to be a college textbook - dry and tedious - but
found it helpful, humorous, sensible, nonsensical in places, and an all around enjoyable
experience.
Regarding American poetry, the author states it "speaks where it might have sung." He also laments
that poets are not heard, except by each other. Regrettably, that may be true. He asks the reader,
"Who if not you will read, or hear, and love and know these lonely inadvertent cries?"
Kuzma defines poetry as, "A disease. A fever which while it wastes and dissipates fulfills. The
opiate of the bored and intellectual. A sullen art. A lonely business. Suicide with a hairbrush." I'm
sure most poets would relate, especially the hairbrush part.
The author shares why editors reject or accept manuscripts, how to win readers, and what the poet's
job entails. He also spells out clearly what he looks for when he reads, reviews, or critiques poetry:
a dancing grace; a leisurely pace; insightful purpose; words spelled right; to be surprised a little at a
time.
In the essay on publishers, even his tongue in cheek wit could not disguise the truth. Ditto his essay
on careers in poetry. His hard won truths can be boiled down to few words: You won't win
prestigious awards and monied prizes so don't count on it.
A man who knows, understands, and loves the written word authored this book. Even the humor
was well-crafted. Poet Song was my favorite essay. Greg Kuzma is a wordsmith.
All Mine
Bruce Embree
Blue Scarab Press
P.O. Box 4966, Pocatello ID 83205-4966
ISBN 0-937179-14-0, 176 pages at 19.05 plus s & h
All Mine represents the lion's share of Bruce Embree's life and views of his world. Before reading
word one, I knew that the author died by his own hand in 1996. I was curious about the man and
his work. While reading his words, I wished more than once that I'd had the privilege of knowing
him in life.
Poetry is a very personal thing. Bruce Embree imitated no one I had ever read before. Hints of
what I was in for hit me in the heart on page 15, a poem titled "Must Have Been Here Before
Lines".
Must have been here before lines
that form and die too quick for the hand
Happens sometimes because of selfishness
but it's only because things are like 1967
and I don't care any more who was hip in '65
Because all the gentleness and fun
have somehow gone out of it nowadays.
As I continued reading, his poems lulled me into a false sense of security. There were his often
hilarious and more often hard and humdrum days at work. He described in profane detail the
weariness of getting wild drunk and chasing after women in his younger days. And then in the
midst of much explosive wit and prankstering, there would be this:
looking
Christ still looking for the place I'm supposed to
have in this world.
Embree portrayed himself as common clay, but he was anything but common. I had the sense that
the words he had inside his head eventually burnt him up alive. He raged against the neverending
injustices that allow the rich and powerful to overrun honest laborers. He searched for warmth and
acceptance in hopes such miracles could be found. He expressed himself in the vernacular, with
humor and often bitter irony. And he spoke of his own failures and mortality with characteristic
grace:
Trees didn't sniffle and blow their noses
when the dinosuars bit the big one either.
My review of this poet and his written reality is inadequate and far from learned, but his poems told
me all I need to know about the man. He worked at hard physical labor under hot sun and in
freezing cold. He loved his wife as best he could, and adored his daughter. He had a penchant for
the underdog and downtrodden. And he drank too much to ease life's pains. His poems made me
laugh out loud and, through it all, they broke my heart. Bruce Embree should have been a contender
for the prize that stayed just out of his reach in life. You'll have to read All Mine to understand.
This book contains strong language and subject matter and should not be read by children.
Mickey's Loft
Michael Corrigan
Aran Press
1036 S. 5th Str., Louisville KY 40203
a one act play at $2.00
This play is copyrighted. A royalty must be paid in advance of any performance, amateur or
professional.
The place is L.A., the setting a trashed loft where Mickey works to write the great American novel.
Loft furnishings are meager and have seen better days. Mickey is in his twenties, struggling to relate
to the trivialization of modern fiction Through dialog that provokes the imagination, we know that
a long line of women have come and gone from Mickey's life. He's still recuperating from his last
romantic break up when the play begins and a woman named Carol uses her key to enter the
loft.
Carol is a pretty, small town girl whose life has not been easy in L.A. She and Mickey share a
"history". He still cares about her and senses she's in some kind of trouble. Carol has been involved
in a dysfunctional lesbian relationship, complete with overuse of drugs and alcohol. During an
argument, her lover falls from a balcony and dies. The trouble she hopes Mickey can help her with
is a vindictive gang of ladies out to get revenge.
Dialog is spare but provocative. Well timed pauses and expressive nuances tell as much or more
than spoken words. Mickey's Loft is a succinct slice of life commentary that worked quite well in
print. I feel certain that its power would be enhanced by actors on a stage.
Jake
Michael Corrigan
Aran Press
1036 S 5th Str., Louisville KY 40203
a three act play at $3.50
This play is copyrighted. A royalty must be paid in advance of any performance, amateur or
professional.
The place is Hollywood. Jake Gilmore is a 50-year old writer and former actor. With better days
behind him, Jake tries desperately to hold on to a more glorious past as he struggles for a
comeback. He hopes the catalyst for that comeback will be Marshall Goldman. Marshall is a young
idealistic writer with a fresh perspective, eager to make it big in Hollywood. His ethical outlook on
life is a rare commodity in Jake's world.
Jake lives with Sandra, a 20-year old groupie. Their relationship is anything but solid. Jake is an
inveterate womanizer, not above seeking solace in other women, and Sandra would forsake him in a
heartbeat if she could find a more successful man.
Thrown into this mix is Peter Picklesimer. Peter is a producer who does business on the shady side
and is on the make in more ways than one. That the innocent Marshall would do business with this
shark comes as a shock to Jake.
Michael Corrigan's gift is creating realistic characters and turning them loose in their own milieu.
Such interactions are presented with humor and stark honesty, profanity and pathos. All this is
present in Jake, as dysfunctional lives unravel and, in the end, repair themselves. This play made for
enticing reading. With the proper direction and intuitive actors, it could sizzle on the boards.
================================
In recent weeks, I read and reviewed three books published by Blue Scarab Press, located in
Pocatello, Idaho. I liked the content of these books, the look and feel as I held them in my hands,
and was curious about the man behind them. Harald Wyndham is that man.
LJ for MBR: To begin with, tell us when Blue Scarab Press was founded and what is your
philosophy as a publisher?
HARALD: Blue Scarab Press was "founded" in 1984 with the publication of the first of two poetry
books about Ohio (where I grew up), a book titled Homeland. The second book, published the next
year, was Ohio Gothic. Prior to 1984 I had published eight books of poetry and songs without a
press imprint. As it appeared I was going to continue publishing books of my work and also of
other people's, it seemed to make sense to form a small business and give it a name. The Blue
Scarab name originated in an artifact -- a paperweight in the form of a scarab beetle which I had
filched from Great Aunt Jesse's travel trunk as a young man and had on my desk for years. I knew
that scarabs were symbols of rebirth for Egyptians as they seemed to appear out of nowhere (in
manure piles, as it turned out, which is also symbolic). The name seemed apt for a small press
venture which suddenly appears out of nowhere, lives for awhile, disappears, comes into being
again, always on a shoestring, always rolling its little ball of highly important b.s. toward some
'overwhelming question.' So I created a stylized scarab logo and launched into the publishing
world.
My philosophy as a publisher is to publish work that interests me personally, which NEEDS to be
published and which seems to have a hard time finding a publisher. Of course, I use Blue Scarab as
a vehicle to publish my own writing, since most of the writing I do seems to be patently
non-commercial. With the exception of two small chapbooks done by other presses, I have
self-published eighteen books since 1970, the last eight being done under the Blue Scarab imprint.
In addition, I have published seven books by other writers. Most of these books are poetry. Most
of the writers live in Southeast Idaho. All are writers whose work I knew and admired for some
time before suggesting we do a book. And all of them somehow "needed" to be done. I believe
that small presses occupy a crucial place in writing communities in America, by encouraging
writing that otherwise may not find an outlet. Small press is an expression of the First Amendment
and as such exemplifies our rights as Americans to make our thoughts public. And since we are
"small" and can only do a few projects, there need to be many small presses to service the many
wonderful talents that flourish in each community.
LJ for MBR: You made the comment that you are a rather old fashioned publisher and not very
modern. What did you mean by that?
HARALD: Well -- I don't yet have a webpage. My bookkeeping is done by hand in a ledger, not on
a computer. I don't have the energy or budget to engage the world of distributors and bookstores,
advertising, marketing, etc. I accept the limitations of the writing community I am part of -- the
southeast Idaho writers centered around Pocatello -- as a viable and sufficient community for
support of the writers I publish. My press runs are generally small. I work with a local printer
rather than get into true desktop publishing. My enjoyment of publishing was formed in the 70's
when I got ink under my fingers learning the printing trade. Even though it has advanced, my
enjoyment is rooted in older ways of doing the business. I don't even have a business card. Once in
awhile I will publish a brochure or catalog, but I haven't done this in over 10 years. I use flyers to
advertise new books, for the most part, and word of mouth, and local readings. And I accept the
financial liability this way of doing business brings with it. I pay my bills and carry the debt (and the
unsold inventories). Small press publishing is my sailboat, my snow machine, my mid-life crisis
sportscar. As long as I have pleasure in the experience, I consider it to be a success.
LJ for MBR: How many books do you publish a year or a season?
HARALD: If I am lucky, one book. Sometimes none. Over the past nineteen years, Blue Scarab
Press has published eighteen books. This year we will do two books, the Bruce Embree book and a
ten-year gathering of my own poetry, titled The Little House of Poetry, due out in November. We
also just launched a chapbook series called Pocatello Blend, which features two Pocatello writers, 5
pages each. The plan is to put out two or three chapbooks each year, in editions limited to 100
copies -- then, after we have ten or more of these, publish selections in a book-sized edition with the
same title. We are inviting writers to be involved in the process of publishing these chapbooks, thus
getting ink under their fingers as well and perhaps launching the next generation of small press
publishers.
LJ for MBR: Tell our readers how you decide whether to publish a particular manuscript or not. By
that I mean, share your personal guidelines as a publisher.
HARALD: Blue Scarab Press does not consider or accept unsolicited manuscripts. I don't read
manuscripts, I 'read' writers -- by listening to them read their work over the years and eventually
being compelled by something in their work that makes me invite them to do a book together. It is
very personal and it happens over a long period of time. I am not in the business of publishing
books. I am in the business of bringing "dreams" to life. Often the books I want to do are books
many other presses have refused -- but which are somehow compelling to me personally. Since I
generally have one or two projects planned for the future at all times, it is unfair to even think of
reading manuscripts, since I could not consider committing to a publication for several years -- even
if I felt the work to be worthy and compelling. I don't want to string writers out for four or five
years -- and I don't want to obligate myself that far into the future. Next year I hope to publish a
mystery novel by Frederick Zackel -- a writer I have admired for over thirty years. After that? Well,
at my age, I probably shouldn't plan more than one year at a time.
LJ for MBR: The poets whose books I reviewed - Bruce Embree, Ford Swetnam, Greg Kuzma -
have either national or regional prominence. Tell our readers what work by other authors might be
available through Blue Scarab Press.
HARALD: Blue Scarab Press has published books by writers such as Edson Fichter, Steven Puglisi,
Leslie Leek, Janne Goldbeck, Greg Kuzma, Ford Swetnam and Bruce Embree. Additionally, we
have published two collections, including Famous Potatoes, Southeast Idaho Poetry, in 1986, which
launched many of the writers whose works subsequently became Blue Scarab books. Many of these
books remain in print. Two have gone into second printings.
LJ for MBR: As a writer of poetry yourself, do you participate as either a publisher or poet in poetry
readings or writers' festivals?
HARALD: My 'vocation' is to be a writer and a publisher. That is what I do to stay alive. What I
do to make a living, however, takes most of the time in the workweek and prevents me from
participating in much of the 'poetry scene.' I have taken active part in poetry readings and festivals in
Idaho and Pocatello as much as I can over the past thirty years, instigating some readings and
supporting as many as I can. Blue Scarab Press sponsors a poetry prize for high school writers in
the Idaho State University Poetry magazine, Black Rock and Sage. And I depend on a few book
fairs and arts fairs as a venue for selling Blue Scarab books. Otherwise, there is definite limit to the
time I can devote to the 'po biz.' Of course, as a writer, I always have some irons in the fire and
some projects of my own cooking away.
LJ for MBR: What do you enjoy most about being a publisher?
HARALD: Getting work off my desk. And being able to bring interesting and unique work by other
writers into the light. The most recent project, Bruce Embree's new and selected poems, titled All
Mine, is a good example. After Bruce's untimely death, I felt a strong compulsion to do this book, so
that the self-published folio editions he so faithfully created over twenty-six years with tireless and
hopeless energy would not just disappear into a back alley of anecdotal history. Like so many other
people, I felt something very real in Bruce's poems, and in his life, and over the years felt strongly
that a 'definitive' Bruce Embree book must appear. When we brought All Mine at the Rocky
Mountain Poetry Festival this April, and were able to have Bruce read his own poems on videotape
(from the Famous Potatoes reading in 1986) so that a whole new generation of young poets could
see him and hear his voice -- that was very exciting and fulfilling.
LJ for MBR: If book stores, libraries, or private buyers wish to order your books, what is the best
way to do that?
HARALD: All the Blue Scarab Press books that are in print have an ISBN number and are listed in
Books in Print webpage (I am at least that up to date). All the recent publications have bar-coded
pricing as well. Books are best ordered through the mail at P.O. Box 4966, Pocatello, Idaho 83205.
Many come from bookstores or library services, but many also come from individuals or libraries
themselves. Blue Scarab Press offers a $1.00 discount off the retail price to libraries. And, of
course, we offer standard discounts to bookstores and booksellers depending on volume. Our
payment terms are 30 days net invoice. Please pay by check as we do not accept credit cards (here I
am definitely not up to date).
LJ for MBR: Is there any other information you would like to share with our readers?
HARALD: Blue Scarab Press offers readers a selection of interesting, eclectic books by writers most
have not heard of. We offer high literary value as well as books that are well manufactured and
worth the paper they are printed on. I am sorry that we aren't that easy to get information on, but
efforts made to acquire books by Blue Scarab writers will generate their own reward -- good
reading! Thank you for this opportunity to present Blue Scarab Press to your readers.
Michael Corrigan is author, playwright, and university professor. I thought perhaps his perspectives
on the writing life might be helpful and enlightening.
LJ for MBR: Good morning, Michael. Thanks for agreeing to this interview. To begin with, tell us
a bit about your work at Idaho State University.
Michael: I teach English 101 and Speech 101.
LJ for MBR: Your creative style is distinct. Has your knowledge of English and composition helped
or hindered your creativity as a writer?
Michael: English composition deals more with essay writing. I think creative writing classes help to
a point. Writing groups and meeting other writers can stop you from inventing the wheel. I got my
MA in English with a concentration in creative writing from San Francisco State, and I worked with
a number of writers, including Wallace Markfield, a Jewish writer who was very influential. In fact,
he once told me to write from an Irish American perspective and not a "like a Jew", since Jewish
phrases were creeping into my prose. "Wally" appears in the memoir. He often laughed at sad
passages and groaned at funny ones, but somehow I developed. I also studied my favorite writers
and learned from them all. Eventually, one finds a voice or style. I think you learn to write by
writing. That means a lot of bad novels before you find your voice and write a good one.
LJ for MBR: Your first published novel, Confessions of a Shanty Irishman, is a memoir. Subsequent
as-yet-unpublished novels represent various genres, and your stage plays run the gamut from real life
to fiction. Do you have a preferred medium or genre?
Michael: I guess I always wanted to be a playwright, though I started out in prose. There is nothing
like the immediate feedback from a live theatre audience. Producing a play takes a lot of people
whereas a novelist can write his or her book at home. I don't know if Confessions of a Shanty
Irishman is a novel, but it does have some fictional elements for dramatic effect. Many of the events
may have happened in a slightly different way. I love working in the theatre as a director and an
occasional actor, but I suppose my main focus now is fiction. I did study screenwriting at the
American Film Institute and that turned out to be a more difficult genre than I thought. A good
screenplay is very tight. Do I have a preferred genre? Probably not, but I seem to be writing more
prose. Hey, I'd also love to direct a film. Got any backers?
LJ for MBR: You have written three published stage plays thus far: Letters from Rebecca; Mickey's
Loft; and Jake. If you could have your choice, which would you prefer - writing, directing, or acting
- and why?
Michael: I will always be a writer. I wasn't bad as an actor in certain roles. My scrawny Andrew
Aguecheek in tights was effective, but I was always aware of actors who were better, and I like that
relationship between actor and director when the "shadow" play is discovered, the play beneath the
play. Chekhov is the master of subtext, and directing Three Sisters was a wonderful experience. I'm
a better director than an actor and since writing I can do alone, I write more than I'll ever direct. I
have an unpublished unproduced play called In Sunshine or in Shadow that I'd like to see done. It
covers some of the same material in the memoir. But to answer your question, I guess it would be
writing. One lives in the story as one builds it, even if it's a bad story.
LJ for MBR: Your writing often mentions Hemingway and the actor James Dean. What do they
represent to you?
Michael: Hemingway was very big for my father's generation as Bob Dylan is to mine, someone
who was a major artist AND popular. I have always admired Hemingway and reading his Sun Also
Rises at a very young age left a major impression. How could someone write so simply and move
the reader so deeply? We went to Pamplona to watch the running of the bulls. Of course, I live in
Hemingway territory. He's buried in the Ketchum cemetery, and the Sun Valley Lodge has the parlor
suite #206 where he wrote much of For Whom the Bell Tolls. I also love Faulkner's work. As for
Dean, he was part of that cultural explosion in the fifties with Brando and Elvis, who turned popular
music into a wild celebration. The fifties seemed calm but there was a violent subtext and the actors
and singers like Dean and Presley expressed all that tension. You had Ginsberg writing "Howl" and
Kerouac writing On The Road. I still think Dean's work holds up even if the movies seem dated.
Perhaps he played himself but he was so natural at playing the outsider that he has a timeless
quality. Why else is the little Hoosier still around and on a stamp? I also had a best friend named
James Dean and that seemed oddly coincidental, plus I've met people who knew Dean. I tried to
adapt John Gilmore's book about James Dean to a stage play but the collaboration just didn't work. I
think pop icons are more powerful than we imagine.
LJ for MBR: You plan a trip to Ireland in the future. Will another Michael Corrigan short story,
novel, or play emerge from that trip?
Michael: I suspect one will. I hope to find the church where my grandmother was baptized, and I
will track down two elderly female cousins. I'm sure the spirits of Ireland will inspire a book.
LJ for MBR: Are you working on or planning a new project now? If so, will you tell us about
it?
Michael: I have been putting together a book of short stories, some of them outtakes from novels. It
is interesting how a chapter will fit one book but not another, or it becomes a short story. I also have
two books to revise for an agent. Revision is the key to good writing, I think, with all due respect to
Kerouac. In the heat of creation, it's impossible to get it the first time around, unless you're
Mozart.
LJ for MBR: Is there any question you wish I had asked, or any other information you would like to
share with our readers?
Michael: Possibly you've covered what's important.T.S. Eliot has that great quote about how all we
have is the work, and the rest is not our business. Writers should just write. I love Faulkner's take
on Shakespeare's last great play, The Tempest, where the Bard comes to the final performance and
says, "Hell, I don't know either" and breaks his pencil. Until that happens, write and find your
voice.
LJ for MBR: Thank you for your time, Michael.
Michael: Thank you.
Interviewer note: Confessions of a Shanty Irishman is available through PublishAmerica,
Amazon.com, and the Barnes and Noble website. The stage plays Letters from Rebecca; Mickey's
Loft; and Jake are available through http://members.aye.net/~aranpres/index.html
Laurel Johnson
Senior Reviewer/Interviewer
Midwest Book Review
Kaveny's Bookshelf
(The Past is both a Near and Distant Thing)
As my wife Jan Bogstad and myself share our lives and travels we find that they never seem to be
without adventure whether we look for it or not. Last month was no exception as our trip to the
38th International Medieval Congress held at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo Michigan
May 8-11th 2003 was full of adventure both coming and going. Even though both domestic and
international travel has dropped significantly since 9-11-01 the Kalamazoo Medieval Congress held
steady with a membership of nearly 3000, and over sixty exhibitors making it the largest such event
in the world. Most of us flew in to The Kalamazoo International Airport that still requires one to
climb down a rather steep and slippery ladder as one de-planes (Hopefully not in a single step all at
once). However much as I joke about this Northwest Airlines really went out of their way to get us
home to Minneapolis in time to catch our last shuttle to our home Eau Claire WI 90 miles to the
east. This involved a heroic effort since our outbound flight to Minneapolis was canceled and the
next available fight to the Twin Cites was leaving from Detroit (Over 130 Miles away), later that
evening.
Thank God for high-speed, late model Lincoln Limousines, and a driver named Leon who knew the
ropes. Because, in little more than two hours we were transported between the two airports, and I
also got a meal voucher from Northwest Airlines, which I used for a Double Whooper with Cheese
Supersized with fries. I had it with no Mayo and a diet Coke since I am trying to get my weight
down a bit for the sake of the person sitting next to me on the airplane.
Though I have been in and out of at least hundred airports in my life, the newly re-modeled Detroit
International Airport took my breath away. I felt like I was in a 21st Century that looked like the set
of a technologically optimistic Science Fiction movie of the early 1950s. A movie in which I was
about to take the next shuttle to the moon after I took the high speed anti gravity train to the launch
pad upon transferring from the inbound Mars Shuttle. I also felt for better our worse as if I was
living at hub of a great empire, rather I liked it or not. In a sense I felt like the Romans citizens who,
at the end of the Roman Republic, were told they had two choices: to cheer or not cheer. This is not
the first time in the history of the world that something like this has happened. As a matter of fact I
am holding the traces of one the last times in my hand, an item from nearly two millenniums before
the present.
I am holding in my hand a treasure that I bought in the Exhibitor's room at the 38th International
Medieval Congress held at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo Michigan May 8-11th 2003
where I exhibited as a bookseller and represented Midwest Book Review as its literary editor. For
the paltry sum of $6.00, I purchased a bronze coin from the reign the Roman Emperor Constantius
II (337-361 A.D. - pre-reform 337-348). It is small and about the size and shape of a piece of M&M
Candy which was stepped on. Never the less it has a recognizable engraving of Constantius II on
one side and the Roman Numerals and Letters VOT XX MVLT XXX on the other side. I suspect
the numerals represent a date that I cannot readily determine. However, it is my understanding of
Roman dating is that it ran from the founding of Rome on April 21, 753 BC, by Romulus, who killed
in the process his twin brother named Remus. This Date was then referred to as the year of the city
until the time Rome fell. This means that by the time my coin was minted Rome had existed for over
1100 years, approximately the first seven centuries as a republic and the next five centuries as an
empire. In the year 337 A.D, when my Roman coin was minted the Roman empire still had nearly
one hundred and fifty years to run, and its eastern portion centered around the great city
Constantinople was not to fall until A.D 1453 and persisting nearly 1000 years more towards the
present.
As I touch the time worn ragged edges of this coin with my fingertips I have a feeling that the past
embodies a paradox, which makes it both a near and distant thing at the same time. The past is as
near as this coin in my hand, yet as distant as the Roman Centurion whose salary it helped pay 1650
years ago as he stood at the edge of the Roman World at a hill fort on Hadrian's Wall in Roman
Britain, or kept peace in Roman Palestine 3000 miles away. Strange is it not that we have American
Soldiers doing their duty and drawing there pay the same ways in the same parts of the world in the
year 2003. I am sure they dream the same dreams of home and family as their Roman counterparts
fifty generations before.
The past is both a near and distant thing, which scholars when working at their best efforts seek to
re-embody and make accessible for the colleagues, students, and the rest of us who find their work
fascinating. The focus of the rest of my feature will be to highlight efforts of one the groups working
in this area. One of the high points of the conference was to meet Dr. Dorsey Armstrong, an English
professor at Purdue University. Dorsey is also Marketing Director for the Journal Arthuriana -
Official Journal of the International Arthuriana Society - North American Branch. She was
promoting their journal with the help of several of her editorial assistants. This was very good for me
because the Arthuriana exhibit was we call in the book trade a "Traffic Builder", which meant that
some of their crowds of customers also became my customers as they bought books from me. And
since we were located next to each other we sort of covered for each other as we took breaks.
My proximity to the Arthuriana people was good for me for a more important reason. In that it
rekindled and interest in Arthurian Literature on my part which had lain doormat for almost 35
years, since I took a course on the Arthurian Literature from Eugene Vinaver (1899-1979). When
Eugene Vinaver taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the late 60's, he was at the end of
a brilliant career most of which was spent in the UK where he taught for most of his career at The
University of Manchester. It is only nearly twenty years later that I found out that I literally slept at
the feet of a Giant since the course was broadcast on University of Wisconsin-Madison college of
the air. I listened to every lecture that was broadcast during my own personal dark ages when as a
Vietnam protestor I had committed academic suicide as a graduate student by writing the F word on
all my final exams, and then became a cynic professing to know the price of everything and the value
of nothing. I expressed this protest by drinking three and sometimes for pitchers of beer a night and
playing chess till four in the morning with a pack of advanced mathematics gradate students in the
field of topology who I had fallen in with.
In 1968 I would wake up every afternoon with a hangover so large it felt like a plaited woodpecker
was trying to peck his way out of my skull. I would wake up at two to hear these wonderful lectures
on the College of the Air by Eugene Vinaver. He taught a course in the Arthurian Romance. And in
the process I got hooked on a literature and a place so different from the modernity I was used to, a
place where narrative could take many different forms and characters could die to only to move back
into the story much later as if this never happened. It is hard to say how or what things changed my
life. But I think these wonderful lectures about such a strange and different places were one of the
things that kept me going until I sobered up from the bad dream of the late 60's until after 1971
(from that point I never to drink again). By the way, I let my chess playing buddies go, got an honest
job, and met a graduate student in literature in 1972 who is now a full professor and my wife of 16
years. Strangely enough I did return to graduate school at University of Wisconsin Madison in 1990
to complete two advanced degrees in 1998.
I probably would not have gone into such turgid detail about my own life had not Dorsey Armstrong
given me such wonderful items for review. And directed me to the Arthuriana
http://www.smu.edu/arthuriana/ website where I spent several fascinating hours reading about
Post-Roman Britain in electronic journals, downloading and printing four historical maps of 7th
Century Britain. And I also signed up for the Arthuriana Internet discussion list. I have some
expertise in Internet Resources for both popular and academic use and presented on the topic with
my wife at the Leeds UK Medieval Congress in 1996-1997, and 1999, and I also worked in that area
as part of my gradate research in Library and Information Studies at University of Wisconsin. Based
on that experience I must say that the Authuriana website makes the best multi-purpose use of
Internet resources of any site I visited in the last five years. This is particularly true in the areas of
user interface design, speed of access, and scope of resources offered for a range of users which
could extend from the bright middle-schooler, to the post doctoral fellow. I must also add that
members Arthuriana Internet discussion list from all the world were willing to share their expertise
answering a question about the role of labyrinths in Arthurian Literature. Their willingness to share
their expertise will make a proposal by an Eau Claire, WI community group to create a labyrinth for
spiritual reflection more in a local park more creditable.
But as much as Arthuriana Internet resources impressed me, I think of them as a means to an end.
They were never intended to replace (nor can the every possibly replace), books or Journals much as
certain tunnel vision academic administrators might want you to believe so. A good example of what
I mean is
"On Arthurian Women: Essays in Memory of Maureen Fries"
Bonnie Wheeler (Editor), Fiona Tolhurst (Editor) hardcover 430 pages
Scriptorium Press
ISBN 0965187713 price $39.95.
There is a sensuous pleasure of the text that one feels as one handles this handsomely crafted volume
in a sturdy library binding with painted boards in multiple burgundy and copper tones. But perhaps
the most outstanding descriptive feature of this book is the hauntingly beautiful photograph of
Maureen Fries as an enchantingly beautiful young woman in her early 20 on the backboards. It
worth checking this book out on Amazon just to see what it looks like, but it is much better to touch
it.
Of course only a fool judges a book by its cover. However I felt I had a winner as I read the
introduction to this collection and worked through twenty-two new views of Arthurian women
characters--from noble ladies too bad girls--as well as ten biographies of influential women by
Arthurian Bonnie Wheeler who directs the Medieval Studies Program at Southern Methodist
University. I laughed out loud at parts of Bonnie Wheeler's introduction and Tribute to Maureen
Fries (1931-1999), "Arthurienne Extordinare." I laughed because of the humanity which came
through. Of course I was inspired by the woman's success against all odds as an older academic
woman starting out in the 1970. It was here that I realized that some had non-dischargeable
-obligations unlike myself that did not allow them to take a several year's time out as some of us did
in the sixties. In short, I felt like I was reading about someone who achieved a wonderful things in a
lifetime while being pressed close to necessity all of her life.
All of the essays are well world reading but my deadline forces me to only highlight a few. I liked
Dorsey Armstrong's "Malorey's Morgause" a great deal, because of her astute use of Levi-Straus.
Her approach made me look at the whole Arthurian dynamic in a transactional sense which had
previously escaped me. I thought her use of theory as a tool rather than as an end in itself was
particularly effective. To say it yet another way, I felt as if I was drawn closer to rather than remove
one from the text.
I also enjoy works that do limit themselves to text as information objects. For example, Alan
Lupack's "Women Illustrators of Arthurian Legends," makes good use of black and white
illustrations to suggest that certain women illustrators were not hampered by some of the same
constraints as there male counter-parts.
As I worked through my sample issues of the journal Arthuriana I was so impressed with it that I
became convinced that I would gift an academic institution or library with a one year institutional
subscription and a run of the back issues if I can raise the funds to do so. I happen to have an
institution picked out which is for self-serving reason located close to my home base.
The thing that held my attention most was that the journal Arthuriana seemed to work out the
paradox which I mentioned earlier of the past being both a near and distant thing. We all have
favorite scenes from King Arthur movies from the likes of Camelot, Excalibur, and even First night
(guess which one I liked the best). What a thing to realize that these scenes were not invented by
movie directors. But, in most cases, have literary warrant which reaches eight or nine centuries and
first appeared in literary forms, which are for the most part in accessible to the modern reader. Yet
the stories are alive to be shaped and reshaped. And I feel with some adaptation in a timeless sense
to the Modern mind I think one of the best things this journal does is push the edge of the envelope
of what is fascinating. It's hard to take just one article and let it speak for an entire Journal. However
I thought that David F Johnson's. "Men hadde niet Arsatere vonden alsoe goet': Walewein as Healer
in the Middle Dutch Arthurian Tradition" Arthuriana 11.4 (Winter 2001): 39-52. This essay would
be as interesting to the director of a new version of Terminator IV for the medical practices it
described as it would to a professional medievalist, or even a Science Fiction or Comic Book Fan.
This keeps getting longer and longer but I feel compelled to mention a few more articles for example
Jannia P Traxler's. "Once and Future Saxons: Nazis and Other Dark Forces in the Modern Arthurian
Story" Arthuriana 11.4 (Winter 2001): 96-107, fit well with my observations as a Fantasy, Science
Fiction and Tolkien Critic, as she effectively linked the medieval with the modern. But there are
many, many more essays I could mention in just the four issues - imagine what one can find in the
entire run of the magazine!
Philip Kaveny
Literary Editor
Midwest Book Review
Cindy Penn's Bookshelf
Last Breath
Rachel Lee
Warner Books
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
ISBN 0446609919, 302 pages, $5.99
Recommended. At twenty, Steve King planned to become a priest. Then one night leaving the
church, someone murdered him. Father Brendan Quinlan finds him crucified on Holy Saturday.
Church members feel outraged by events, but none more than Chloe Ryder, especially when Father
Brendan falls under suspicion. With a background as cop before becoming an attorney, Chloe knows
how the system works once someone falls under suspicion. Detective Matthew Diel immediately
recognizes Chloe when he arrives to investigate the murder. Their shared personal history results in
an odd mix of attraction and distance, lending their interactions a biting edge. Chloe's Ice Queen
persona does not discourage Matthew from agreeing to work with her to find answers. Soon Chloe
and Matthew realize that Steve's death was not the target; rather, Father Brendan faces a deadly
plan. The case proceeds slowly, with the careful orchestration of a well-concealed conspiracy.
Author Rachel Lee introduces a powerful cast of characters in LAST BREATH. Chloe's painful past
gives her a cold exterior that only rarely reveals her vulnerabilities. Matthew's role in her past is
unexpected and believable. Father Brendan, however, absolutely dazzles with his devotion to his
God and determination to perform his duty to his parishioners. While rich characterizations make
LAST BREATH a rewarding reading experience, however, mystery lovers may be unsatisfied with
the nebulous conclusion that leaves some questions unanswered. Readers who enjoy LAST
BREATH certainly will be hoping for a sequel.
Some Girls Do
Leanne Banks
Warner Books
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
ISBN 0446611727, 324 pages, $6.99
Perfect blend of fun and sensuality - Highly recommended. Katie Collins carefully conceals her good
looks with dowdy clothes and heavy glasses, hoping to be judged by her ability and not her
appearance. With a boss working on his fifth marriage, she certainly does not wish to draw the
attention of an insecure woman-not with her family responsibilities and driving need to succeed.
When her boss Ivan offers a hundred thousand dollars to find his unattractive daughter a husband,
Katie accepts with the hope of finally assuring financial stability. Unfortunately, she shares
responsibility for Wilhelmina with security specialist Michael Wingate. Michael likewise has a
driving need to succeed. While Katie provides prospective candidates for Wilhelmina to marry, he
must screen the candidates, ruling out ex-convicts, freeloaders, disease carriers, and rednecks. At the
last minute, Ivan slipped his hairless cat's protection into the contract as well. So when both
Wilhelmina and the cat disappear, it is up to Katie and Michael to work together to get them back
before Katie looses his job and Michael looses his contract. Their adventure will lead them to Texas,
where tall hair and tall hats mark a territory completely foreign to a man like Michael, but familiar to
Katie in incredibly uncomfortable ways. Author Leanne Banks brings her characteristically succinct
skill of penning lighthearted romps to her first full-length novel in SOME GIRLS DO. Dynamic
characterizations spring to life, especially Katie who determinedly distances herself from her
mother's image. Consequently, her transformation from prude to siren will have readers amused,
particularly as it brings out the protective instincts of this marvelous hero. In fact, Michael and Katie
share a determination to also overcome their parents' flaws, not to mention a scintillating chemistry
that adds sensual texture to an otherwise amazingly playful read. The secondary plot likewise
provides a wonderful storyline, especially with Wilhelmina's unlikely price charming and the world's
ugliest cat. Katie's mother's words of wisdom likewise add a note of hilarity and levity readers will
love. The result proves that fairy tales can come true when SOME GIRLS DO. The perfect blend
between fun and sensuality, SOME GIRLS DO comes highly recommended.
Understudy
Carole Bellacera
Forge
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
ISBN 0765306557 384 pages $18.17
Impossible to put down! Very highly recommended. At a crossroads, Amy Shiley makes a life
altering decision that resounds with profound ethical dilemmas. Unable to speak while lying in her
hospital bed, Amy overhears news of the death of her best friend Robin Mulcahey. Amy had been
driving the car when slick roads and too much alcohol resulted in a tragic accident. Because both
women were severely facially damaged but shared a similar body build, and had exchanged personal
items before getting in the car, a case of misidentification results in an extraordinary opportunity.
Realizing that no one will mourn her, Amy assumes her best friend's life. It seems the perfect
solution for a woman with no family. She continues the role of beloved daughter, filling the gap for
Robin's family and sparing them tremendous grief. Although Amy is in love with Robin's brother
Paul, it is not until a year and a half later that she learns she gave up his love with the identity switch.
Further, the ideal impression she had of Robin's family does not bear up under reality. Amy's identity
switch brings professional success, when she becomes a well-known soap opera star and marries a
fellow actor. But as things come unraveled, she soon feels as though she is trapped in her own
personal soap opera. Author Carole Bellacera pens an exhilarating romantic suspense with
UNDERSTUDY. Switched identities may be a long favored plot device, but Bellacera finds a way
to add her own exciting flair, resulting in tale that readers will find impossible to put down. Although
Robin and Amy are complete opposites, Amy's transformation is incredibly believable. Further, the
secrets of Robin's life become driving motivation for Amy to confront the truth of the past as well as
her own personal truths. Secondary characterizations are likewise memorable, especially Bellacera's
thoughtful and insightful handling of Amy's husband's complicated feelings toward her and his past.
A novel rich with psychological insight, UNDERSTUDY comes very highly recommended.
Sweet Hush: A Novel
Deborah Smith
Little Brown & Company
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
ISBN 0316806501 336 pages $16.77
Winner of the WordWeaving Award for Excellence. The fifth of her line, Hush McGillen Thackery
believes people are born to be whoever they want to be. It is all in how they tell their story. Hush
spins a tale of true love, of the perfect Harvard son and of a successful apple farm. But love was
rotten to the core with a man who did not live up to revered image, but whose presence made it
acceptable for a business woman to succeed. Now secrets from the past threaten to bring down
Hush's idealist image and destroy all she holds dear when her son Davis brings the world's scrutiny
because he brings home his secret bride--the president's daughter. The president and his wife are
convinced that Hush has ulterior motives and that the marriage between their daughter Hush's son
was somehow coerced. They vastly underestimate this Appalachian queen who rules her home, farm
and county. When they send the president's cousin Nicholas Jacobek to bring the situation under
control, Hush meets the only man in her life who can match her skill at charming bees. But Jacob's
dark past conceals a man of kindness and of mercilessness who will do anything to protect family,
even kill. Author Deborah Smith succinctly captures the flavor of the south and of powerful
matriarchs in SWEET HUSH. Readers will find it impossible to forget these rich characterizations
and mesmerizing prose. Hush is blunt, fierce and determined, deserving of a hard man like Jacob.
The president's wife Edwina would be easy to hate except Smith carefully reveals her vulnerabilities,
devotion and motivation in a way that not only makes her understandable, but likeable despite her
bitchy ways. Readers will delight in the image of Hush and Edwina throwing rotten apples at each
other in the White House. Easily followed shifting points of view provide interior views of complex
motives and tantalizing possibilities. In all, three love stories wind their way around the reader's
heart, resulting in a must read tale reader's won't want to miss. SWEET HUSH earns the
WordWeaving Award for Excellence.
Sweet Hush: A Novel
Deborah Smith
Little Brown & Company
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
ISBN 0316806501, 336 pages, $16.77
Winner of the WordWeaving Award for Excellence. The fifth of her line, Hush McGillen Thackery
believes people are born to be whoever they want to be. It is all in how they tell their story. Hush
spins a tale of true love, of the perfect Harvard son and of a successful apple farm. But love was
rotten to the core with a man who did not live up to revered image, but whose presence made it
acceptable for a business woman to succeed. Now secrets from the past threaten to bring down
Hush's idealist image and destroy all she holds dear when her son Davis brings the world's scrutiny
because he brings home his secret bride--the president's daughter. The president and his wife are
convinced that Hush has ulterior motives and that the marriage between their daughter Hush's son
was somehow coerced. They vastly underestimate this Appalachian queen who rules her home, farm
and county. When they send the president's cousin Nicholas Jacobek to bring the situation under
control, Hush meets the only man in her life who can match her skill at charming bees. But Jacob's
dark past conceals a man of kindness and of mercilessness who will do anything to protect family,
even kill. Author Deborah Smith succinctly captures the flavor of the south and of powerful
matriarchs in SWEET HUSH. Readers will find it impossible to forget these rich characterizations
and mesmerizing prose. Hush is blunt, fierce and determined, deserving of a hard man like Jacob.
The president's wife Edwina would be easy to hate except Smith carefully reveals her vulnerabilities,
devotion and motivation in a way that not only makes her understandable, but likeable despite her
bitchy ways. Readers will delight in the image of Hush and Edwina throwing rotten apples at each
other in the White House. Easily followed shifting points of view provide interior views of complex
motives and tantalizing possibilities. In all, three love stories wind their way around the reader's
heart, resulting in a must read tale reader's won't want to miss. SWEET HUSH earns the
WordWeaving Award for Excellence.
Death's Domain Cassidy McCabe Mystery, 6th.
Alex Matthews
Intrigue Press
PO Box 102004 1310 S. Washington St., Denver, CO 80210
ISBN 1890768375, 370 pages, $16.77
Cassidy and Starshine return! Very highly recommended. Psychotherapist Cassidy McCabe faces the
fear of losing that which she holds most dear when the past catches up to the present. For years
Cassidy has blamed herself for Barbara's death. She had come home unexpectedly, finding her best
friend inebriated and in bed with her first husband. Outraged, Cassidy kicked Barbara out.
Unfortunately, the drunken Barbara died on the way home, leaving Cassidy with guilt and a
disintegrating marriage. Years later, on the anniversary of Barbara's death, a stalker promises
retribution. An obituary appears in the local paper featuring Cassidy. Soon the ominous tone of the
obituary continues with threatening email and an attempt on husband Zach's life. Determined to find
answers, Cassidy and her husband set out to uncover the secrets of the past who still holds Cassidy
responsible for Barbara's unfortunate death. DEATH'S DOMAIN, the sixth Cassidy McCabe
mystery, brings back a fabulous cast. Indeed, cozy mystery author Alex Matthews continues to
dazzle readers with the irrepressible Cassidy, reporter husband Zach, and her mischievous calico
Starshine. Cassidy's spunky grandmother and meddlesome mother likewise make their appearances,
bringing wit and humor wherever they appear. As always, Mathews provides lots of action, a
well-structured plot and plenty of twists to keep the pages turning. Although I enjoy hundreds of
books a year, including many mysteries, Cassidy McCabe has managed to capture and hold my heart
through the years like no other heroine. DEATH'S DOMAIN comes very highly recommended.
Catching Midnight Emma Holly
Jove Books
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
ISBN 0515135305, 310 pages, $5.50
Winner of the WordWeaving Award for Excellence. In 1349, Gillian is cast into the streets of
London without even a crust of bread when her mother and her younger brother show symptoms of
the plague. As the city lies dying, Gillian flees to the woods where members of an ancient race
discover her. They force her to choose between Auriclus' ways of the forests and Nim Wei's
dominance of the cities. Gillian chooses not to be a queen, but the ways of the forests. That choice
will forge her destiny. In 1370 Gillian seeks her freedom, leaving behind the upyr and forging a bond
with a peregrine falcon. Then Aimery Fitz Clare, second son to a noble house captures her. In his
dreams, Gillian comes to him as a goddess, first to regain her sight which had been taken temporarily
as a part of the falcon's training, and then fore more. Gillian decides that Aimery will be her guide
back into the human world. But as their love grows, so does the dangerous jealousy from humans
and upyr alike that threatens their every step. This is my first sojourn into the novels by Emma
Holly, but having experienced her wonderful story telling ability, it will not be the last. CATCHING
MIDNIGHT is a marvelously gripping mix of passion, sensuality, paranormal settings, betrayal and
triumph. The exquisite detailing of the ancient upyr with their earthy sensuality and their ability to
live only in the moment sharply contrasts Gillian's desire for knowledge that reaches beyond
experience. Despite those heart felt needs, however, Gillian is also an earthy, sensual woman who
fears releasing the animal within just as much as Aimery fears remembering the butchery of the
battlefields. As alike as they are different, Gillian and Aimery face considerable challenges and
extraordinary danger with grace. Secondary characters are likewise dazzling in their complexity and
depth, lending the novel an incredible richness. A sensual feast that readers will want to add to their
keeper shelf, CATCHING MIDNIGHT earns the WordWeaving Award for Excellence.
Impractical Magic
Karen Fox
Jove Books
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
ISBN 0515135364, $5.99
The magic continues! Highly recommended. Rarely does a child of mixed human and fae blood
receive the gift of magic. Brandon Goodfellow should know; he has been compensating all his life by
creating the world's greatest illusions all his life. But childhood friend Rose Thayer was an
exception, and when she demonstrated magical talent at thirteen, their friendship ended.
Thirteen-year-old Brandon felt betrayed and jealous because born with a gift he wanted. As adults,
Brandon and Rose cross paths when she seeks him out for an expose. She has made it her career to
expose the secrets of illusionists. While she truly does not want to harm her childhood friend's
career, her own career is on the line if she does not heed her editor's demand. Once again Brandon
feels angry and betrayed, but he takes the upper hand this time. He offers her an opportunity to
accompany him on the road in exchange for a promise: Rose may work no magic. Neither realize
that that when she does not use her magic, it "leaks". An unsuspecting human's wish will come true
with magical results! Karen Fox once again lends her extraordinary talent to create a magical
romance in IMPRACTICAL MAGIC. With a light touch of humor and sparkle, Fox casts a spell
with a story filled with memorable characters and a delightful plot. The agreement to temporarily
give up magic presents Rose with unexpected challenges. Secondary characters are also wonderfully
realized as Rose's cousin Sequoia keeps away the Fae Queen by teaching her messenger about love.
Readers who loved PRINCE OF CHARMING and BUTTERCUP BABY will adore
IMPRACTICAL MAGIC, although it works just as well as a stand-alone. IMPRACTICAL MAGIC
comes very highly recommended.
Perfect Together
Lisa Plumley
Zebra Books
850 Third Avenue, New York NY 10022
ISBN 0821774310 352 pages $6.50
An amusing summer read -- Very highly recommended. When his news station attempts to boost
ratings by promoting him as super stud, sportscaster Jake Jarvis does not appreciate having his
picture plastered across buses and billboards. Worse, now the news station insists that this single
father Jake agree to participate as contestant on the Dream Date TV show. Jake believes that he and
four-year-old Noah do not need a woman intruding in their games and clothing choices, and agrees
only to assure food the table. Actress Marley Madison made herself famous for over two decades as
a sultry, sassy southern belle. Now twenty-seven, Marley wants meatier roles than stilettos and a
southern twang. Her agent suggests that she prove her acting ability by becoming a contestant on
Dream Date. By transforming her Hollywood image into the girl next door, Marley hopes prove her
talent on national television. When she meets Jake over coffee, however, their chemistry inspires the
show's producer to pair them as a team with nothing in common and little chance of winning. But
publicity becomes secondary when love adds its own unexpected chemistry. Author Lisa Plumley
pens a delightful contemporary comedy in PERFECT TOGETHER. Plumley's prose sparkles with
levity and wit as she adds a fresh twist to the classic prince and pauper switch. Marley's adoption of
her sister's clothing, apartment and lifestyle provides amusing conundrums as she attempts to
conceal her life as a starlet. Young Noah provides plenty of his own wonderful moments as Jake
indulges outrageous clothing choices and lots of love. Readers will find themselves eagerly
anticipating the sequel that promises Marley's sister's story as she samples glamour and privilege.
The perfect amusing read for summer reading, PERFECT TOGETHER comes very highly
recommended.
Private Maneuvers: Intimate Moments No 1226
Catherine Mann
Silhouette Books
300 East 42nd Street, New York, New York, 10017
ISBN 0373272960, 250 pages, $4.75
Underwater adventure -- Very highly recommended. Air Force co-pilot First Lieutenant Darcy
"Wren" Renshaw is disgruntled at being reassigned to fly dolphins and Dr. Max Keagan to the South
Pacific rather than flying a war mission; that is, until she gets a look at the good doctor. Tropical
flower swim shorts and a five o'clock shadow do not detract from one hot professor. Perhaps this jig
in Guam would not be so bad after all if not for haunting memories of her last stay in the island
paradise. Then she had been a child held by kidnappers. Max's deep undercover CIA assignment is
about to meet its conclusion. Two years ago his partner and lover Eva, pregnant with their child,
died on a mission. The double agent has led Max to warm tropical waters and unexpected
temptation. However, someone watches, and plans to use Max's new love interest to cause harm.
Suddenly Darcy and Max's private maneuvers put her at risk, and tropical spiders and snakes are
only beginning. Underwater adventure brings intrigue and love in Catherine Mann's PRIVATE
MANEUVERS, the fourth of the "Wingman Warriors" series. Author Mann has made a reputation
for delivering sexy, heart pounding action and PRIVATE MANEUVERS is no exception. A spirited
heroine, Darcy does not let her fear stop her under the most frightening of circumstances.
Determined to gain notice on her own merit, Darcy resents her General father's kindhearted
manipulations. Also a military brat, hero Max is her perfect complement, she believes, until she
realizes he is more than a simple professor. Rich with witty dialogue and subtle nuances, PRIVATE
MANEUVERS delivers a masterful, intriguing romance readers will find impossible to put down.
PRIVATE MANEUVERS comes very highly recommended.
Entrapment: Intimate Moments 1221
Kylie Brant
Silhouette Books
300 East 42nd Street, New York, New York, 10017
ISBN 037327291X $4.75
Stunning intensity - Very highly recommended. Only ten thieves in the world have the skills CIA
agent Sam Tremaine needs. Only one regularly targets Oppenheimer, to the extent he has to buy an
insurance agency in order to cover his own losses. Sam may not know the beautiful thief's agenda,
but he is willing to do whatever it takes to bring down the international criminal Oppenheimer, even
if he has to hire a thief. Juliette Morris has a plan to deprive Oppenheimer of all his treasures before
fulfilling her ultimate goal of revenge. Sam's interference and identification of her only detours her
plan, but nothing will make her give it up. When Sam kidnaps Juliette's grandmother to assure
cooperation, the stakes escalate. Worse, both she and Sam are aware of the impossible nature of
their attraction, yet denying it seems to only add fuel to the flames. An eloquent and fabulously
realized romantic intrigue, ENTRAPMENT belongs on the reader's keeper shelf. Once again Kylie
Brant brings her characteristic flair for creating memorable characters and a fast paced plot, as
complex ethical issues lend a background of suspense and emotional depth that has become the
author's trademark. Juliette takes pride in her unorthodox profession, financing her vendetta with
stolen goods that are taken from her ultimate target. Sam's recent leg injury lends him just the right
level of vulnerability to highlight Juliette's extraordinary strengths. If ever opposites attracted in an
unorthodox mix readers will adore, it is here! ENTRAPMENT comes very highly
recommended.
The Unexpected Wedding Guest: Special Edition No 1541
Patricia McLinn
Silhouette Books
300 East 42nd Street, New York, New York, 10017
ISBN 0373245416, 256 pages, $4.75
Wonderful sequel to the WEDDING OF THE CENTURY. For years Max Trevetti has treated his
sister's friend Suzanna Grant as just another younger sister. But her return to Tobias, Wisconsin for
his sister Annette's wedding leaves Max determined to fight his growing attraction. When a bit too
much celebrating lowers inhibitions, Max suddenly sees Suz in her dynamite red dress. Suz does not
leave town quickly, however, and Max soon finds himself confronting not only his feelings, but his
own self-limitations. Suz and Max's sister Annette recently sold their joint business, leaving her life
suddenly without direction. Unwilling to yield to family pressure to return to her hometown, Suz
takes over Annette's responsibilities as Max's assistant while he is overseeing major renovations on a
historical landmark. Yet her lack of self-confidence leaves Max determined to bolster her self-image.
Neither Suz nor Max, however, are prepared for the consequences of their mutual concern for the
other. New discoveries and life-altering decisions aid an growing romance in the "Something New"
part of Patricia McLinn's wonderful miniseries. Once again McLinn demonstrates a dazzling gift for
bringing together ordinary, and yet unforgettable characters in an endearing story readers will
treasure. Picking up where THE WEDDING OF THE CENTURY concludes, THE
UNEXPECTED WEDDING GUEST begins with an unexpected yielding of inhibitions that allows
passion to grow into something extraordinary. A heart-warming tale, THE UNEXPECTED
WEDDING GUEST comes highly recommended.
Invisible Seam
Andy William Frew, Jun Matsuoka, Illustrator
Moon Mountain Publishing
80 Peachtree Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852
ISBN 1931659028, $11.17
Ethical lessons made simple -- Very highly recommended. While her aunt recovers from a broken
leg, young Michi apprentices to Mistress Shinyo, an aging kimono maker. Before leaving, Michi
promises her aunt that she will do her best work and keep free of bitterness. Mistress Shinyo's hands,
damaged from arthritis, can no longer sew as they once did, but she promises to teach Michi to sew
seams that are small and tight. Two other girls also work with Michi, and they resent her ability to
learn quickly and supercede their own skills. If Michi makes them look bad, Mistress Shinyo will be
angry and expect them to practice more. If they all do poorly, the two girls will have more time to
pursue their own pleasures. So they do everything they can to punish Michi for the changes she
brings to their house. Based on a true story, all readers will treasure THE INVISIBLE SEAM. In a
world filled with instant gratification and getting something for nothing, parents will appreciate the
values taught in this story, including working hard, respect for authority, and forgiveness. Exquisite
watercolor illustrations include historically accurate detail, bringing the story a stately beauty. THE
INVISIBLE SEAM comes very highly recommended!
Quixotic Fantasy
Christine Poe
Wings ePress, Inc.
PO Box 726, Lusk WY 82225
Encore L'Amour
ISBN: 1-59088-150-8 (e-book) $7.50
ISBN: 1-59088-838-3 (paperback) $15.95 315 pages
Very highly recommended. Widow Georgette "Etta" Jones does not expect a second chance at love
having already experienced a happy marriage. On the inside of her closet she tapes pictures of her
fantasy men whom she writes into her romance novels as heroes. But when flowers from "Don
Quixote" start mysteriously arriving, Etta does not believe they come from her knight in shining
armor. Best friend Patty invites Etta to a concert featuring a country and western heartthrob. Front
row seats and back stage passes bring her close to Colt Ryder, who leaves her strangely shaken. She
believes that a famous musician who can have his pick of much younger, sexier women would not be
interested in her. Yet Colt's persistence over the following weeks makes Etta long for the
possibilities Colt presents, especially as he treats Etta the way all women fantasize. Reality and
fantasy merge in Christine Poe's QUIXOTIC FANTASY. Married for twenty years, Etta has
experienced a wonderful love and does not expect second chances. With three teens in the house,
Etta struggles with the ordinarily challenges all single moms face, from seeing that children complete
their chores to dealing with their displeasure when mom introduces a potential boyfriend. Colt
makes divine fantasy material with his wildly romantic notions and his kindness with teen groupies
and picking up the tab for eight pizzas. Poe's witty, romantic prose provides a marvelous read,
coming very highly recommended.
Chrysalis
Joyce and Jim Lavene
Awe-Struck E-Books
2458 Cherry Street, Dubuque, IA 52001
ISBN 1587493624 eBook/Multiple Formats $4.50
Terrific sequel or standalone -- Very highly recommended. The Council assigns Lieutenant Gael
Klarke to investigate why planet R-12's synthetic fuel plant has stopped production. Only
uninhabited planets can be used for fuel production because of the danger it poses to vegetation and
life forms. Such planets are constantly monitored, and they are self contained and self repairing.
Consequently, the sound of laughter on the holographic record just before a loud grinding sound
suggests sabotage. Gael easily agrees to her assignment until she finds out that it is a joint project
and her partner will be Kalatri Astri, a renegade telepath and member of ECHO. The previous year,
Kalatri used his telepathic abilities to control a dangerous situation under questionable
circumstances, earning himself the nickname Wildcat. ENCOM has a picture of him on the practice
field and Gael always scores right through the eyes. Preferring to rely on their training and reflexes,
all of ENCOM's people distrust telepaths, who work for ECHO. Consequently, Gael would refuse
this assignment if it did not mean giving up her beloved career. Furthermore, planet R-12 will
challenge them both mentally, physically and emotionally. Especially when a spontaneous telepathic
link between Gael and Kat, as she renames him, soon indicates Gael's own repressed telepathic
abilities. Authors Joyce and Jim Lavene created a dynamic and fascinating science fiction tale with
the first novel of this science fiction series, THE SINGING TREES. This sequel, CHRYSALIS,
works equally as well as a stand alone, continuing the development of this fascinating interplanetary
world. Gael is a powerful heroine, with an abrasive, judgmental personality that becomes
understandable when her history of escaping slavery is revealed. Her instinctive distrust of anyone
who can control her sets her at odds with the sexy Kat. Perhaps Kat seems almost too perfect; that
is, until he temporarily looses his gifts and reveals his own vulnerabilities. Together Gael and Kat
make a memorable team. A complex, surprising and satisfying read, CHRYSALIS comes very highly
recommended.
Fur Factor
Christine Warren
Ellora's Cave
P.O. Box 787, Hudson, Ohio 44236-0787
eBook/Multiple Formats MS Reader (LIT)
ISBN # 1843604086 Mobipocket (PRC) ISBN # 1843604094 $5.95
Terrific sequel! Very highly recommended. In the six weeks they have known one another, Graham
Winters never noticed her; that is, until Missy shows up at her friend's post-wedding engagement
party in a too tight dress not of her choosing. Her group of friends have decided it is Missy's turn
again for a fantasy fix, and her fantasy doctor will proposition her at the party. But when werewolf
Graham notices her, all other plans disentegrate. But seduction by a werewolf in one thing, mating
for life is entirely something else. Missy plans to enjoy a sensual night or possibly a weekend before
Graham's attention wanders back to the kind of women he usually chooses. After all, Graham is the
alpha male of the Silverback werewolf clan, and can have any woman he wants. Missy doesn't
understand that he is also bored and finds her human freshness captivating. A sensual feast, FUR
FACTOR matches its predeccessor FANTASY FIX for erotic romance. Author Christine Warren's
gift for creating fascinating characterizations and intriguing possibilities that absolutely sparkle!
Further, her take on werewolves results in a wildly sexy hero that will leave readers hoping that
Graham's beta wolf puts in another appearance with his own story. Indeed, Warren's werewolves
certainly have different take on sex than the usual boring fluff readers encounter in less satisfying
novels. FUR FACTOR comes very highly recommended.
Aphrodite's Secret
Julie Kenner
Leisure Love Spell
c/o Dorchester Publishing
276 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10001
ISBN 0505525097 384 pages $6.99
Great fun! Very highly recommended. A six-year absence following the announcement of his
girlfriend's pregnancy promises a tumultuous return for superhero Jason Murphy. Learning of his
parentage and of Lane Kent's pregnancy on the same day definitely freaked him out and sent him
headlong into his father's clutches. Never mind that his Outcast father Hieronymous had held him
captive for six years while he swam in his dolphin form in endless circles with nothing but his dark
thoughts for company. Finally Jason has escaped, only to be informed by the Council that his son
must be delivered to the Olympus Elementary Facility for boarding school. Now Jason's
reappearance coincides with eyewitness accounts that he kidnapped his son! He knows his father is
behind the kidnapping and fears for the child's safety. Hieronymous despises halflings, including his
own grandson. But his current evil plan to take over the world hinges on the child. He intends to
siphon young Davy's intelligence and superpowers. Now Jason has to win against the father who
held him prisoner for six years and convince the woman he loved, whom he never told about his
superpowers, that he did not kidnap their child. Author Julie Kenner's gift for comedic romance
sparkles in her third superhero tale, APHRODITE'S SECRET. The amusing, star-crossed Jason and
Lane and their delightful son provide marvelous entertainment. Favorite characters return with
unobtrusive contributions that will please fans, including my personal favorites, Deena and Hoop
from THE CAT'S FANCY. With witty dialogue and outlandish possibilities, Kenner delivers another
stunning read. Her meteoric success simply continues to dazzle! APHRODITE'S SECRET comes
very highly recommended.
Nerd in Shining Armor
Vicki Lewis Thompson
Bantam Dell
A Division of Random House, Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York, New York, 10019 New York, New York
ISBN 0440241162 240 pages $5.99
Wonderful fun! Highly recommended. When her family sold Elvis's boxes, they created a new life for
themselves far from their Tennessee roots in Hawaii. Now Genevieve Terrence's carefully cultivated
tones and polished exterior reveal little of her past until she suddenly abandoned by her betraying
boss and left to go down in the plain with nerd Jackson "Jack" Farley. Fortunately, too many hours
of late night gaming and simulations provide Jack with a useful skill and he manages to ditch the
plane close enough to land for he and Genevieve to survive. Alone on a deserted island, Jackson and
Genevieve hope to avoid their dangerous boss and await rescue. Of course, with a hero like Jack to
save their lives in the plane, and then again to tow her to safety when her strength drains completely
away, Genevieve suddenly looks at him with new eyes. Then again, a missing contact might have
something to do with her second look too, but there's no denying hormone. Although they are alone
in an island paradise where they are free to explore their erotic fantasies, they also lack food, shelter,
and rescue. Worse, when they are rescued Jack may simply abandon Genevieve for the latest
programming challenge. Author Vicki Lewis Thompson pens her first single title in NERD IN
SHINING ARMOR, a rollicking read fans won't want to miss. With her characteristic flair,
Thompson weaves humor, love and the unexpected in this exciting summer read. Nick is the perfect
nerd hero with his computer compulsions and private work out area. Genevieve and her family add
an unexpected eclectic flavor with psychic gifts and hair dye. While the hillbilly humor may weigh a
bit heavy, the remarkably fun tale still satisfies. A deftly creative tale, NERD IN SHINING ARMOR
comes highly recommended.
Cindy Penn
Senior Reviewer
Midwest Book Review
http://www.wordweaving.com
Klausner's Bookshelf
Adverse Impact
Phillip Tomasso III
Quiet Storm
Jun 2003, $25.95, ISBN: 0972881948
Employment law paralegal Linda Genova works for Hartzman, Cross, Lacy & Bierman, a firm that
specializes in representing companies that are having legal issues with employees. She feels pretty
good with her work but not so much with her personal life due to her ending of her relationship with
her boyfriend Joey Viglucci. After going together for six months, she concludes that she knows
nothing about him except images her mind painted to fill in the void. Soon after she stops seeing
Joey, a secret admirer begins sending Linda romantic letters and flowers. Linda feels touched and
her ego soars until the letters take a twisted turn into something obsessive and dirty. Seemingly
harmless pranks also occur though she does not see the connection to the dark mail. Linda provides
the police a list of males, but they find nothing while the perpetrator gets bolder and nastier. The
reason ADVERSE IMPACT works is the lead female character, whose state of mind metamorphosis
from a gleeful slight buzz to confusion and ultimately terror, is brilliantly handled so the audience
feels all that Linda fears. The support cast especially the men, provides depth to Linda's persona and
serves as potential suspects though readers will wonder who is stalking her. Phillip Tomasso III
provides fans of chilling suspense and woman in peril thrillers with a powerful tale that keeps readers
guessing what will happen with the next twist while tensing muscles wondering when the attack
soars into attempted, perhaps successful, homicide.
Snobbery With Violence
Marion Chesney
St. Martin's Press
July 2003, $22.95, 224 pp., ISBN:031230451X
After being wounded while fighting in the Boer War, Captain Harry Cartwright, the youngest son of
Baron Derrington, returns home to London. His only income is his army pension and a pittance from
the family trust. Through a mutual friend, Harry is recommended to the Earl of Hoodshire to
investigate Sir Geoffrey Blandon to see if he is suitable to marry his daughter Rose. Harry's
investigation leads him to discover that Sir Geoffrey's goal is seduction not marriage and his career
as a private investigator is born. Word of mouth spreads about Harry's discreet inquiries. At a
weekend party given by the Marquis of Hedrey at Telby Castle, one of the guests dies and the police
are called to investigate. The Marquis hires Harry to make sure the police rule it a suicide but they
do that without his help. When Rose, a guest at the castle, is pushed off the roof, Harry jumps into
the moat to rescue her. They find the body of the missing lady's maid who was definitely murdered.
The police return, but this time Rose and Harry are helping them. Marion Chesney, well known for
her historical romances, also writes the Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth mystery series under the
name M.C. Beaton. Her new "Edwardian murder mystery" series combines history, romance, and
intrigue resulting in a delightful romantic mystery. The two protagonists, both belonging to the
upper class, do not fit in the polite society very well, and find themselves drawn to one another. The
who-done-it is well developed and captures reader interest from the outset. SNOBBERY WITH
VIOLENCE gives readers a glimpse into the aristocracy during the Edwardian era.
Loving You
Maureen Child
St. Martin's Press
Jun 2003, $5.99, 352 pp., ISBN: 0312978448
A knee injury ended Nick Candellano's professional football career. The former star misses the
limelight as he starts over as a sports reporter with the ambition of working for ESPN, but currently
locally covers a Chandler, California high school girl's soccer game. However, he is shocked when
eleven years old Jonah Baker files a paternity suit claiming that Nick sired him based on comments
his now deceased mom said. Though he has his brother-in-law the attorney handling the legal
aspects of the case, Nick tries to see Jonah's foster mother because he firmly believes he practiced
safe sex with a myriad of females in his early stardom days. However, Tasha Flynn refuses to allow
Nick to meet Mimi Castle or the kid. Mimi died six months ago but Tasha hides the death from local
authorities so they cannot take away her beloved Jonah who she raises as her own. Surprisingly,
Tasha and Nick fall in love and when he meets Jonah he cannot help but be hooked by the lad. Nick
wants Tasha and Jonah as part of his family if he can persuade her that he loves both of them
regardless of the DNA findings. The sequel to the 2 in 1 novels FINDING YOU and KNOWING
YOU, LOVING YOU is an entertaining contemporary romance that continues the adventures of the
Candellano clan. The story line is fun though the audience will become a bit irritated with the
pushiness of Nick's sister into his legal personal matters. Still the warm lead trio deserves a
wonderful life together and the return of the warm-blooded Candellano brood (can anyone in
Chandler survive this crowd?) make for a fine read.
The Angel Whispered Danger
Mignon F. Ballard
St. Martin's Press
July 2003, $23.95, 288 pp., ISBN 0312308132
Every year Ned and Kate McBride and their daughter Josie attended the family reunion held at
Uncle Ernest's home Bramblewood in Bishop's Bridge, North Carolina. Neither Kate nor Josie are
looking forward to this year's reunion because Ned has asked for and gotten a separation and is
living on the other side of the country. When Kate and Josie arrive at the home of Kate's parents, she
is greeted by her temporary guardian angel Augusta Goodnight and her young apprentice Penelope.
Augusta thinks Kate might be in danger and events at Bramblewood seem to indicate something is
very wrong. Ernest's housekeeper Ella is found injured in a ravine and just before she falls into a
coma, she tells Kate someone pushed her. The police discover that the girlfriend of Kate's cousin
Grady was deliberately murdered when somebody cut the brake lines on her car. Skeletal remains of
a murder victim are found in the local cemetery when the church group are cleaning up the place.
Kate's Aunt Violet thinks all of these events are related so the intrepid females bait a trap to catch a
murderer. The latest Augusta Goodnight mystery is a charming, often times whimsical small town
angelic cozy starring characters that are so delightful and amusing that readers will want to finish the
book in one sitting to see if there is a happily ever after ending for the McBrides. Mignon F. Ballard
knows how to write a captivating who-done-it that doesn't depend on blood and gore to keep reader
interest. THE ANGEL WHISPERED DANGER is a good wholesome mystery.
Conspiracy Theory
Jane Haddam
St. Martin's Press
July 2003, $24.95, 288 pp., ISBN: 0312271883
He became a legend for his work in the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit, so much so, that when he
retired he was asked to consult on some very high profile murder cases in Philadelphia. Gregor
Demarkian attends a Main Line charity gathering in Bryn Mawr hosted by one of the most powerful
and wealthiest bankers in the world, Tony Ross, who is murdered while greeting guests on the front
stairs. Although he is technically a witness or a suspect the local police ask Gregor for help, which
he gladly agrees to give. When he goes home he learns that his church on Cavenaugh Street has been
bombed and reduced to rubble. Since he is close to Father Kasparian, Gregor donates his services
hoping to catch the perpetrator who did this horrific act. When Tony's wife Charlotte is murdered in
a M.O. identical to that of her husband's death, conspiracy literature is found in her house. Gregor
feels these three crimes are linked but finding the connection and a viable suspect will take all of his
skills and a good deal of luck. Jane Haddam has a wonderful sense of place and an ability to create
fascinating characters. The author peels away the veil and spin doctoring of the very rich and
powerful to show that they are not different than the average person in their desires and fears.
CONSPIRACY THEORY is fast-paced and brilliantly plotted while displaying how the events of
September 11th fit into the mindset of a conspiracy group who believes the Illuminati are controlling
the country and moving towards a one world order. This is a mystery that readers will thoroughly
enjoy.
Smoke In the Wind
Peter Tremayne
St. Martin's Press
July 2003, $23.95, 288 pp., ISBN 0312287801
In the kingdom of Dyfed in what is now South Wales, Brother Cyngar stops at Llampadern, a
religious community of twenty-seven brothers, expecting a good meal only to find the place
deserted. There are no signs of a struggle but it looks like the brothers departed in the middle of
their meal and all the livestock is missing. The traveler rushes to the Abbey of Dewi Saint to inform
Abbot Tryffin. The abbot and the king of Dyfed, whose son is one of the missing brothers, prevail
upon Sister Fidelma and Brother Eadulf to investigate the vanishing. Fidelma and Eadulf agree to
help though both realize the Britons who occupy most of Dyfed hate the Saxons. They stop briefly
at the town of Pen Cair, accompanied by a judge, who is presiding over a murder trial. The two
visiting sleuths help their companion investigate the situation until it is time to travel to Llampadern
where they are kidnapped by outlaws who have a distinctly royal bearing. When they escape, they
find the judge murdered. Fidelma investigates both cases with some very interesting results. Peter
Tremayne makes the culture of that period come alive in the mind's eye and snares the interest of the
reader from the outset. Fidelma observes that mid-seventh century South Wales is very similar to her
homeland since the Celts also settled there. This who done-it has many layers and the two cases have
threads in common which makes for a brilliant puzzle that is almost impossible to solve. As usual a
Fidelma mystery is always fun to read and SMOKE IN THE WIND is no exception.
Exploring the Matrix
Karen Haber, editor
St. Martin's Press
May 2003, $24.95, 271 pp., ISBN: 0312313586
This is a series of essays dissecting the original movie on the eve of the release of the first of two
sequels (the number 3 is the power number in science fiction reviewer babble). The eighteen
contributions come from a virtual "cyberpunk and science-fiction visionaries" with most of the inputs
quite interesting especially when two authors are diametrically opposite in their interpretation of the
film. Debates range the gamut from whether the heroes are cyberpunks opposed to the overreach of
science placing a web on their personal lives or comic book superheroes on the screen. If one is
looking for the next great philosophical debate or a treatise on the Second Coming, then go
elsewhere. However, fans of the movie will enjoy the discussion, much of which is simple fluff, but
also enough fun stuff. Though enjoyable, the bottom line of EXPLORING THE MATRIX is the
psycho prattle debate seeks hidden meaning when to many of the fans it is simply an entertaining
flick.
Minion
L.A. Banks
St. Martin's Press
June 2003, $12.95, 304 pp., ISBN 0312316801
Fallon Nuit is a master vampire who had a seat on the vampire council but when he went rogue he
was banished into eternal darkness. Through a series of accidents Fallon was able, with the help of
the evil Egyptian deities known as Amanthra, to free himself and make several second-generation
vampires that his rescuers can inhabit. Fallon's goal is total control of the vampire territories on
Earth and the death of the slayer. Street smart Damali Richards is making a name for herself and her
group as a singer for Spoken Word. She is also the slayer protected by seven Guardians who battle
the creatures of the night including the Amanthra vampires. As she is nearing her twenty-first
birthday, she is coming into the full use of her considerable power and both Fallon and the vampire
council want her stopped. There is only one person who can get close enough to her to achieve this
objective, but she is also the only woman he ever cared about. It will be interesting to see if he will
sacrifice his humanity for untold power and riches. MINION is the first book in a three book series
(the other books coming out in 2004) that will appeal to fans of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake,
Vampire Executioner novels. L.A. Banks has written an urban fantasy novel that deals with several
social issues in a manner that is both educational and entertaining. The character that is the most
intriguing is the man who will be either the Slayer's savior or doomslayer which is why readers will
want to read AWAKENING as soon as it is published.
Betrayed
Brendan DuBois
St. Martin's Press
Jun 2003, $24.95, 304 pp., ISBN: 0312310188
In 1972, the brass declared Air Force pilot Roy Harper missing in action when his B-52 plane went
down in Nam. His parents and his younger brother Jason prayed that he would be freed during the
1973 Operation Homecoming, but Roy was not one of the fortunate soldiers returned to the
Americans. Over the years, Roy's family lived around the hope that one day he would call. Thirty
years later, Roy's family believes he is dead and his remains will never be returned. Jason is married
with a small son and manages Maine's Berwick Banner newspaper. One night, a straggly looking
person visits Jason, claiming to be Roy, and proving his point with a personal reference to a Sports
Illustrated swimsuit issue. That same evening, two mercenaries invade the Harper home with a
mission to capture Roy and kill the witnesses. They survive, but the Harpers are targets of
mercenaries whose employers need them dead before they reveal the secret behind what happened to
the MIAs. Left wing conspiracy buffs will appreciate BETRAYED, a tale that pulls no punches from
the start and never slows down until the final left hook is thrown though the right wing will insist
Doonsbury and clearly not Fox News wrote this novel. The story line focuses on how far the "in
power" will go to keep dirty laundry buried even killing innocent people to assure interment of
secrets. The apple pie Harper family comes across as feasible victims of a fiendish plot to hide the
truth as Brendan DuBois makes it clear what he thinks of the DC crowd when it comes to betraying
the people.
Perdition House
Kathryn R. Wall
St. Martin's Press
Jun 2003, $24.95, 368 pp., ISBN: 0312313853
Former financial consultant Bay Turner convalesces at her Hilton Head home still recovering from
the murder of her spouse. However, when she is asked to help her twenty something fifth
half-cousin Mercer Mary Prescott who was arrested as a vagrant and locked up in Beaufort County
jail, reluctantly Bay gets involved. Though a relative, Mercer is actually a stranger. Bay gets her
dad's friend Judge Talbot Simpson to set bail. Mercer is freed. Still Mercer remains in trouble due to
a federal trespass charge for illegally entering the Savannah River nuclear plant. When Mercer flees
thugs, goons and cops pursue. With other family woes descending on her, Bay joins the chase only
to become involved in the deadliest family secret of all, PERDITION HOUSE. PERDITION
HOUSE is a strong thriller that seems almost out of control, but is deftly kept in line by author
Kathryn R. Wall. The story line centers on Bay, who just wants a little peace of mind, but her
relatives think otherwise. Instead of domestic tranquillity, Bay concludes that blood may be thicker
than water and she somehow seems to get sucked into storms caused by her extended family starting
with Mercer. This terrific tense thriller takes readers on quite a ride.
Killing Paparazzi
Robert M. Eversz
St. Martin's Press
Apr 2003, $13.95, 310 pp., ISBN: 0312309996
When Nina Zero was Mary Alice Baker she swears she was a good girl. A stud here and a stud there
turned her into what she is today. Finally after serving five years for blowing up a section of LAX
airport that she insists was an accident Nina is paroled. Unable to obtain work and written off as a
terrorist by friends and family, Nina agrees to marry English photographer Gabriel Burns for two
thousand dollars and a weekend in Vegas so that the Paparazzi can obtain a green card. Nina takes
pictures of a heavy-metal band electrocuted in a hotel hot tub that she sells to an agency. This gives
her the impetus to start a new career as a paparazzi. However, when her new husband's body is
found battered, Nina resolves to find the killer. Is Los Angeles big enough to handle a Nina
earthquake off the Richter Scale? KILLING PAPARAZZI is a visual satire that leaves few prisoners
as much of Southern California media life is exposed to humorous ridicule. The story line tosses
rocks at many an icon as Nina does what she does best, cause havoc. However, this mystery is not
for everyone because the plot and its references to the previous tale SHOOTING ELVIS loses some
of its off the wall edge as it will remind much of the audience of 9/11.
The Death You Deserve
David Bowker
St. Martin's Press
Jun 2002, $12.95, 256 pp., ISBN: 0312311788
Horror novelist Billy Dye needs cash so he accepts the assignment of interviewing the crime kingpin
of Manchester, England, Malcolm Priest. Surprisingly, the interview goes quite well as the boastful
Priest profanely brags equally about his life of crime as much as his support to good deeds charities.
Proud of his efforts, especially getting out with his skin intact, Billy consumes too much alcohol,
which leads to his handing in an uncomplimentary picture of Priest. Sober, Billy wonders if his
knees, elbows, or fingers will be broken, that is if he lives to feel the pain. However, Billy gets a
break as the editor turns the piece into friendly fluff. Pleased with the article, Priest hires Billy to
ghostwrite his memoir. However, Billy being Billy manages to quickly destroy the good will of the
article. Priest casts the die that Dye must die so Billy ends up in a graveyard facing execution by
Raghead the hit man, who wears a bag over his head to hide his identity from his customers and
victims. However, Billy's luck finally changes when Raghead turns out to be his closest childhood
friend, who loyally tries to protect his buddy from Priest's gang of thugs. THE DEATH YOU
DESERVE is an entertaining crime thriller that satirizes invincible hero types defeating armies of
trained killers. The story line never takes itself seriously, which leads to readers receiving a wild tale
populated by an eccentric cast. Though Billy is the star, Raghead and Priest make the tale as
caricatures of criminals.
Off the Chart
James W. Hall
St. Martin's Press
Jun 2003, $24.95, 352 pp., ISBN: 0312271786
Off of South Florida, pirates using satellite tracking to select targets, invest their ill-gotten gains in
real estate. These buccaneers kidnap preadolescent Janey Sugarman from the yacht of Dr. Andy
Markham, boyfriend of the child's mother. The victim's father, a private eye, observed the event on a
video feed from the chatroom he and Janey were logged onto when she was abducted. Pirate
Captain Vic Joy offers to return the girl safely in exchange for Sugarman's friend Thorn giving him
his Key Largo property valued at $3 million. Former Navy Secretary Jimmy Lee Webster protects
Vic while romancing the pirate captain's sister Anne Bonny Joy. An angry Sugarman learns that the
incident could have been avoided if Thorn had provided some information to Webster on Anne,
whom the latter sleeps with. With no help from any quarter, Thorn goes after the pirates to rescue
an innocent girl. This is a fast-paced fun thriller that requires a bit of letting go of reality and just
sailing with the flow. The story line hooks the reader due to a strong cast, especially the pirates,
inside a modern day corsair voyage. The contrast between the intellectual approach of Sugarman
and the in your face brawn of Thorn adds to a delightful spoofing of the action genre.
12 Bliss Street
Martha Conway
St. Martin's Press
June 2003, $23.95, 224 pp., ISBN 0312315430
One day after getting off the San Francisco Muni Train, Nicola thinks she sees her ex-husband who
she hasn't laid eyes on for three years. From there her day goes downhill rapidly with a cranky boss
and an irate customer. When she goes out to her usual restaurant for lunch, she meets the man she
has been non-verbally flirting with for weeks and they finally talk. He asks her out on a date but
though she is tempted, she chickens out. The next bad happening is when two college students
kidnap her and by the time Nicola convinces them she has no idea what is going on, they become
nervous and call the man who hired them. Just as she suspected, the man turns out to be Scooter
who wants to borrow money from her to pay off a loan shark. She agrees to talk to the bookie's
nephew who turns out to be a good looking and attractive man who wants to be a food critic. They
start dating but the man who Nicola turned downed at the restaurant is looking for her because she's
a loose end that needs tying up before he gets out of the snuff film business. 12 BLISS STREET is a
funny upbeat chick-lit mystery starring a feisty resolute woman determined not to lose control in any
situation. The villain is vile in a funky kind of way but the funniest character is the ex-husband who
is always trying to reach for the gold ring only to find it's made foolishly of brass. Martha Conway is
writing for the thirty-something crowd who will adore this work.
The Pretender
Celeste Bradley
St. Martin's Press
Jun 2003, $6.50, 384 pp., ISBN: 0312984855
In 1813, Agatha Cunningham flees her home to avoid the unwanted advances of her odious
neighbor, "Repulsive" Reggie Peasley and to find her missing brother James. In order to travel by
herself, Agatha pretends to be married to Mortimer Applequist, an imaginary person she
conveniently made up. However, her lies have caught up with her as the London ladies she recently
met demand meeting her fictional spouse. Simon "Rain" Raines heads the Liar's Club, a group of
pickpockets and thieves who work for the King in search of French spies. He thinks his former best
friend and associate James Cunningham turned traitor as he has been missing for several weeks,
secret operatives have been killed, and his bank account has grown. He goes to James' home to
encounter the man's mistress, a Mrs. Applequist, but garbs the disguise of a chimneysweep. Before
he knows what happened, he pretends to be Mr. Applequist. As he and Agatha fall in love, Simon
wonders how will she react when he arrests her lover, not knowing that James is her brother.
Regency romance fans will take immense pleasure in the first Liar's Club novel, a fun tale due to the
outrageous antics of the intrepid heroine (sort of like a Baroness Munchausen). Simon is a delightful
protagonist trying to overcome being the son of a Covent Garden whore who traded her body for
meal money for them and an unknown father. This delightful winner belongs to Agatha, whose spins
are clever and fabulous as she learns "oh what a web we weave when we first deceive".
Finding You and Knowing You
Maureen Child
St. Martin's Press
May 2003, $5.99, 720 pp., ISBN: 0312989202
"Finding You". Though Mama obviously loves her adult chidlren, Carla Candellano wished she
cared a little less as her mother constantly harasses her to get married to the point she even asks her
if she is a lesbian. Carla does not need a man in her life at this time as she still struggles with the
tragedy that happened two years ago during a search and rescue mission. Carla meets new neighbor
six year old Reece Wyatt, who has remained mute since his mother died last year. The duo hits it off
on some angst-laden connection that soon brings the child's father Jackson into Carla's life. Though
love blossoms between the two Wyatts and the Castellano, is that enough to forge a permanent
relationship when each has to overcome anguish from their pasts? "Knowing You". Carla's best
friend Stevie Ryan has loved Carla's brother Nick forever. Though he likes her, the handsome Italian
Stallion (though both are football stars, in this case Nick not the Crimson Tide's Johnny Musso)
never returned the love except but treated her as if she was his little sister. However, recently Stevie
finds herself dreaming of Nick's intellectual twin Paul and he seems eager to reciprocate. Will a shift
in her affection lead to trouble between the siblings? Both of these novels are engaging
contemporary romances with a warm but a bit crazy ensemble that feels like the kitchen of many
readers. The story lines will hook sub-genre readers because the characters seem genuine and
friendly.
The Murad Method: Wrinkle-Proof, Repair, and Renew Your Skin with the Proven 5-Week
Program
Howard Murad, M.D. and Dianne Partie Lange
St. Martin's Press
Apr 2003, $24.95, 241 pp., ISBN: 0312304145
This is a straightforward self help book that provides an easy to follow technique to slow down the
aging process of the skin. Readers will be surprised how simple the "Water Principle" approach is
yet treats the audience with a belief that the reader is intelligent. For instance, Dr. Murad and Ms.
Lange explain that the skin is the body's largest organ, something quite obvious yet probably ignored
by most people. Though this reviewer has just started trying the method that takes only five minutes
twice a day for five weeks, it seems obvious that it will work especially after the case made by the
writers. Now if there was only a five minutes twice a day self help book on reducing my weight back
to when I was twenty-five in only five weeks.
Room Service
Beverly Brandt
St. Martin's Press
May 2003, $6.50, 336 pp., ISBN: 0312984227
Party animal Katya Morgan is shocked to learn that her dad died, but is even more stunned when she
learns he cut her out of his will. She concludes his second wife Jillian did her in and plans to take her
stepmother to court, but has no money for a lawyer. Jillian calls hotel manager Alex Sheridan to ask
him if he will hire Katya when she goes to stay at there. Alex offers Katya a housekeeping job, which
she is forced to accept though she pays for a room with her jewelry. When another housekeeper is
hurt in an elevator accident, Katya takes in the woman's dog. When the canine becomes ill, Alex
returns her jewelry so that she can pawn it to pay her vet bill. When Kayta decides to use the money
to hire a lawyer, though he loves her, Alex ends their relationship because he believes she should
spend the money on the dog. Katya cares deeply for the dog and Alex, but equates love with money
because she has had no other experience since her mother died when she was ten, leaving no future
with her beloved. ROOM SERVICE is similar to "Maid to Order" except that the tough love comes
from the lead female protagonist's deceased dad instead of a fairy godmother. Readers will enjoy this
tale because of the cast especially Katya. The secondary characters provide a sense of deepness that
gives the audience true measures of what motivates Katya or Alex. Beverly Brandt, author of
RECORD TIME and TRUE NORTH, will receive accolades from an appreciative audience.
Dine and Die on the Danube Express
Peter King
St. Martin's Press
Jun 2003, $22.95, 240 pp., ISBN: 0312283660
The Gourmet Detective expects a luxurious trip including a gourmet meal as he rides the Danube
Express on its twentieth fifth anniversary tour of Eastern Europe. He just sits down at the table
ready to feast on the seven-course first evening dinner when security supervisor Karl Kramer asks
for his help. The Budapest Times reports that renowned passenger Hungarian stage star Magda
Malescu is dead in her compartment. There is no body yet Magda is missing and the compartment
smells of bitter almonds. The Gourmet Detective wonders how the reporter learned about the
alleged death almost in a quantum physics way before the event occurred. Not even fully certain that
the victim is dead The Gourmet Detective soon uncovers a wealth of suspects until the corpse
reappears breathing quite nicely. However, murder occurs as someone kills Magda's understudy and
a journalist. Karl and the Gourmet Detective wonder if the vanishing act and homicides are a
diversion from an attempt to steal a valuable Mozart manuscript or improved grapevines found in
baggage. This novel needs to carry a warning label for anyone who is on the slightest health regimen
as this tale abounds with good food and drink to the delight of the gourmand reader. Though fun,
the mystery seems like eating rabbit diet food compared with the menu of dining palette that
obviously clogs the blood system of the Gourmet Detective and the reader.
O' Artful Death
Sarah Stewart Taylor
St. Martin's Press
Jun 2003, $23.95, 304 pp., ISBN: 0312307640
Boston based Professor Sweeney St. George is considered an expert on Victorian burial practices
and rituals, especially the art representations including gravestones. Her friend Toby DiMarco
persuades Sweeney to spend her Christmas vacation with his relatives at Byzantium, Vermont, a
town that once hosted a former artists' colony. Sweeney immediately accepts the invitation. She
wants to know about the unknown artist who carved a highly artistic but strange looking tombstone
commemorating the death of Mary Elizabeth Denholm by drowning in 1890. Sweeney's efforts to
identify the stone's sculptor seem about to be rewarded when a descendent of the deceased Ruth
Kimball offers to provide information. However, before Ruth can deliver, someone kills her, but no
one seems too excited over the homicide. Sweeney, assisted by another visitor, turns to Tennyson in
a quest for a clue to a killer who will murder again to keep some things secret. Sarah Stewart
Taylor's debut novel is entertainingly refreshing because the who-done-it plays a secondary role to
the in depth look at the art of death. Cleverly intertwined into the investigative plot is an intriguing
analysis of Tennyson, as well as other artists especially from the Victorian period. Fans will
appreciate this cleverly crafted fine arts mystery.
Claire and Present Danger
Gillian Roberts
Ballantine Books
Jun 2003, $23.95, 256 pp., ISBN: 0345454901
After ten novels, Amanda Pepper and former cop C.K. Mackenzie are finally engaged. Both work
part time as private detectives while C.K. completes a Ph.D. in criminology and Amanda teaches in a
Philadelphia high school. Amanda meets with new client, upper crust Claire Fairchild, who is
concerned that her darling son Leo is marrying beneath their station. She demands that the sleuths
investigate her future daughter-in-law, Emmie Cade, in case she is not worthy of becoming a
Fairchild. C.K. quickly uncovers disturbing information about friends and lovers of Emmie. She is a
death magnet as several died under questionable circumstances. As C.K. and Amanda wonder if
Emmie is dangerous, their client suddenly dies of what looks like natural causes. A seemingly
shocked Emmie asks Amanda to learn why she is the Grim Reaper with several people from her
inner circle dead. Though at times the myriad of subplots seem overwhelming and require a
scorecard to keep track, several of these serve as contrasting parallel paths that add depth to either
the lead couple or the prime theme. The glimpse of the personal lives of the heroes is fun especially
when Amanda empathizes with Emmie on the eve of her meeting the mother of C.K. for the first
time. Fans of the series will enjoy the latest entry and newcomers will appreciate the banter between
C.K. and Amanda. Though difficult to stay focused on whether Emmie is a killing machine, a death
attraction magnet, or a victim of something sinister, CLAIRE AND PRESENT DANGER is a fun
private investigative tale.
The Awakening
Donna Boyd
Ballantine Books
July 2003, $12.95, 208 pp., ISBN 0345462351
Paul and Penny Mason spend the summer in their home in Mercy, North Carolina trying to patch up
their marriage and help their thirteen-year-old daughter Elsie heal from a trauma she went through a
year ago. Paul is a best-selling author of children's books and had been a professor at the
Woodlands, but was fired for having an affair with one of his students. Penny is working hard at
trying to forgive him but is spending more of her time in Chapel Hill doing surgeries than staying at
a lake house that is making her increasingly uneasy. Penny has vivid dreams of the people that lived
in the town in 1932 and the tragedy that occurred in her home. Elsie sees the ghost of Mary who is
looking for her own husband and child. Paul is the only one who can speak to Mary but he doesn't
understand why she is haunting his home. Elsie and Paul research the history of their home but it is
Penny who finds out the answers that Mary needs to move on after her purpose is finished. Donna
Boyd has written a chilling and spooky old fashioned ghost story about two worlds in time and
space that temporally connect so that members of one family can interact with the surviving member
of the other family who needs to discover the truth about her past. The characters are all victims and
survivors who must find a way to move on from the tragedies that have affected their lives. Readers
will really enjoy THE AWAKENING and appreciate the wonder that is so much a part of this
stirring tale.
Black Valley
Jim Brown
Ballantine Books
Jul 2003, $23.95, 368 pp., ISBN: 0345446992
Over two decades ago, five Black Valley, Oregon teens buried a still living Whitey Dobbs in the
allegedly haunted Hawkins Hill. The quintet feel justice has been served, as the maniacal sadistic
Dobbs was very quick to use a switchblade on anyone. Unbeknownst to the group is Dobbs avoided
certain death due to radioactivity that turned him into an immortal and allowed him to travel back
and forth through time. Dobbs visits Black Valley intent on killing his enemies one at a time. Feeling
no remorse, Dobbs methodically carves up four of his foes and anyone else who happen to be in the
wrong place at the wrong time. Only Nobel Prize winning scientist Dean Truman remains, but he is
also the most difficult of the prey as he begins to understand how Dobbs survived his interment and
how he can vanish at will. Dean's peer, Piper Blackmoore, joins forces with him in an effort to defeat
permanently the slippery Dobbs. BLACK VALLEY is a supernatural serial killer thriller that seems
to go just over the edge with one unbelievable twist after another, but readers will relish suspending
belief because the terror seems so real due to the reactions of the victims. Dobbs is almost a comic
book character and has been seen in some form of personification (Krueger?) in movies and books
often, but Jim Brown never allows him to go too far while managing to make him an original. His
opponents add to his aura. The audience will applaud Mr. Brown for this non-stop preternatural
action thriller.
Death Row
William Bernhardt
Ballantine Books
June 2003, $25.95, 320 pp., ISBN: 0345441745
Seven years ago Tulsa attorney Ben Kincaid failed to obtain a not guilty verdict for his client, food
chemist Ray Goldman. Now the convicted killer of multiple murders, in which he killed eight
members of the Faulkner family removing their eyes, faces execution by lethal injection unless Ben
can get a stay with with last appeal. Shockingly, Erin Faulkner, the only eye witness survivor whose
testimony condemned Ray, tells Ben she made an error as she had doubts, but folded under immense
pressure from the ADA to attain a conviction. Before Ben can use this new information, Erin is
found dead, an apparent suicide. When a second person is killed who was coming to Ben with
information, the lawyer tries to get more time but fails in a system in which justice is so blind that it
appears that an innocent man will die. Though surprisingly Ben has little to do with solving the case,
fans will enjoy this death row legal thriller. The angst-laden story line works at its best when the
pressure on Ben becomes unbearable especially when the hero desperately pleads with the court for
more time. Though the office of the DA is painted to an extreme, with its only interest in attaining
convictions even in death row cases, William Bernhardt is at his marvelous best with this delightful
mystery.
None of Your Business
Valerie Block
Ballantine Books
June 2003, $23.95, 352 pp., ISBN 0345461843
The first hint that anything is wrong in Patricia Greiff's life occurs when an insurance representative
accompanied by a bailiff force themselves into her Fifth Ave. apartment to assess the value of its
contents. Detective Dennis Sprague and Tony Ballestrino of the Computer Crimes Squad follow,
informing her that her husband Mitch of the brokerage firm of Friedman, Greiff and Slavin is missing
along with over a hundred million dollars from the firm. While the police do their best to locate him,
Mitch lives quietly in a dinky rental home in Queens. He wanted out of his life and bookkeeper Erica
King used her computer skills to help him including robbing some of the firm's wealthiest clients
through a series of wire transfers to offshore banks. Erica did it out of love for Mitch but when he
becomes too dependent, she has to figure out a way of disappearing with her half of the money. As
the police investigate her in earnest, they find behind Erica's bland exterior, there is a sharp mind
with a cunning sense of survival. This story is told from multiple viewpoints including the
perpetrators, the shocked wife and the two lead officers on the case. Though readers need to adapt
to the changing perspective, once done they will find this techniques makes the story more
interesting and upbeat because readers get an inside looks at the private lives of key players leading
to understanding how they think. NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS is a brilliantly written and funny
police procedural that gives great insight into computer crime and how hard it is to prosecute those
who commit it.
To Marry the Duke
Julianne MacLean
Avon
Jun 2003, $5.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0060527048
In 1881 at the urging of her mother nouveau riche American heiress Sophia Wilson comes to
London to marry a title. Sophia hates shopping for a spouse as she has rejected proposals back home
because she wants to marry for love. She believes she may have found her love when she meets the
"unacceptable Duke" James Langdon. Needing money, James is also attracted to Sophia, so he
courts her. However, he vows to himself to never fall in love with her for fear he would become as
out of control and abusive as his father was. James and Sophia marry and share a wonderful
honeymoon. However when they reach his estate, James turns into a prim and proper aristocrat,
who deserts his wife when he is not mistreating her with cold scorn. Still Sophia thinks she can reach
her spouse that she loves. When the tale focuses on the lead characters' relationship, even with
James' incredulous alteration from avoidance to near worship, fans obtain a strong late Victorian
romance. When the story line switches to continental suspense, it loses some of its "American
invasion" momentum. In her debut, Julianne MacLean keeps her plot fresh due to the antics of the
dysfunctional Langdon family that bewilder the heroine.
Love With a Scandalous Lord
Lorraine Heath
Avon
Jun 2003, $5.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0380817438
In 1879, his brother the Earl dies so that Rhys Rhodes the "spare becomes the heir". With his father
also dying, Rhys' half-brother Grayson accompanied by his American wife and five children arrive
from Fortune, Texas to pay their respects. One of Grayson's brood, his stepdaughter Lydia
Westland, especially looks forward to the trip as she has studied how to deport oneself as a lady and
has written a "book" "Blunders in Behavior Corrected" extracted from letters that her cousin mailed
her. Rhys and Lydia are immediately attracted to one another, but she is angry when his mother the
duchess goes hysterical over her father staying at the estate as Grayson is living proof that her
husband loved someone else. Lydia turns mortified when Rhys corrects her first blunder. As Rhys
and Lydia become acquainted they fall in love but he believes that his scandalous past makes him
undeserving of her (or anyone's for that matter) so she has her work cut out to persuade him
otherwise. Switching the locale and moving forward almost fifteen years refreshes the
Anglo-American historical romances that have delighted readers. Besides a delightful "second"
generation story line, the return of the lead characters from A ROGUE IN TEXAS add a feel of
seeing how old friends that have not been seen for a while have done. LOVE WITH A
SCANDALOUS LORD is an intriguing tale as Rhys is an interesting lead protagonist with many
relationship problems. Lydia provides a bit of comic relief with her obsession over aristocratic
behavior. Lorraine Heath scores again with a fine Victorian-Texas romance.
Flowers From the Storm
Laura Kinsale
Avon
Jun 2003, $6.99, 560 pp., ISBN: 0380761327
In 1827 aristocratic mathematician and renowned rake Christian Langland suffers a stroke that
leaves him unable to communicate though he feels his mind functions in every other capacity. His
relatives, not wanting to deal with the ailing duke, see an opportunity to take over his wealth. They
have him committed to a lunatic asylum. Daughter of a mathematician whom worked with the now
restrained Christian, Quaker Archimedea "Maddy" Timms spends time doing good deeds including
visiting poor souls in the asylum. She met Christian before under different circumstances, but now
with him imprisoned in his body and the asylum, she tries to provide solace. She realizes his mind is
okay and makes efforts to help him. As their relationship strengthens its turns to love though his
aristocratic family and her Quaker friends detest that this couple belongs together. FLOWERS
FROM THE STORM is a reprint of one of the best Regency romances of the past decade. The tale
provides the audience with a different look at the era then normally seen. The lead characters are the
keys to the gripping plot. Amanda struggles between her deep faith and her prohibited love for an
outsider. Christian behaves like a stroke victim frustrated with his inability to communicate
especially verbally. Amanda talks (and listens) like a Quaker and Christian's thoughts reflect his
trouble comprehending what someone says and his frustration with his failure with language.
Though that adds authenticity, readers need to adapt to the communications of the lead duo that is
worth the effort.
Opposites Attract
Hailey North
Avon
Jun 2003, $5.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0380820706
New Orleans socialite Jonni Landry DeVries wonders why she did it. It was obviously a moment of
lunacy that made her open her mansion to a Hollywood film crew. Jonni has spent the past year in
mourning, but not for her deceased philandering spouse. Instead she grieves what he did to her once
vibrant personality so that Jonni has not recently helped in the care of their five-year-old child, let
alone nurturing her daughter. The tabloids love following Cameron Scott, the star of the children's
film being made on location in Jonni's home. Known for his womanizing ways, Cameron and Jonni
are attracted to one another. However, she refuses to get involved with another bad boy while all he
wants is the role of a lifetime starring with her. Though quite engaging at times due mostly to the
hero, readers will be hard pressed to find any empathy towards the lead female protagonist. Not only
is Jonni wallowing, but also ignoring her child leaves her open to animosity as a worthless rich
bi*ch. Still, Scott is a delightful character and somewhat carries the tale with some help by the
daughter of his beloved. He is a hunk who somehow manages to break through Jonni's barrier of
self-pity.
Kiss Me Quick
Margaret Moore
Avon
May 2003, $5.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0060526203
In 1817 following the death of her father a duke, Diana Westover joins her two aunts in Bath. Her
goal is to meet men, not to marry, but to use them as models in a novel she plans to write. At the
Pump Room, Diana sees the perfect person to serve as her book's villain Count Korlovsky although
her Aunt Calliope detests her choice in "suitors" Lord Adderley, Edmond Terrington. Instead her
aunt believes mama's boy Crispin Fallston would be a better partner for Diana. Edmond finds himself
fascinated yet concerned over the way Diana seems to spy on him. Everywhere he goes she is there,
staring as if she can look inside him. Even more bewildering to the notorious rake than this
seemingly harmless stalking, is that he begins to feel he loves the outrageous chit. Although she
knows not to become involved with Edmond, Diana reciprocates his feelings. This is an entertaining
Regency romance because of Diana, who serves as a refreshing lead protagonist and the extracts
from her novel included within this book make for fun reading. Edmond is the stereotypical rake
whose image needs PR as it fails to hold up to the reality quickly understood by the wannabe author.
The support cast enables readers to understand the two stars and hopefully his friend Brix and
perhaps his bane Fanny will star in the next tale in 1817 not when he turns fifty.
Adventures of a Scottish Heiress
Cathy Maxwell
Avon
May 2003, $6.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0060092963
In 1816, Irishman Ian Campion uses his fists to earn money to support his two widowed sisters, two
nephews, and niece. When Dunmore "Pirate" Harrell offers him an opportunity to make a fortune,
he is interested, as Ian knows he can move his family to a safer locale than the London slums they
currently reside in. Pirate has made a fortune in business and has married a duke's widow, but is
willing to spend a large sum to bring safely home his missing daughter Lyssa. Pirate thinks someone
kidnapped Lyssa, but Ian believes she ran away from home to elude her snobbish fiance Viscount
Grossett. After a few days on the trail, Ian catches up with Lyssa, being escorted by a group
masquerading as Gypsies. However, before he can return with her, thugs try to kill her. Ian escorts
Lyssa to her deceased mother's Scottish family while struggling to keep her safe. They fall in love,
but Ian feels he is not good enough for the heiress, who must persuade her rescuer that he is that and
more to her. This Regency romance stars two delightful lead characters that the audience will enjoy
watching fuss, fight, and their efforts to stay alive. Though the reason for the assault seems strange
(perhaps this reviewer is too baby boomer middle class to comprehend), the story line is fun to
follow anyway because Cathy Maxwell always provides a fun tale good to the last word. Sub-genre
readers will appreciate this fine historical It Happened One Night romantic suspense.
London's Perfect Scoundrel
Suzanne Enoch
Avon
May 2003, $5.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0380820838
Evelyn Ruddick wants to help society's poor though a young lady like herself is expected to
embroider not visit orphanages. When she sees the Heart of Hope Orphanage, she selects that as a
place she can provide some good through donating her time and money. However, the Chairman of
the Board of Trustees the Marquis of St. Aubyn, better known by the misnomer, "Saint", thinks
otherwise. Saint tells her to go back to her aristocratic cronies, but when she persists he insists she
come back with a plan as he still tries to get rid of the meddling do-gooder. Saint wants out of the
orphanage business, but his mother's will ties him to the place that he hopes to tear down. He finds
himself quite attracted to Evelyn, who wants to implement an education program for the children.
However, her brother sees Saint as a reprobate who will cost him his political career so he bans his
sister from seeing him. Still, Evelyn and Saint fall in love while she tries to improve the lot of the
poor children. This engaging Regency romance hooks the reader from the moment the cynical Saint
meets the Pollyanna Evelyn. Though the complex social issues are too easily resolved, the story line
is fun to follow especially when the endearing mischievous children fluster Evelyn and she in turn
emotionally moves the Saint, who knows how to retaliate via kisses. The audience will appreciate
this entertaining Regency.
If the Slipper Fits
Elaine Fox
Avon
May 2003, $5.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0060517212
Years ago, reticent commoner Anne Sayer and wealthy heir Connor Emory fell in love on
Candlewick Island, Maine. However, with no reason as far as Connor can tell, Annie abruptly
terminates their relationship. A hurt Connor flees the island never to return until the recent death of
his father left him in charge of the vast family business holdings including the Sea Bluff Inn on
Candlewick. Anne surprises Connor, as she seems mature and confident in her abilities to perform as
an event coordinator unlike the shy person he knew and loved. He also is disgusted with himself
because though he does not rust her he still desires her with all his heart. Still he refuses to make any
overtures as he will not allow his heart to be battered, but Anne is no longer the timid person who
let her beloved get away. Somehow she knows this Cinderella must earn her Prince Charming's trust
and eventually explain what happened to destroy their first relationship. IF THE SLIPPER FITS is a
charming second chance at love retelling of the Cinderella story. The lead characters are a delightful
duo especially Connor who learns the truth about the undermining of his beloved. Though Anne's
assured nature seems stretched following what she endured from so called loved ones; fans will
enjoy Elaine Fox's modernization of Cinderella.
Still Life with Murder
P.B. Ryan
Berkley Books
July 2003, $6.50, 320 pp., ISBN 0425191060
After their mother died from cholera and their father ran off with another woman, the three Sweeney
children are sent to the Barnstable County Poor House where the youngest died from diphtheria.
Nell fell in love with her brother's thieving friend Duncan, but he turned out to be an abusive person
who hurt her so badly that she needed extensive medical care proved by Dr. Greaves. In time, she
became his mistress and apprentice until the day they delivered the baby of a Hewitt servant. Viola
Hewitt adopts the child and hires Nell to be the baby's governess. Viola sweeps Nell into the world
of the Boston Brahmin. After working there for four years, word arrives that the eldest son, thought
to have died in a confederate prison camp, awaits trial for cold-blooded murder. Viola asks Nell to
find evidence that will set her oldest son free since his father doesn't care if he hangs. Nell risks
everything to clear Will because she believes he is innocent despite all the evidence to the contrary.
Post-Civil War Boston is an interesting place to be as the scars from the fighting though distant from
the city still linger in unexpected places. Nell is a woman of mystery who hides secrets that she hasn't
revealed which should be disclosed in future books. The heroine is a spunky woman who climbed
out of a poverty-stricken and crime infested area to make something of herself. Readers will admire
her and won't be able to resist her many charms. STILL LIFE WITH MURDER is a
well-constructed and fascinating mystery in what looks to be a great series.
Murderers Prefer Blondes
Amanda Matetsky
Berkley Books
July 2003, $5.99, 304 pp., ISBN 0425191052
After eloping, Bob and Paige Turner moved into a small Brooklyn apartment for a month of
connubial bliss before he went to boot camp and ended up in a firefight in Korea where he got killed.
Two and a half years later, his widow Paige is living in a small duplex apartment on Delancey Street
working as an editorial assistant for Daring Detective magazine. Paige's real goal is to be a staff
writer and create true crime stories but in 1954 women were regarded as capable of only being
office help. When Babs Costock's murdered body is found in Woolworth's and her picture is run in
the newspapers, Paige recognizes her as a woman who came to the magazine's office in the hopes of
getting a job modeling for the cover. Paige thinks she's found the story that can get her a promotion
so she starts investigating the victim's life. She learns the down side of a case of her own life is
threatened more than once by various characters who want her to stop snooping. The first Paige
Turner mystery is a real page-turner. Anyone who has lived in New York City in the fifties will
realize that the author has captured the essence of the time and place. The protagonist is a gutsy and
strong willed woman who refuses to let the male dominated power elite keep her down or stop her
from getting what she wants. MURDERERS PREFER BLONDES is a delightful historical amateur
sleuth tale that is very atmospheric and plays up the nostalgia angle.
Corpus De Crossword
Nero Blanc
Berkley Books
July 2003, $13.00, 320 pages, ISBN 0425190218
The small rural town of Taneysville in Massachusetts is usually a very quiet place but the residents
are now in an uproar over outsider Alex Gordon buying the Quiqley farmhouse. The xenophobic
townsfolk's don't want an outsider moving in and building more structures on the property. Members
of the Trinity Church vestry are afraid the construction equipment will damage the structure of the
church and local residents resent the fact that the contractor isn't hiring local people. All building is
abruptly halted when a body is unearthed and the skeletal remains are found to be human body.
Forensics tests prove that the remains are that of a woman and that she was murdered. blow
Newcastle private investigator Rosco Polycrates is hired to discover the identity of the woman and
the person who killed her. Roscos's wife Belle Graham, a puzzle constructor for the local newspaper
is being sent puzzles by a resident n a nursing home and that person seems to have some knowledge
of the skeletal remains. While the duo pursue separate investigative paths, somebody torches the
Gordon place and while trying to connect the arson to the homicide, Belle and Rosco solve an
unrelated double homicide but are totally clueless about the identity of the murder victim. Mystery
fans that like a light, small town regional mystery is going to have a lot of fun reading CORPUS DE
Crossword. The crossword puzzles scattered throughout the novel contain the clues that will enable
the reader to solve the mystery. The two protagonists make a great investigative team in the
tradition of Nick and Nora and their connubial bliss lightens the mood when they hit a bump in the
investigation. Nero Blanc is a master when it comes to constructing puzzling mysteries.
Death Gets A Time-Out
Ayelet Waldman
Berkley Books
July 2003, $22.95, 320 pp., ISBN 0425190145
She went from a public defender to a stay-at-home mom but now that her two children are older,
Juliet Applebaum is going into partnership with Al Hockey, a former investigator for the public
defenders. They are opening up a private detective agency housed temporarily in Al's garage until
they bring in enough money to have a real office. At a Hollywood charity function, Juliet runs into
her good friend Lilly Green, a famous actress who is in desperate need of her firm's discrete services.
Lilly's stepbrother Jupiter Jones is accused of killing his stepmother Chloe, the wife of Polaris Jones
who is the head of the Church of Cosmological Unity. Chloe was blackmailing Lilly and she asked
Jupiter to help her put a stop it. She believes that Jupiter may have killed Chloe because of their
close bond but when Juliet starts investigating she comes to believe that Jupiter didn't kill Chloe and
that makes the real killer exceeding anxious to stop the investigation even if it means murdering
again. Although the subject matter of survivor guilt and repressed memories is very serious topics,
Juliet's interactions with her husband and children bring a note of much need of humor to the somber
story line. Readers will be particularly tickled to realize that Juliet is pregnant again and her reaction
to this unexpected event is truly memorable. DEATH GETS A TIME-OUT is darker in tone than
the previous works in this series but it is just as good.
A Man of Many Talents
Deborah Simmons
Berkley Books
Jun 2003, $5.99, 320 pp., ISBN: 0425190706
Abigail Parkinson, owner of Sibel Hall, needs to sell the place, but Sir Boundefort, a ghost she has
never seen, scares away prospective buyers. She writes to ghost chaser Christian Reade, whose
unwanted reputation is based on debunking a spectral claim at Belles Corner. Though he prefers not
to go, Christian travels to Sibel Hall as a favor to his beloved ailing grandfather. His reception by the
owner is cold as if Abigail is angry with him, but Christian finds he can't get the "Governess" out of
his mind and cannot ignore her smell of lilac. On the other hand, her three live-in cousins run the
gamut of welcome. Mercia hopes he finds the ghost and the reported treasure; the Colonel
welcomes a fellow adventurer but believes he wastes his time; Emery the intellect treats him with
disdain. However, the worst is Abigail who he badly wants to admire him considers him a miscreant
though he knows not why. As he tries to uncover the mystery of the haunting and his hostess,
Christian and Abby fall in love, but she has not forgiven him for forgetting that as children she was
once his wench and he her pirate. This is a fun Regency romance due to the delightful lead couple.
The three "cousins" are minor irritants as readers will want to tell the trio to shut up after constantly
hearing the Colonel's loud voice, Emery's sneering comments, and Mercia's inane gibberish.
However, when it comes to love among the lilacs, fans will appreciate this entertaining ghost-busting
romance with a pinch of suspense that comes from an unlikely source.
Killing Moon
Rebecca York
Berkley Books
Jun 2003, $5.99, 352 pp., ISBN: 0425190714
Private Investigator Ross Maxwell seeks evidence against human predators in which the cops are
stymied. Currently he chases serial killer Donald Arnott. Ross cuts a hole big enough for a dog to fit
through in the perimeter fence surrounding the property of his target. Ross shifts shape into a wolf
and passes through the breach he created. However, bad luck occurs, as Donald happens to be
outside. He shoots Ross, who manages to escape in spite of the wound. The next day genetic
research scientist Megan Sheridan of Bio Gen Labs visits client Ross at his home to do a work up on
him. She finds him feverish from his wound so she cleans the wound, provides the antibiotic that he
happens to need, and puts on fresh bandages. As he heals Ross worries because he knows Arnott
stalks him, the Montgomery County, Maryland police suspect him in a murder investigation, and the
CEO of Megan's company is acting strange. Still, Ross is angriest with Megan for not fleeing him
because wolves mate for life, something he fears after what his dad did to his mom. Using the
premise that lycanthropy is a genetic disorder, KILLING MOON is a delightful supernatural private
investigator romance starring two charming lead characters. The plot moves at a rapid pace though
Arnott showing restraint seems off kilter. Ross is a wonderful protagonist struggling with his need
for his life mate and his fear of the harm he will do to her. Megan is a courageous counterpoint who
brings out the best in the beast. Sub-genre fans will relish Rebecca York's tale that makes a human
species of werewolves.
In the Cold
Lynn Erickson
Berkley Books
Jun 2003, $6.99, 304 pp., ISBN: 0425190692
Former Newark undercover cop Chris Judge left the force under a cloud as some Mafia money went
missing and though not proven Internal Affairs believe he probably took it. Chris stole the cash to
help his wheelchair bound best friend. His friends and his ex-wife worry with good cause about his
mental health as Chris suffers from severe depression over the money and his two years
underground. Chris is about to prove they are right to worry. He points a loaded gun to his head
when he receives a drastic call from Ashley Marin. Twenty years ago, Chris saved a then teen
Ashley's life from kidnappers Davey Potts and his now deceased father. Apparently, Potts just got
released from prison and has abducted Ashley's teenage daughter. A frantic Ashley believes only
Chris can save her child. Reluctantly, Chris agrees realizing he has a reason to live starting with
saving the life of the teen and soon falling in love with the mother who has worshiped him for two
decades. Though the reason for the kidnapping is ludicrous, the story line is a taut investigative
romantic suspense. Chris is a complex individual suffering from extreme guilt for not just stealing the
money, but for turning in people that had become his friends while undercover. Ashley has revered
Chris since he saved her life, but knows she also loves her hero. However, it is her anxiety over her
daughter that makes the tension so palatable and believable that the audience will feel a bit of a
letdown when the real reason for the abduction surfaces.
Dark Delivery
Stephen J. Clark
Berkley Books
June 2003, $6.50, 272 pp., ISBN 0425191109
Last year, reporter Nelson Ingram was working for his hometown newspaper in Litchfield, Alabama
when he broke the biggest story of his career. He proved that the mob had a big money laundering
operation in the quiet little town and he walked away from the story with a lot of money, a ledger
and some discs all placed in a bank safety deposit box. Now Nelson lives like a hermit in an isolated
cabin in the middle of nowhere afraid that the mob is going to want their money back. One night
somebody tries to break into Nelson's cabin and the next day somebody murder's Dr. Hartley's
closed friend. The good doctor, who is dying from cancer, helped Nelson last year and regretted
doing so ever since. The doctor intends to use Nelson as bait to get the person who killed his friend
but before that can happen, Nelson's cabin blows up and someone who wants the ledger and discs
kidnaps Nelson. The good doctor falls in with a band of Cuban freedom fighters. All in all, it is just
another average sensation for the reporter and the doctor. Readers who like action, action and more
action in their thrillers will definitely want to read DARK DELIVERY, a novel that doesn't allow the
reader to catch their breath. Poor Nelson finds himself going from one disaster into another, not
knowing friend from foe (except Dr. Hartley) and needing to make some important decisions
without key information to guide him. Stephen J. Clark creates an action-oriented story line starring
in-depth characterizations.
An Untimely Death and Other Garden Mysteries
Susan Wittig Albert
Berkley Books
June 2003, $14.00, 272 pp., ISBN 0425190021
Fans of the China Bayles mysteries, staring a former lawyer turned herbalist and restaurant owner,
have a special treat in store for them this time around. Author Susan Wittig Albert has written a
ten-story collection starring the protagonist doing what she does best: solve crimes. Readers are also
introduced to her best friend and business partner Ruby Wilcox, who often plays the part of the
sidekick and China's beloved husband, former homicide detective Mike McQuaid, who still can't
resist taking part in a criminal invitation. In addition to the stories, each one exciting and fast-paced,
the reader is introduced to herbal lore and some mouth-watering meals using herbs found in China's
very own garden. The short story format is just as potent as the novel length tales that fans expect
from Ms. Albert. For fans this is a treat but for newcomers this is a delightful introduction to one of
the more endearing mystery genre characters.
Fatal Flaw
William Lashner
Morrow
May 2003, $24.95, 437 pp., ISBN:0060508167
Although the prime suspect is a close friend, Philadelphia attorney Victor Carl believes that lawyer
Guy Forrest killed his live-in lover in a crime of passion. When Victor arrived at the rainy scene, he
found Guy sitting naked outside the house he shared with the victim, holding a gun. Inside Hailey
Prouix had been shot dead. Guy, who left his family for Hailey, swears he did not kill her, but Victor
thinks otherwise. The police arrest Guy for murder. Although Victor is the defense attorney, he has
his own agenda pushed by his personal obsession for Hailey, whom he slept with too. Even while he
wants his client locked away, Victor investigates the couple. He learns that the two lovers were on
opposite sides of a medical malpractice suit leading to his wondering if his client might be a victim of
a seduction in order to win massive damages for her patron. He looks elsewhere for a clever killer,
which leads Victor ultimately to Hailey's West Virginia hometown where secrets and murder reside
in the gene pool. This is an exciting legal thriller that brazenly steps off the edge, but never lands into
free fall due to the energy of the vigorous story line. The two lawyers are interesting characters
sharing in common besides the law a need for the deceased. Victor is especially intriguing as he
plans to hang his pal until the evidence confirms that his client is a victim too. Hailey and her roots
(no literary pun intended) provide a nice spin. Though gimmicks are the only flaw, they are not fatal
to a gratifying legal thriller.
The Body in the Lighthouse
Katherine Hall Page
Morrow
Jun 2003, $23.95, 241 pp., ISBN: 038097844X
Tom and Faith Fairchild accompanied by their two children leave their Massachusetts home to spend
the summer renovating their cottage on Sanpere Island, Maine. To their surprise the usually serene
residents are livid as mansion building is in vogue with the invasion of wealthy individuals having
houses built as toys for their use. Some Sanpere islanders are a bit more active in their resentment,
mostly with protests. When the tide ebbs the corpse of developer Harold Hapswell is found jammed
between two ledges at the base of the lighthouse. Faith thinks Hapswell was murdered, which is
confirmed when someone attacks her near the lighthouse. As the island simmers in anger, summer
events continue. Faith unable to ignore the homicide following the attempted assault on her and
begins her own brand of investigation. THE BODY IN THE LIGHTHOUSE is a fun summer breeze
cosy that is an ideal beach book. The story line moves in a contrasting way between the murder and
the festivities. Though Faith should know better than to risk her life as she does, she remains a fresh
amateur sleuth (after thirteen novels, amateur seems wrong, but then again the professional gets
paid) willing to do what she thinks is right. This is simply a lighthearted breezy mystery.
Shutter Island
Dennis Lehane
Morrow
Apr 2003, $25.95, 325 pp., ISBN: 0688163173
In 1954, US Marshals Teddy Daniels and his new partner, just in from Seattle, Chuck Aule take the
ferry from the Massachusetts mainland to Shutter Island where Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally
Insane dominates the landscape. The law enforcement officials are assigned to investigate the
disappearance of a convict (patient to Dr. Cawley) Rachel Solando, the Berkshire killer of three
children she first drowned then "shared" breakfast with them in her kitchen. Teddy and Chuck
wonder how the woman could escape from a locked room on the third floor with guards all over the
place and no hideaways on the island itself and swimming the distance to the nearest land in the
treacherous Atlantic seems monumental. A hurricane is coming, which when it hits will totally
isolate the island from the mainland. They begin to find evidence of illegal drug therapy and surgery,
but little about the vanished Rachel. As they uncover more proof of wrongdoing Teddy and Chuck
wonder if they will get off the island alive. Highly regarded Dennis Lehane may have written the best
police procedural and thriller of the year. Plenty of action, several mysteries that feels like a Moebius
string as each sub-mystery seems inside one another, and strong characterization including
flashbacks to Teddy's tragically deceased spouse make for a great read. On top of a powerful story
line with a deep cast and a feel for how society dealt with mental illness during the early Eisenhower
red scare era, the climax is as good as a novel gets. If a reader can afford one book, SHUTTER
ISLAND is a terrific choice.
Windfallen
Jojo Moyes
Morrow
Apr 2003, $24.95, 383 pp., ISBN: 0060012900
Teenage Londoner Lottie Swift finds the seaside village of Merham quite delightful as no one dare
break the rules of morality less they prefer exile or being ostracized. However, the conversion of
Arcadia mansion into a retreat for bohemian artists causes monumental conflict, as the locals detest
the nonconformist outsiders. Lottie relishes the new infusion of excitement that the avant-garde
crowd brings. Five decades later, Daisy Parsons arrives at the small back to sleep village to renovate
Arcadia into a luxury hotel. The villagers once again abhor the thought of amoral outsiders
descending on their hamlet. Insecure from a failed relationship, Daisy discovers a mural that portrays
scenes from the mansion's ignominious past. Daisy's work begins destroying the emotional cocoon
that Lottie has resided since her teen days. WINDFALLEN is a well-written comparative character
study that interweaves the past and the present into a cohesive tale. The story line enables the
audience to see deep inside the two women so that everyone understands what motivates both and
the tenuous relationship and bond which forms between them. Though limited in action, Jojo Moyes
provides readers with a deep drama that focuses on the long-term impact of personal opportunity
costs.
Only Time Will Tell
Sherry Lewis
Jove
Apr 2003, $5.99, 280 pp., ISBN: 0515133663
When she was seven, Courtney Moss' mother abandoned her, leaving her with her grandmother in
Virginia City, Montana. Courtney's grandmother felt the child was an intrusion and though she
provided food and shelter, she never displayed one ounce of love towards the sad little girl.
Courtney learned that love, if it ever exists, hurts. Several weeks after her grandmother's funeral,
Courtney is back in Virginia City cleaning out the house instead of fine-tuning her sketches for a job
interview. In the attic she finds a nineteenth century ball gown. Her friend Ryan persuades her to
wear it to the upcoming Victorian Ball. At the gala Courtney becomes locked in a shed. When Heath
Sullivan frees her, she finds somehow that she went back in time to 1864. Heath and Courtney are
attracted to one another, but she rejects the notion of love and he believes he does not deserve
anyone's love. He believes he caused the death of a friend, a runaway slave. Will time heal all
wounds or just add pain as neither person can take that last step towards one another. Time is not
needed to know that time travel romance readers will enjoy Sherry Lewis' latest tale. The scarred
lead couple makes for a fine story line as each slowly enters a relationship that they distrust not
because so much of the other, but because of the baggage they carry. Though the reason for the
travel is weak and the adjustment facile, readers will rate highly ONLY TIME WILL TELL because
of the delightful protagonists who deserve a lasting love.
Bad Moon Rising
Katherine Sutcliffe
Jove
Jun 2003, $6.99, 352 pp., ISBN: 0515134872
In New Orleans, former assistant District Attorney J.D. Damascus has never recovered from the
murders of his wife and two children. The state fried Angel Gonzales for the crime, but J.D. believes
the wrong man was executed. His career is in shambles as he drinks away much of his day, J.D.
defends hookers and is considered a disgrace by his politically prominent family. Holly Jones finds
J.D.'s phone number on the wall of a jail cell and calls him to help her with her shooting a man. Holly
insists it was self-defense and that she is not a whore though J.D. does not believe her nor care. She
is free because the victim, the chief of police, cannot afford the publicity. Holly fears that a serial
killer, having murdered her friend, is coming for her next. She turns to J.D. for help; reluctantly he
becomes involved and suddenly has a reason to rejoin the living. Though the identity of the killer is
easy to guess, readers will appreciate this terse romantic suspense. J.D. is an interesting protagonist
as he pulls him self out of his depression to keep Holly safe even at the expense of family ridicule
and risk to his life. Holly is a delightful female lead who does not want to be a heroine or fall in love
as all she desires is to feel secure. Sub-genre fans will treasure this fine novel.
Impractical Magic
Karen Fox
Jove
May 2003, $5.99, 240 pp., ISBN: 0515135364
Stage magician Brandon Goodfellow is considered the best illusionist in the world. Now journalist
Rose Thayer, who he has not seen in a decade, visits him to warn him that she will expose his
"special illusion" in her next article for Uncovered Magazine. Brandon cared deeply for Rose when
they were children until she inherited the real magic of her fairy mother at puberty while he gained
nothing from his Fae father. Brandon challenges Rose to expose his secrets without using her magic.
Unable to resist the dare, she accepts though she wonders why she still cares for a person who let
her down when she needed him when she first displayed her magical abilities. However, Rose leaks
magic by not using it, which leads to wishes granted to humans and the attention of Queen Titania of
the Fae, whom demands she come to her realm. As Brandon and Rose fall in love, he must
overcome his envy of her talent if they are to make it together. Though Brandon's whining over his
lack of magic seems inappropriate as he lashes out at his beloved and is estranged from his father,
this "magical love" tale will charm fans. The story line is fun especially with the shock Rose goes
through when she lives without her talent (sort of like having no electricity for a few days). Fantasy
romance readers will enjoy this novel and look forward to a future story starring Rose's cousin and
the male Fae assigned by Titania to bring Rose to the fairy realm.
Catching Midnight
Emma Holly
Jove
May 2003, $6.50, 320 pp., ISBN: 0515135305
In 1349, Gillian flees into the woods to escape the plague that apparently will kill her mother and
younger brother. Shapeshifters Nim Wei and her former mentor and rival Auriclus finds Gillian.
Both try to recruit the lass to join their pack. Though she prefers the glitter of materialism offered by
Nim, she selects Auriclus and his caves. He changes her into one of them, which ages her into
adulthood before he dumps her on a pack led by Ulric. After spending time with the pack and
knowing Ulric wants her as his queen, Gillian leaves though she cherishes the hunt and making love
with her leader. Noble Aimery Fitz Clare catches a falcon that is actually Gillian in hiding from her
pack, especially her angry former lover and leader. As Gillian falls in love with her gentle handler,
she knows how much she endangers her beloved if her pack finds him. This paranormal historical
romance is a delight because the shapeshifters seem very real even when Gillian ages almost
instantly. Gillian is a strong lead protagonist though her thirst for human knowledge is not fully
explained. Aimery is a compassionate second son whose gentleness is strengthened by his courage.
Readers will stay up till midnight finishing Emma Holly's wonderful tale.
Mrs. Mallory and Death in Practice
Hazel Holt
Signet
July 2003, $5.99, 256 pp., ISBN 0459209206
Pet owners in the English Seaside village of Taviscombe are in an uproar because the new head
veterinarian in the only practice in the area is an arrogant, unfeeling know it all who isn't kind to his
patients or their owners. Besides alienating his clients, Malcolm Hardy also causes dissension in the
office as well. He fired one vet who has been with the practice for years and is making unreasonable
demands on the other partner. During an operation, the animal dies. Malcolm blames the junior
partner but in reality it is his fault. He fires an assistant and replaces her with his girlfriend. When he
is found dead in his office, it almost comes as a relief for all concerned. The police rule it a murder
but there are so many suspects and few leads that Mrs. Sheila Mallory, a widow who has solved
homicides in the past, decides to investigate. MRS. MALLORY AND DEATH IN PRACTICE is
the quintessential British cozy that is rich in characterizations and short on blood and gore. Readers
get a fascinating glimpse into life in a small English village where the same families have lived there
for generations so that everyone knows their neighbor. Hazel Holt gives the reader an interesting
who done it to solve, one that has many viable suspects, all with credible motives.
Dead Girls Don't Wear Diamonds
Nancy Martin
Signet
July 2003, $6.50, 272 pp., ISBN 0451208862
Growing up wealthy made it hard for Nora Blackbird to survive when her parents went through the
family fortune, skipped town, and began living the high life in a foreign country using funds
"borrowed" from friends. Keeping Blackbird Farm is important to Nora so much so that she sold
some acreage to a mobster's son who built a used car lot on the property. She now works as a
society columnist for the Philadelphia Intelligencer which means going to a lot of parties hosted by
friends. Oliver Cooper, who has been nominated as the Secretary of the Department of
Transportation, and his trophy wife Doe, throw the latest social event attended by Nora. Nora is
alone with her first love Flan Cooper until his wife Laura catches them and causes a public scene.
The next day Laura is found dead with Flan, who was having marital difficulties, the prime suspect
and Nora a close second. With her freedom at stake and a desire to clear her reputation and that of
Flan's, Nora embarks on her own investigation against a murderer not hesitant to kill again. DEAD
GIRLS DON'T WEAR DIAMONDS is a brash, flaming and sassy amateur sleuth mystery staring a
person trying to be the voice of reason yet always finds herself up to her ears in trouble and
ridiculous predicaments. The heroine's relationship with the mobster's son will make Nancy Martin's
latest mystery have cross over appeal to romance fans. This is the perfect novel to take to the beach,
a book that is light, breezy, and pure fun.
Borrowed Dreams
May McGoldrick
Signet
Jun 2003, $6.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0451207971
In 1772 though she owes a fortune due to her nasty deceased husband's debts to Jasper Hyde,
Millicent Wentworth spends more than she can afford to buy an elderly Jamaican slave. Millicent
immediately frees Ohenewaa while Jasper goes wild over learning he was outbid because he obsesses
over owning the aging former slave. Needing money badly, Millicent agrees to wed Lyon
Pennington, a wealthy invalid wallowing in self-pity. His family pays off her debts and he is moved
to her home where many free former slaves earn a wage. As Millicent pushes Lyon around and with
the aid Ohenewaa a healer, he begins to recover much of what he lost in the accident that left his
first wife dead. As the English couple falls in love, Jasper becomes desperate to get hold of
Ohenewaa so he can force her to "free" him from her curse. He is willing to kill anyone in his way of
achieving his goal. This engaging Georgian romance works on several layers besides the obvious
romance between the lead couple. The secondary players provide depth to the high morality of the
prime protagonists so that the audience feels the mental anguish and physical pain of Lyon and the
need bordering on guilt for Millicent to make retribution for her odious first husband's treatment of
people. Though the Jasper subplot adds little to the prime tale except suspense and action, sub-genre
readers will strike gold with this deep tale.
Cold Slice
L.T. Fawkes
Signet
June, 2003, $5.99, 272 pp., ISBN 0451208358
After going to jail for doing tremendous damage during a bar fight Terry Saltz loses his wife, his job,
his truck, and his motor home. The only person to stick by him was his friend Danny who came to
visit him in prison and offered to share his apartment with him after he got out. A couple of weeks
after he is on the streets, he takes a job as a driver for Carlo's, a very popular pizza place. He's right
up front with everyone, telling them he's an ex-con but the manager is more interested if he can start
tonight because one of their drivers was in an accident. Terry makes friends with Bump and Gruf
who take him under their wing, find him and Danny a new place to live and get him his truck back.
When one of the least liked drivers is killed, Terry and company decide to do a little investigating on
their own because nobody messes with the people who work at Carlo's. Anyone who doubts that
men can bond with one another and be there in good times and bad must read COLD SLICE, an
upbeat mystery that proves males have emotions and are not afraid to show them to those they trust.
Terry and his friends are all blue-collar workers and their lack of pretentiousness will be enjoyed by
a whole different segment of mystery readers. L.T. Fawkes has written a very exciting mystery
starring a protagonist whom will appeal to men and women.
The Steel Caress
Jessica Hall
Signet
May 2003, $6.99, 304 pp., ISBN: 0451208528
Former agent Sarah Jane Ravenowitz blames her then employer General Kalen Grady for the failure
of her mission in China that led to the deaths of her team and to her barely escaping. She knows a
mole in his organization double-crossed her. Though he planned to propose to her when she finished
that mission, Sarah Jane went overseas to become a supermodel known by her adoring fans as
Raven. When Gangi Dai, son of the mob boss of the notorious Chinese-American crime syndicate
Dai Tong, is killed with model Portia at a Japanese Embassy reception, Kalen, though he suffers
from unrequited love for the ghost of Sarah, knows he needs Raven's help. He wants his former
super spy to infiltrate the Dai Tong family to stop a deadly assassin who has killed already from
doing it again. Raven agrees on the condition that Kalen erases her criminal record of going AWOL.
She plans to skip his team and depend only on former Kalen agent Sean Delaney, who will watch her
back better than the General she still loves. The second Swords book (see THE DEEPEST EDGE)
is a sharp romantic suspense starring two competent courageous characters who have a past to
overcome and a mission to survive before they can seek a new relationship. The action-packed tale
moves quickly forward, but has the feel of the middle tale because, in spite of a strong romance
between powerful protagonists, the prime chase for the swords moves only slightly forward. Jessica
Hall provides a wonderful romantic thriller that the audience will appreciate and will look forward to
the conclusion starring the enigmatic Sean.
Stolen
Kelley Armstrong
Viking Press
Jun 2003, $24.95, 416 pp., ISBN: 0670031372
In an isolated section of woods in Maine billionaire computer guru Ty Winsloe incarcerates so called
mythological creatures in a glass prison. He employs two witches and a shaman to help him find his
prey. Once he catches a victim, his hired scientists study the captive before releasing the prisoner
into the wild. Finally Ty as a predator and his hounds hunt the otherworldly individuals. His current
target is a werewolf and his choice amongst that species is its only known female Elena. Witches
warn Elena of the coming danger and actually rescue her from an abduction attempt by Ty's thugs.
However, the dye has been set as Ty plans to cage Elena, allow his scientists to study her and
ultimately free his prisoner so he can hunt and kill her. However, he will find the she-werewolf will
not give up easily. STOLEN, the sequel to the delightful, BITTEN, is a refreshing rendition of "The
Most Dangerous Game", except that the quarry in this novel is the supernatural beings. The key to
this strong story line is that the varying mythical creatures seem so genuine especially when the
scientists classify the species in a taxonomy that Carl Linnaeus would endorse. Elena retains her bite
from the first novel while Ty is an ideal predator playing a live "video" game with his chosen victims.
Kelley Armstrong provides a tremendous "Women of the Otherworld" novel that horror and thriller
fans will value.
The Bite
Michael Crow
Viking Press
June 2003, $23.95, 288 pp., ISBN 0670032220
He served in the Special Forces as a black-ops agent before mustering out. The CIA hired him as a
free lance mercenary to fight in Sarajevo. When he received a severe head injury while in service to
his country, the agency obtained a job for him in the Baltimore County Police Department. After his
last case, when he went outside the box and did something illegal but very just (see RED RAIN),
Luther Ewing resolves to play by the rules. When he gets shot outside his apartment building, he
doesn't have a clue who wants him dead though he is working undercover looking for crystal meth
operations. When he is discharged from the hospital and back in the field, he discovers in the woods
a trailer where the drug is manufactured. This leads him to the heads of the organization. A DEA
agent includes Luther in a sting operation that will bring down all the players in the area. Luther
realizes that he has been set up so once again he must bend the rules if he wants to stay alive and
take out a rogue DEA agent. THE BITE is a hard-boiled urban noir police procedural that starts at
light speed and continues at warp drive. In another time and place, the protagonist would have been
a powerful warrior king but in today's society he has trouble obeying rules that let criminals go free.
He is a good man with a kind heart who plays dirty when the need arises. Michael Crow has written
a powerful thriller that forces the audience to take sides on the issue of might makes right.
Quietus
Vivian Schilling
Viking Press
Jul 2003, $14.00, 596 pp., ISBN:0142003069
The plane heading for Boston crashed in the New Hampshire White Mountains. Rescuers save five
survivors including Kylie O'Rourke and her spouse Jack trapped inside the doomed flight. Kylie
relates a strange story that just before crashing, she noticed a raven perched on the plane's wing.
Kylie also insists that she and the other four survivors were restlessly hiking the mountain though
they were found inside the fuselage when they were rescued. No one else who lived to talk about his
or her harrowing experience substantiates Kylie's claim. Kylie's psychologist insists what she says
she saw and believes happened was caused by post-traumatic stress combined with drug stimulated
hallucinations. However, Kylie continues to see a raven with human eyes and turning paranoid
insists that the malevolent beings she saw on the mountain are after her while people in good health
that she knows start dying. QUIETUS is a strong suspense that has readers questioning whether it is
a psychological/medical thriller in which Kylie is losing her mind, a horror tale where the spirit
domain has entered the living realm, or a combination of both. The story line is exciting but the wide
use of psychological, medicinal, and spiritual elements enhances the audience's perceptual guesses
yet slows down the pace of the plot. Still, Kylie is a wonderful lead protagonist walking a thin line
between insanity and real danger, which is what makes Vivian Shilling's novel hauntingly work.
The Snack Thief
Andrea Camilleri
Viking Press
May 2002, $21.95, 298 pp., ISBN: 0670032239
At about the same time a Tunisian patrol boat kills a worker on an Italian fishing trawler, an
unknown assailant stabs to death a retiree, Mr. Lapecora, in the elevator of his apartment building.
Montalbano is assigned the local homicide while his Lady Macbeth-like ambitious superior Mimi
Augello takes "public" charge of the international incident. Montalbano seeks Mr. Lapecora's house
cleaner, Karima, who supplements her income with prostitution and the lady's son. When the
Inspector catches up to the lad, he begins to understand the elevator homicide and it's surprisingly
link to the trawler killing. Though warned to stay out of the Tunisian murder by both sides of the
law and others, Montalbano digs deep into cases filled with government corruption packed tighter
than a can of sardines. Even though this is a translation from the original Italian, fans of police
procedurals will appreciate this tight sans Mafia Sicilian mystery. The story line never slows down as
the hero investigates one crime that takes him to the second murder and much more. Montalbano is
a delightful protagonist who sub-genre readers will want to follow. Hopefully more of Andrea
Camilleri's novels are translated into English rather quickly or many Anglo-speaking fans will learn
Italian rather soon.
Dissolution
C. J. Sansom
Viking Press
May 2003, $24.95, 390 pp., ISBN 0670032034
King Henry VIII selects Thomas Cromwell to destroy the Roman Church through newly enacted
laws, phony witchcraft-like trials, and informers in every walk of life. Cromwell performs his
assignment with zeal, but also worries about a revolt from the oppressed Papists and others opposed
to the newly formed Church of England. In 1537 Cromwell learns that someone murdered one of his
agents Commissioner Singleton while on the King' s business at the Monastery of St. Donatus the
Ascendant of Scarnsea. He enlists lawyer Matthew Shardlake to investigate. Known in the court
system for his hunchback, Shardlake and his clerk travel to the Benedictine cloister to make inquiries
amongst close-mouthed individuals filled with animosity towards the outsiders. The sleuths find a
hotbed of sexual depravity and treasonous acts, but worse to Shardlake, he obtains damaging
information about his employer that places Cromwell in a less than holy light and himself in peril for
his life. Still he must stop a serial killer from murdering again. Using historical facts and real persona
from the period of "Dissolution of the English Monasteries" (1536-1540), C.J. Sansom provides
readers with a vivid Tudor historical mystery. The background is so descriptive it overwhelms the
prime theme of a well-written who-done-it in spite of interweaving tidbits into the plot. Shardlake is
the glue as he refuses to allow his handicap back from keeping him from performing his duties but
struggles with his values once he learns the truth about his mentor. Cromwell is cleverly drawn as a
Machiavellian type by using authentic references to his recorded actions. Fans of historical mysteries
with an emphasis on the era will appreciate DISSOLUTION.
A Fractured Truth
Caroline Slate
Atria
July 2003, $25.00, 352 pp., ISBN 0743418905
After killing her husband, Grace Leshansky plea bargained a five to fifteen year sentence for
manslaughter and was released after seven years. During her prison time she pushed all her friends
away except for Sheilah Donlan who not only picked her up from the penitentiary but also got her an
apartment and a job in her headhunting business. Now Grace has to adjust to life on the outside
knowing that she killed the man who took away her livelihood, her father her and self-respect. In the
first weeks of freedom, Grace realizes her parole officer is a battered wife who hates her, makes
friends with a con man like her dead husband, and reconnects with her first love Michael, whose
father is indirectly responsible for the mess her life is in. Michael's dad, serving a life sentence, is also
the only man who can help her find the father she wants to see one last time. Caroline Slate lives up
to the promise she's shown in her debut novel THE HOUSE ON SPRUCEWOOD LANE with her
second novel, a powerful work about a woman who is driven to murder, but somehow hooks the
reader's sympathy even before all the facts are revealed. The protagonist's relationship with her
friends, her lover, and her father ring so true that the audience will shed tears for a woman who was
deliberately pushed to her limit by an expert manipulator and brilliant con man. A FRACTURED
TALE is a compelling powerful story.
Executive Power
Vince Flynn
Atria
May 2003, $25.00, 372 pp., ISBN: 0743453956
Following his last assignment, preventing Saddam Hussein from obtaining nuclear weapons, CIA
field agent Mitch Rapp receives public acknowledgment by the president in response to the latest
Congressional leak to the media. Though the praise is of the highest quality, singled out as the most
important person in the fight to counter terrorism, the President might as well have placed a
bulls-eye on Rapp's chest and that of his loved ones. The spotlight makes the former covert operator
an ideal international target for eradication by terrorists as the symbol he has become. As special
advisor on counterterrorism to CIA director Dr. Irene Kennedy, Rapp uncomfortably sits in an
office. However, everything changes when radical Islamic terrorists ambush Navy SEALS on a
top-secret rescue mission in the Philippines. The leak had to be in either the State Department or the
Philippine diplomatic corps, but nobody knows for sure. However, worse yet is that someone is
trying to cause a Jihad on a scale never before seen and that unknown invisible individual is close to
achieving the goal with only a too visible Rapp in the way. This reviewer plans to obtain previous
tales of Vince Flynn because EXECUTIVE POWER is political thriller at its best and it is clear that
this author has much writing talent. The story line is non stop action and Mitch is a great protagonist
as he struggles with a fame that he does not want at the cost of his first love field work. No bums
rap: this winner may prove to be the political thriller of the year.
Hawke
Ted Bell
Atria
June 2003, $25.95, 370 pp., ISBN 0743466691
Seven-year-old Alex Hawke is with his parents on their yacht when his father suddenly takes him
into a secret room and tells him to hide. The pirate brothers, (Manso, Juanito, and Carlos) demand
the treasure map that the pirate Blackhawke made before his hanging three centuries ago. They
claim that BlackHawke stole the gold from their ancestor. They torture, rape and kill the Hawkes
but fail to obtain the map, which is with Alex in the secret room. Alex blocks out the tragedy and
much of the first seven years of his life. He becomes a powerful and wealthy adult who does
intelligence work for the British and the American governments. The de Herrera siblings become a
force in the Cuban government having access to millions of dollars. They buy a stealth submarine
from the Russians that is virtually undetectable and carries forty nuclear warheads. The trio obtains a
biological weapon that they sneak into Guantanemo Bay, which they intend to use if the Americans
don't vacate the base and lift the embargo. The Americans use intelligence gathered by Alex to make
war plans but it is his destiny to have the final showdown with the men who killed his parents. Move
over James Bond, Lord Alex Hawke is on the scene and he is more realistic, believable and
personable than Ian Fleming's character ever was. This is an action adventure thriller with the
emphasis on action. There is no chance readers will ever feel ennui reading Hawke, a twenty first
century pirate novel that takes place on the high seas and in a Cuba where Castro's control is
waning.
Say When
Elizabeth Berg
Atria
June 2003, $24.95, 272 pp., ISBN: 0743411366
Frank Griffin loves his wife and his eight-year-old daughter Zoe and is prepared to do everything in
his power to keep his family together. He suspects his wife Ellen is having an affair with her teacher
who is giving a night course in auto repair, but Frank is prepared to wait until she comes to her
senses and gets it out of her system and never confront her with it. It is Ellen who brings things out
in the open by admitting she is in love with Peter and wants a divorce. Griffin refuses to give her one
and won't move out of the house or their bedroom. Ellen finds the whole situation awkward and
finally moves into her own apartment but she's at the house every day to take care of their daughter
until Griffin comes home. Their impasse is finally broken when Griffin is ready to listen to what Ellen
needs to say. There is not a lot of action in SAY WHEN but it is a fascinating character study about
two people who share space but fail to communicate. There are many funny moments in the book
especially the scene when Ellen and her date meet Griffin and his date at the movie house. The two
protagonists are both decent and kind people who go out of their way to make sure any disruptions
in their daughter's life are kept to a minimum. Elizabeth Berg has written a heartwarming tale
focusing on human frailties.
The Feast of Roses
Indu Sundaresan
Atria
May 2003, $24.00, ISBN: 0743456408
In the seventeenth century, most of India, that is those who would care about the emperor's harem,
would expect that Jahangir's twentieth wife of twenty wives would be lower than an Untouchable.
However, the Empress Nur Jahan, previously called Mehrunnisa, does not settle in her role as she
breaks the tradition of royal life and the accepted behavior of females in the country. Mehrunnisa can
get away with a lot more than say Jahangir's nineteen previous spouses, as she is the first woman he
actually loves. The Emperor actually cedes her much power to run the country though her harem
rivals led by scheming Empress Jagat plan to run her off and the court ministers refuse to have some
upstart female steal any of their power. Showing inner strength Mehrunnisa refuses to allow either
of these two influential groups to stop her rise. She turns to her father, her brother, and the son of
her husband for support. Though the fight is difficult and she and her daughter becomes estranged,
through the love of Jahangir she never gives up. The sequel to the delightful THE TWENTIETH
WIFE, THE FEAST OF ROSES is an insightful look at the royal court of seventeenth century India.
Though at times a bit slow, the story line is loaded with historical tidbits leading readers to conclude
that Indu Sundaresan magically sent her audience back in time. Mehrunnisa is a strong lead
protagonist, who quickly understands the balance of power and how to manipulate in a
Machiavellian manner. The support cast provides insight into this protagonist. Ms. Sundaresan
provides another Taj Mahal historical fiction.
Director's Cut
Roger L. Simon
Atria
June 2003, $23.00, 256 pp., ISBN 0743458028
Immediately following September 11th, Moses Wine's detective agency became seriously strapped
for clients. They only had one case and his partner (who is also his wife) was handling it. Moses was
puzzled when he was called into the local FBI office and questioned about the destruction of the
Twin Towers, the Czech Republic and Radio Free Europe headquarters in Prague. Of course he
knows nothing about the subjects the FBI asked him about but matters become a little clearer when
he receives a call from a friend who is in Prague. Arthur Sugarman, a completion bondsman for
movies, wants him to come over there and act as private security for a film being shot in Prague.
Almost as soon as he arrives, Islamic fundamentalists kidnap Moses and the film's leading lady.
When government officials rescue them, the kidnap leader escapes. Moses becomes the film director
because his predecessor was badly injured during the abduction. Moses works with CIA officials to
try to stop a terrorist cell who infiltrated the movie set from carrying out their diabolic agenda.
DIRECTOR'S CUT is a wild and wacky thriller that satirizes the games one has to play to make it in
the motion picture industry. It is also a somber reflection about the effect September 11th has had on
the protagonist and how he needs to contribute to the cause. The mystery revolves around the leader
who is manipulating events to further his personal agenda and how the hero finally figures it out and
tries to stop him. Robert L. Simon is a talented writer who can always be counted to deliver a
chilling thriller.
Why Men Won't Commit: Getting What You Both Want Without Playing Games
George Weinberg
Atria
Feb 2003, $24.00, 213 pp., ISBN: 0743445694
After a quarter of a century working closely with men, Dr. George Weinberg concludes that the
male of the species desires permanent commitment and a forever love equal to that, which women
want too. The difference is men believe that to admit they want a permanent partner is not
considered part of the cultural image and thus too feminine so most males hide their inner feelings as
an alpha menace to their masculinity. Dr. Weinberg believes culture forces this role to include
women placing the man of their dreams in a situation by comparing his strengths and weaknesses to
his rivals. WHY MEN WON'T COMMIT: GETTING WHAT YOU BOTH WANT WITHOUT
PLAYING GAMES provides a straight forward guide for frustrated women to enable their mate to
find his feelings ("gut reactions") by altering her behavior. Before feminists scream "no Jane"
chauvinism and machos play Tarzan, the key in Dr. Weinberg's help guide is to accept that the male
is the "weaker sex" so that the stronger female must take charge by being the relationship caretaker
reaching through the stereotype stud to his inner being. This is an easy to follow guide that wastes
little if any space assisting frustrated women with solid advice.
Something Unpredictable
Barbara Chepaitis
Atria
May 2003, $24.00, 306 pp., ISBN 0743437527
Thirty-one years old Delilah still lives with her parents in their mini-mansion in Key West and works
as a waitress even though she has a bachelor's degree. She sees the man living in her parents'
guesthouse but she knows they have no commitment to one another. When her mother locates her
biological mother, she is afraid to meet her so she sends Delilah to Brentville, New York to see what
Carla is like. Delilah's first impression of her grandmother is that of a crusty, independent woman
while octogenarian Carla thinks her granddaughter wastes her potential and sets out to do something
about it. Delilah meets Jack Brown who fixes things on her grandmother's property. She realizes that
he is a deep soul who won't be content with a minor fling. While caring for her grandmother, Delilah
starts sleeping with her ex-fiance, who lives in the area, but they can't recapture what they once had.
When a tragedy occurs, Delilah finally opens her heart that has been closed since her twin brother
died over two decades ago. SOMETHING UNPREDICTABLE is a moving relationship drama
starring a protagonist afraid to commit to a relationship. Her visit to her grandmother makes her
take stock of what she is not doing with her life. Carla sees herself in her granddaughter, which is
why she feels compelled to meddle and despite herself, Delilah comes to see that her grandmother is
right. Though some unnecessary coincidence enables additional insight, Barbara Chepaitis has
written a poignant family drama.
Point of Honor
Madeleine E. Robins
Forge
May 20003, $24.95, ISBN: 031287202X
Aristocrat Sarah Tolerance gave away more than just her name and reputation when she
romantically ran off with her brother's fencing master. When her beloved dies, Sarah looks at her
options, her family not truly being one as she brought scandalous shame on them already. The adage
of 1810 England is that Fallen Women always at some time turn to the only profession the Ton
allows for them, whoring. Sarah vows she ill never sell her body. Instead she becomes an
"investigative agent" handling "private matters" where discretion and finesse count, traits Bow St.
lacks. Her work means no direct references from her wealthy clients, who will expect silence while
employing her. Lord Trux hires Sarah, claiming he represents a nameless friend, to recover a family
heirloom fan that was given with youthful enthusiasm years ago to Mrs. Deborah Cunning. Though
he says little else, the case seems simple enough to Sarah, but that is before she finds competitors
willing to kill her to obtain the fan and her rivals seem to know her every move. This exciting
Regency investigative tale provides the audience with a different look at the era than typical of
romances or mysteries set in that period. The story line grips the reader from the first observation
made by the heroine about options available for Fallen Women. The plot moves forward rather
quickly as Sarah goes about her job while trying to stay alive. Sarah is a delightful intelligent sleuth
whose adventure will make Madeleine E. Robins a sub-genre favorite.
Understudy
Carole Bellacera
Forge
Jun 2003, $25.95, 384 pp., ISBN: 0765306557
Actress Robin Mulcahey is rising to the top of her profession at a rapid pace. However, there is one
problem with the ascension. Robin died in a car crash in 1998. Her best friend Amy Shiley was near
death in the same crash that severely disfigured both bodies beyond recognition. When Robin wore
her pendant, everyone concluded that Amy died. By the time she gained enough of her health to
realize the error, Amy did nothing to correct the mistake, as she had no one who would care and she
did not want to hurt Robin's parents. Amy in disguise is married to an actor, but still loves Paul,
Robin's brother. Unable to ignore her feelings, Amy decides to risk everything to gain Paul's love
though he never showed her any feelings beyond that of a big brother. Amy wonders if her gamut
will lead to happiness or a deep hurt, but she knows she must try. Though this reviewer has some
doubts about the identity switch as blood type, etc. must match; UNDERSTUDY remains an
exhilarating romantic suspense. Amy owns the story line as struggles between her love for Paul and
revealing her secret that will hurt people she cares about. The rest of the cast spotlights the dilemma
that the lead female protagonist must choose between. Contemporary romance readers will be
pleased with this fine work.
The Nature of Midnight
Robert Rice
Forge
June 2003, $25.95, 400 pp., ISBN 0765303604
Postal Inspectors are the law enforcement branch of the US Post office and have full police powers
for cases within their jurisdiction. Max Dombrowski is a Postal Inspector who is forced to work in
Internal Affairs by Constance Barton, finding the dirt on people she wants out of the service. He is
forced to obey her orders because she has something on him that if revealed could send him to jail.
Connie is sending Max to Norris, Montana for two reasons. A postal worker and a customer were
murdered in the rural post office. Max is to serve as the lead investigator on the case but he is also
ordered to find some dirt on the resident agent Gillian Loomis so Constance can legally fire her.
When Max arrives in Norris, the duo conduct their investigation and find that there is information
about the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 that someone doesn't want to surface. Max and Gillian
race against the killers to see who can get their hands on the documents and in the process two more
innocents are murdered. Conspiracy buffs are going to love THE NATURE OF MIDNIGHT a
thriller that portrays a realistic scenario on how the Germans knew where the Lusitania was located.
Robert Rice has plenty of action and chase scenes but what makes this novel stand out in the crowd
are the two protagonists who make a great team despite the demons that are haunting them. It is to
be hoped that Mr. Rice will have more novels starring this dynamic duo.
Poison Blonde
Loren D. Estleman
Forge
Apr 2003, $24.95, 288 pp., ISBN: 0765304473
Latino singer Gilia Cristobel is as hot an act as one will find today with her albums at the top of the
charts and her popularity at stratospheric levels at least with music lovers. However, the down side
of her meteoric rise is that her fame has brought her to the attention of someone who knew her back
in the old country in Central America. That individual has blackmailed Gilia claiming he has proof of
her involvement in an atrocity back home. Paying off her extortionist is worth the lost cash to Gilia,
but three months pass without further word from the blackmailer. Desperate to end the potential
fiasco that if it went public would sink her career permanently, Gilia hires Detroit private
investigator Amos Walker to find the real Gilia who has vanished since the threats surfaced and
whose identity the singer has paid for so she can remain in the USA. The latest Amos Walker tale is
the usual superb hard-boiled noir that hooks the reader from the very beginning until the finish
because the entire cast seems so genuine. Readers believe what Amos becomes entangled in due to
the ensemble, whether they make a cameo appearance or are a key secondary player. The story line
is vintage Walker who solves one thing only to be engulfed in something larger. Loren D. Estleman
delivers another winner as the Motor City sleuth remains at the top of his game investigating on all
cylinders.
Just the Way You Are
Christina Dodd
Pocket Books
Jun 2003, $6.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0743456173
JUST THE WAY YOU ARE is a major surprise for this reviewer as the queen of governess
romances Christina Dodd easily switches into a delightful contemporary tale that, as far as I know, is
her first modern day story. When their parents were declared dead after vanishing, the three Prescott
sisters were separated by the Texas foster care system as each went to a different home. Seven years
later, Hope lives up to her first name as she optimistically searches for her two siblings and
somewhat pessimistically her parents. Hope works for a telephone service in Boston, but knows she
needs a better paying job to finance the expensive search that is her obsession. When CEO Zach
Givens calls for his messages, he acts so cold and aloof, Hope concludes he has to be the business
mogul's butler. He continues the masquerade and when they finally meet, the attraction lights up
New England. However, neither trusts in love so anything permanent seems out of the question.
Though a kidnapping sidebar slows down the tale, this is a charming, often humorous, romantic
romp with moral and social questions to serve as a strong base. The lead couple is a fine pair
needing each other in every way one can imagine yet unable to put faith in love or their beloved.
Fans of the contemporary sub-genre will welcome Ms. Dodd's sequel(s) starring a lost sister or
two.
Blushing Pink
Jill Winters
Onyx
Jun 2003, $6.99, 384 pp., ISBN: 0451410904
Ph.D. candidate and teaching assistant at Crelwyn College Reese Brock leaves Manhattan for her
hometown of Goldwood, New Jersey to attend her sister's wedding. Reese has not started on her
dissertation, has no incentive to begin work on it, prefers to write a novel, and loathes slaving for an
obnoxious professor. Even worse her love life is in the tank. As her mother bugs her over the men or
lack of in her life and her father is so proud of his Ph.D. daughter, Reese worries about seeing the
best man. Two years ago at a New Year's Eve party, Reese and Brian Doren shared a heavenly kiss,
but he never followed up on it. It is bad enough that she will see him at the ceremony but she also
has to serve him when he visits everyday the coffee shop section of the Roland and Fisk bookstore
where Reese works part time. This time Brian plans to follow up on what he let slip away two years
ago due to distraction and ignorance. He plans to explore his attraction for Reese if she is willing.
BLUSHING PINK is an entertaining contemporary romance that is at its best when Reese's irritating
mom stays off stage. The lead couple and the rest of the vast support ensemble have distinct
personalities that enable the audience to understand Reese from her non-confident heart to the warts
and icons that make up her brain. Though mom deserves a PCU afternoon delight locked in a room
hearing a non-stop recording of her nagging, readers will overall appreciate this fine tale.
A Killing Gift
Leslie Glass
Onyx
June 2003, $7.50, 368 pp., ISBN 0451410912
New York Police Sergeant April Woo organizes the retirement party for Lieutenant Alfredo
Bernadino leaving after almost four decades on the force. He plans to live simply though his beloved
wife over fifteen million dollars in the lottery after taxes just before she died. Alfredo slips out
quietly during the party but an assailant kills him. April notices he left and races after her mentor in
time to see him murdered. April tries to catch the killer but he almost overpowers her. Jack
Devereaux, who just inherited millions from the father who never acknowledged him, saves her life
and once again becomes a media sensation. April and her partner and lover Mike Sanchez work
together to find the perpetrator. When a second person, who has inherited a fortune is killed, the
police think they have a culprit who targets people who suddenly have gained plenty of publicized
money. To make matters even more curious, phone records show someone has called both the
deceased lieutenant and Jack, two people who have never met and have nothing in common except
they attended the same university, one that the second victim was being courted for a donation. In A
KILLING GIFT April and Mike have finally gotten their act together and are living together,
making plans to buy a house, get married and have a baby. Both are more open about their feelings
and that adds another personal dimension to the story line. This is one of the best installments in the
series because readers see the police slowly but surely build a case. Leslie Glass writes some of the
best procedurals on the market today and her latest will embellish that reputation.
The Big Bad Wolf Tells All
Donna Kauffman
Bantam Books
Jun 2003, $10.95, 368 pp., ISBN: 0553382225
San Francisco columnist Tanzy Harrington classifies the world quite simply around the concept that
two types of males populate it: wolves and sheep. Tanzy prefers the dangerous wolves as her bed
mate over the flock of dependable husband material. The key to her unusual attitude is that she loves
them and leaves them with her heart untouched. Her Aunt Millicent feels that Tanzy is missing out
on real life so she chooses a candidate for her niece. Tanzy immediately blows away Millicent's
selection as a sheep or why else would her aunt select him. In actuality Millicent hired security
expert Riley Parrish to protect Tanzy from an anonymous fan threatening her. As Riley escorts
Tanzy throughout the Bay area they fall in love, but she begins to wonder if he might be a wolf in
sheep's clothing. Fans of chick lit will enjoy this contemporary romance due to the uniqueness of
Tanzy. The story line moves slowly forward, as the suspense elements remain de-emphasized though
suspects surface. Instead, the tale focuses on Tanzy's Baa Humbug attitude towards sheep and her
doubts about which classification Riley belongs to while she disregards the well known fact that
wolves mate for life.
The Painter
Will Davenport
Bantam Books
May 2003, $12.95, ISBN: 0553382063
In 1662, bankrupt fifty-six year old painter Rembrandt van Rijn flees his creditors though it means
leaving his home. He accidentally stows away on a ship bound for Hull, England, but is caught by
the angry captain. Through passenger Andrew Marvell, who speaks Dutch, Captain Dahl
commissions the artist to paint portraits to pay for his passage as van Rijn proclaims he is bankrupt.
Rembrandt hates painting the captain, but looks forward to working on the man's wife, the beautiful
Amelia. However, Marvell challenges Rembrandt to a duel of tributes in which he will use the might
of the pen with a poem dedicated to the lovely Amelia while Rembrandt will use the might of the
brush with a portrait of the gorgeous woman. Amelia will declare the winner. When THE PAINTER
concentrates on an insightful historical novel, the story line is brilliantly conceived and does justice
to the artist even when the clever Amelia manipulates the two artists to do her bidding. When the
story line switches plot to 2001 focusing on an artist descendant of Dahl, it seems more like a paint
by numbers that never quite holds up in comparison. In spite of the average twenty first-century
subplot taking up half the book, the seventeenth century story makes Will Davenport's novel a
winner.
Jane and the Ghosts of Netley
Stephanie Barron
Bantam Books
June 2003, $24.95, 294 pp., ISBN 0553802224
It has been over two years since Jane Austen has last seen Lord Harold Trowbridge, the second son
of the fifth duke of Wilborugh. Most of the realm sees him as a rakehell and a rogue, but Jane knows
that is his public persona. Behind the scenes he works for the government as a spymaster looking for
ways to defeat Napoleon. In 1808 in the port town of Southampton, Lord Harold asks Jane to spy
upon the new woman into town. Sophia Challoner, a woman he believes is a spy for Napoleon, left
the besieged town of Oporto, Portugal to reside in Netley Lodge. While Jane watches the home,
someone sets fire to the docks and the new ship that was ready to be put to sea. While Harold thinks
the culprit is one of Sophia's agents, Jane isn't so sure because she has come to know and like the
woman. When a local servant is killed, someone sets up Harold to take the blame. Before a jury can
judge his guilt, Harold's servant, who is supposed to give evidence diappears and he is afraid that his
valet is Sophia's latest victim. Fans of historical novels, Regency readers and espionage thriller buffs
are going to find JANE AND THE GHOSTS OF NETLEY very much to their taste as the heroine
finally acknowledges her true feelings for the Duke's son while readers see why Harold might
reciprocate. She is an independent free thinker who doesn't always play by society's rules. The first
person narrative allows the audience to understand how the heroine feels about the restrictions
placed upon women and how she gently maneuvers events to do what she wants. Stephanie Barron
has written an exciting cerebral mystery thriller that will keep readers turning the pages until they
uncover the identity of the spy.
Always A Thief
Kay Hooper
Bantam Books
June 2003, $7.50, 311 pp., ISBN 0553585681
For over a decade, the cat burglar Quinn robbed the homes of the rich and famous, relieving them of
baubles that have made him a media sensation. When his luck ran out, Interpol gave him a choice,
help them catch notorious jewel thieves or spend the rest of his life in jail. Nobody could call Quinn
a fool and the cat burglar retired to become a man who worked for international law officials. His
first assignment is in San Francisco where Max Bannister is allowing the Museum of Historical Art
to display his priceless jewel collection in an exhibit designed by Morgan West. Rumor has it that the
deadly Nightshade is going after the collection and Quinn is in place to stop by baiting a trap too
irresistible to ignore. Quinn can't give the con his complete attention because he has become
romantically involved with Morgan, a law-abiding woman who can't believe she's in love with a
master jewel thief. ONCE A THIEF was originally written for the now defunct Loveswept line but
in it's present form it is almost unrecognizable because the author expanded the story line and
targeted it for suspense fans as well as romance lovers. The hero is one of a kind character who fits
the world into his mold except in one area, his love for Morgan who becomes his redemption. The
identity of Nightshade will come as a surprise to the audience but Quinn's real everyday identity will
come as a bigger surprise to the audience.
The Cordelia Squad
Mary Anne Kelly
Thomas Dunne
Jun 2003, $24.95, 336 pp., ISBN: 031231065X
Recently divorced Claire Breslinsky moves herself and her two teenagers, Anthony and Tree, into a
mansion in the Richmond Hill section of Queens. Her new home needs mucho renovation, but also
enables the single mom to live near her bossy mother, her retired pop, and her sisters (Zinnie the
cop, and Carmela the beauty writer). Claire and her extended family work on converting the mansion
into a bed and breakfast. Soon flowers arrive with no explanation and her Indian neighbor shows her
how to access one of the apparent many hidden passageways. When a fire that is later ruled arson
happens, fireman Enoch O'Rourke comes to the rescue. A second fire occurs and soon Claire and
Enoch begin dating. As love flourishes in Queens, customers begin staying at the B&B. However, a
wary Claire refuses to fall into that love trap again leaving Enoch to need another rescue to nudge
his beloved towards the altar. The mystery of the arson is barely on the blip screen as this
contemporary romantic relationship drama spends more time kibitzing during meals. The novel
focuses on a series of relationships between several people not just that of the prime player Claire
though most go through her. Fans of family drama will enjoy this fine look into life in Queens, but
between tantrums, squabbling, and divorce war syndrome, this is more of a hard working princess of
the borough.
A Death To Record
Rebecca Tope
Thomas Dunne
June 2003, $24.95, 352 pp., ISBN 0312302606
Now that BSE has subsided, TB is decimating the herds of cows all across England, and rightly or
wrongly, the farmers believe that badgers are the carriers of the disease. On Recording Day, Deirdre
Watson expects her time on Dunsworthy Farm to be boring as usual. However, she revises her
opinion and becomes horrified when the owner of the property, Gordon Hillcock, finds the body of
his herdsman, Sean O'Farrell in his barn, a homicide victim. The lead detective on the case is
Detective Sergeant Den Cooper who absolutely hates Gordon and hopes the Devon dairy farmer is
the guilty party. Gordon is now seeing Lilah Beardon, the woman Den loves and had been seriously
involved with for the past three years. His investigation proves to Den, his co-workers and his
superior that Gordon is the most likely culprit but they have to work overtime and work around
local prejudice to find evidence that will back up their hunch. A DEATH TO RECORD is a
fascinating British police procedural that focuses as much on interpersonal relationships as it does on
the actual investigation. Den is a fine person who doesn't let his personal feelings for his ex-girlfriend
get in the way of his doing his job to the best of his ability. The victim was a vile man who tortured
animals and had a lot of enemies, which makes for a lot of suspects. The person who actually did the
deed will be hard to find but Den will not rest until he does.
The Body of a Woman
Clare Curzon
Thomas Dunne
May 2003, $23.95, 240 pp., ISBN: 0312288212
Thames Valley Detective Superintendent Mike Yeadings recognizes the elegantly dressed body
found in Shotters Wood as gift shop owner Leila Knightley. However, efforts to notify next of kin
turn farcical, as no family members seem to be around in area except perhaps her husband Aidan,
who is probably sleeping with someone. The family returns home with the victim's stepdaughter
Chloe coming back from visiting her grandmother in France and Leila's brother and his significant
other from Scotland. Aidan provides no alibi, but recognizes the dress his wife wore as belonging to
Chloe, who denies knowledge of it as hers, but admits to some memory lapses. A newspaper article
highlights the dress leading to Sir Arthur Waites thinking he bought the garb for his wife years ago.
Mike visits Arthur only to find weird happenings that may impact the homicide investigation.
Though the ending seems weak, the latest Yeadings mystery is a fascinating who-done-it that will
keep readers enthralled until the let down final resolution. The story line is a clever English police
procedural with Mike and cohorts struggling to obtain cooperation from the victim's survivors, all
whom are fully developed characters. Though the climax seems pale in comparison, Clare Curzon's
Thames Valley tale is a solid entry.
Die Once
Marianne Macdonald
Thomas Dunne
June 2003, $23.95, 272 pp., ISBN 0312283601
Dido Hoare's Antiquarian Books and Prints store is doing well and the associated mail order
business and website is increasing profits for the single mother and her son. One of her best
customers is Timothy Curwen who usually buys her expensive Victorian books whenever she gets
them into stock. Over the last year he has spent thousands of pound in her store so she's very
surprised when his two hundred pound check for Charles Dickens THE HAUNTED MAN AND
THE GHOST'S BARGAIN bounces. She learns that Tim is dead, so she writes to his solicitors and
next of kin for remittance on the book she just sold him. They hire her to appraise Tim's book
collection, but she is surprised to find that the books in his home are worthless. She does find her
book hidden away and takes it home with her. She learns that Tim was involved in a drug selling
operation and that the body was not Tim, but instead a police man "minding" the collector who was
going to turn state's evidence. Dido's natural curiosity pushes her into the middle of the
investigation. A Dido Hoare mystery is always fun to read and DIE ONCE is no exception. It's
always interesting to watch the heroine balance her business, her interfering but concerned father,
and her son's needs while she is in the middle of the case that she knows she should stay out of it.
This is a delightful amateur sleuth novel that has plenty of action but is not all gory. Marianne
MacDonald creates a warm cozy that will have a large fan following.
The Deserter
Jane Langton
Thomas Dunne
Jun 2003, $23.95, 256 pp., ISBN: 0312301863
Many Harvard men died at the Battle of Gettysburg as part of the valiant 2nd Massachusetts
Volunteers and in fact the university honors these heroes with a memorial hall listing them.
However, not everyone behaved courageously as Mary Kelly tells her husband, Homer, a professor
at the school. Her great-great grandfather Seth Morgan apparently deserted, but though her family
refuses to talk about his cowardly behavior, Mary needs to know the truth about Seth. Mary and
Homer begin their investigation into her roots by visiting her sister Gwen, who lives in the ancestral
home where family items have been stored for years in the attic. They learn that third cousin
removed Ebenezer Flint took everything while Gwen and her husband was away. Deciding to
continue their quest, Mary and Homer visit the college archives and follow that up with a trip to
Gettysburg. From there they go to DC to visit Ebenezer as a story unfolds of cowardice, treachery,
and murder on the eve of the pivotal Civil War battle. Though the prime plot is the modern day
inquiries into the Morgan family roots, intermingling throughout the tale is a superb subplot focusing
on the key characters involving what happened to Seth. Thus, readers, once adjusted to the
flashbacks, receive two delightful tales, of which either could have stand-alone. The prime
protagonists, past and present, come through as genuine so that the audience receives a wonderful
historical tale inside a fun contemporary investigation into that past.
Turning for Home
Sarah Challis
Thomas Dunne
May 2003, $23.95, 320 pp., ISBN: 0312314469
Twenty-six years old Maeve Delaney needs a job fast as she is running out of money and does not
want to ask her wealthy dad for cash. She reads a newspaper ad looking for a caretaker companion
to a disabled elderly woman and decides the job is perfect for her. She makes up a phony resume and
obtains the position though she seems too young to do the job. The employer Henry Benham wants
to simply placate his bossy wife by hiring someone to care for his octogenarian mother. Maeve and
Lady Pamela get on quite well together as the youngster ignores the older woman's rants and
provides a breath of freshness to the geriatric invalid. Soon she encourages Pamela's lover Sam
Elwes to spend more time with his beloved and persuades her charge to begin racing her horse Irish
Dancer. As the two generations get acquainted a loving bond similar to a grandmother and
granddaughter form that gives Pamela a reason to live, but what will happen once Maeve moves on?
This is an interesting relationship drama that serves as a comparison between the "old" and the
"new". Maeve is an intriguing protagonist who combines the impishness of Holly Golightly with the
right degree of responsibility for the safety of her companion. She gives Pamela a reason to live
unlike the elderly woman's wimpy son or her authoritative daughter-in-law, who have done
everything in public tastefully just short of announcing the wake. Fans who relish a modern day tale
of manners will want to read this English character study.
Blood is the Sky
Steve Hamilton
Thomas Dunne
Jun 2003, $24.95, 304 pp., ISBN: 0312301154
Though it is October and winter is establishing its frozen grip on Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Alex
McKnight begins rebuilding his devastated cabin. The ex everything (minor-league catcher, cop, and
private investigator, et al) feels he must complete this job now as his humble abode, wrecked by a
nut case, once belonged to his dad. His stoic best friend Vinnie "Red Sky" LeBlanc reluctantly helps
though he thinks Alex should add asylum time to his resume. Works stops when Vinnie learns that
his brother Tom, a professional guide currently escorting a group in the Canadian woods, is lost.
This seems out of character for a skilled expert like Tom, which worries Vinnie as much as his
concern that his sibling's parole officer might learn about the parole violation of crossing the border.
Vinnie heads north while Alex follows his friend. Neither realizes that the biting cold is not the
nightmare on this journey. Edgar and Shamus Award winner, Steve Hamilton has written his best
mystery to date, which seems impossible, as the McKnight series is one of the best of the last few
years. The story line twists and turns keeping the reader guessing as to what the heroes will find
behind the next corner yet keeps a fast albeit cold pace without losing the prime plot. In spite of the
frozen tundra, Alex seems warmer yet not mellower than he has previously appeared and the support
cast provides the depth to a grand slam tale.
A Summer in the Country
Marcia Willett
Thomas Dunne
May 2003, $24.95, 384 pp., ISBN: 031228781X
While her husband is away on extended seafaring missions for the British navy, Brigid Foster owns
Foxboro, a family vacation estate in the English countryside. Her mother Freda, who abandoned
Brigid as a child, has moved into one of the cabins while her stepsister Jemima Spencer lives in the
nearby town. Her friend Louise Parry is up for her annual two weeks while her husband Martin is on
a golf holiday. Two murders have occurred somewhat nearby, but the four females feel safe due to
their relative isolation. Besides each one of them has bigger demons frying their brains than some
serial killer. Brigid wonders if this is all there is in life, especially with an ungrateful mother living
next door. Jemima questions why the world has not fallen at her knees. Freda cannot comprehend
why her oldest daughter seems so cold towards her when her demands are so reasonable. Louise
sees circumstantial evidence that her spouse is cheating on her. Each one of these women will soon
confront their internal demon that has blocked honest relationships between them, but where that
tentative openness leads them to no one knows. This is an intriguing relationship drama that contains
little action until towards the end of the plot. Still, readers see deep inside Brigid especially how she
reacts to her blood kin and in counterpoint how they act towards her. Though Louise brings her own
baggage, she serves as more of a catalyst and counterpoint to the dysfunctional family. Readers who
appreciate an insightful character study will want to spend time with A SUMMER IN THE
COUNTRY.
War Story
Sara Hely
Thomas Dunne
May 2003, $26.95, 448 pp., ISBN: 031230532X
Scottish lass Maggie Dunlop works as a nursery maid at Dulcimer Hall when war breaks out in
Europe. Maggie and others are evacuated to America where she meets and falls in love with her
employer's cousin David Voist, married with children. Because David's eyes and secretly his heart
constantly search for Maggie, her beloved's spouse sends her back to England. As the war hits
England hard, Maggie joins the effort as a driver. When she goes to pick up an American airman,
she meets David. Though both recognize their mutual love for one another, she knows he would
never leave his wife for he cannot "abandon" his children. Even as Maggie tries to start anew back in
her homeland of Scotland, she dreams that, one-day when David's children are adults, they will be
together. Though the probability of David and Maggie encountering each other by chance during the
war seems somewhat remote because the circle they share is so vast, readers will appreciate the
depth to this World War II romance though the war itself plays a tertiary role. The background
brings to life the era more so in England, but somewhat in America also. The cast is fully developed
so those key secondary players enable the audience to value the star-crossed lovers and obtain a
sense of 1940s life while demanding Sara Hely deliver more period pieces like this delightful
historical.
Jackie Disaster
Eric Dezenhall
Thomas Dunne
Jun 2003, $24.95, 216 pp., ISBN: 0312307691
Former professional boxer Jackie "Disaster" De Sesto manages Allegation Services, a
crisis-management spin-doctor firm. His offices overlook the gaming floor of the Golden Prospect
Casino in Atlantic City, owned by his prime customer and girlfriend, Angela Vanni, daughter of a
deceased Mafia boss. Jackie Disaster and his team of Imps handle and often deliver scams and cons
to paint a rosy picture of his clients regardless of the truth. Millionaire Sally Naturale hires Jackie
Disaster and associates to restore her and her firm's reputation. Murrin Connolly filed a lawsuit
claiming that the organic soymilk that Sally's company produces caused her to miscarry. Expert
Jonah Eastman suggests a two front attack. First Jackie Disaster and team need to destroy the
credibility of Murrin with a negative dirt smearing campaign and second Sally must act contrite in
public as a counter to her posh upper crust living style. Instead of smooth sailing, Jackie lives up to
his nickname as nothing goes right especially when Sally vanishes. Jackie and the Imps begin a new
counteroffensive. JACKIE DISASTER is a superb satire that showcases a professional who uses any
means including dirty tricks to provide counter cover for the rich and famous. The story line stuns
the audience with its relative simplicity that paints a dirty image making game by the in crowd to
protect their reputation. A cast, starting with the antihero and his cohorts including his father, niece,
girlfriend, and new client make for a wild ride down the Jersey shore. To protect the image of Eric
Dezenhall, a sequel is required.
Blood Will Tell
Jean Lorrah
BenBella
PO Box 601389, Dallas, TX 75360
2002, $14.95, 277 pp., ISBN: 1932199932
Murphy, Kentucky Police Detective Brandy Mather answers the call from nearby Jackson Purchase
State University that a corpse of an old man has been found serenely sitting in the office of Professor
Everett Land. The body contained identification of the professor, but the teacher is in his forties, not
a nonagenarian like the deceased. Dental records later confirm that the dead person is Land, but how
did he double in age seemingly overnight? While at the University, Brandy meets computer science
teacher Dan Martin, who explains he helped Everett with a web site. Dan assists Brandy by
accessing Land's records in hopes of finding a clue. While working together, Brandy and Dan fall in
love with one another. However, Dan is not what he pretends to be and soon Brandy questions her
sanity as she wonders if she loves a clever killer or something out of a horror novel like a vampire?
BLOOD WILL TELL is an exciting romantic police procedural vampire tale that is filled with
action, strong sleuthing, and a fresh perspective on the blood-eating creatures of the night. The tale
starts with action as the mystery opens rather quickly with the puzzler how does a middle aged
person become geriatric in seemingly hours? From that powerful opening gamut, the plot smoothly
blends elements from the two genres into a brilliantly conceived, cohesive tale. With superb lead
characters and a complete support cast, fans of supernatural mysteries or jut vampiric tales will want
to read Jean Lorrah's terrific novel that shows talent will tell.
Desperado
Diana Palmer
Mira
June 2003, $6.99, ISBN: 1551666928
Mercenary Cord Romero returns to his Texas ranch to recuperate from a near death experience
caused when his enemy Raoul Gruber tried to kill him with a bomb. Waiting for him at his spread is
his estranged foster sister, Maggie Barton, who left a job in Morocco to be near Cord, whom she
loves unrequitedly. Cord knows he must destroy his foe so he joins Lassiter Detective Agency where
Maggie works to have an opportunity to get closer to Raoul. However, Raoul remains elusive with
powerful protection as befitting the head of an international corporation that actually serves as a
front for a child labor ring. When Raoul learns who Maggie is, he decides she is the perfect pawn to
get at Cord even as the duo tries to lure their adversary into a trap. The story line is loaded with
action and non stop suspense as the "duel" between the hero and the villain play out in three
countries. Maggie and Cord struggle to overcome their troubled childhoods in order to form a
permanent relationship, but the male protagonist is too macho and cavalier when it comes to the
heroine. Still fans of fast-paced romantic suspense thrillers will enjoy the rapidly moving
DESPERADO.
The Delaney Woman
Jeanette Baker
Mira
Jun 2003, $6.50, 384 pp., ISBN: 1551666960
Kellie Delaney loves her widowed brother and treats his son as if she gave birth to the lad. The two
male Delaneys are everything to Kellie until the police inform her that her two beloved relatives died
in a car crash in Wales. Wrecking her already shattered psyche, she learns the collision was
deliberate to eliminate Connor, who worked undercover. Kellie obsesses over learning why her
brother was marked for death. She learns of a Tom Whelan of Ireland though she cannot see his
connection to her sibling, but assumes he is probably the killer. When Kellie meets Tom, she realizes
he is not what she expected as he is a caring person that she is half in love with even though he is
married. When his wife leaves prison, Tom's IRA past surfaces placing Kellie, the woman he now
loves, in peril, especially since she hides her agenda from everyone. THE DELANEY WOMAN is
an exciting romantic suspense tale that includes a powerful cast especially the grieving heroine who
readers will empathize with and understand her motives. Though issue resolution is a bit too
simplistic, the story line moves rapidly forward yet contains depth so that the reader comprehends
the complexities and contrasts of opinions. Secondary characters strengthen the plot so the
appreciative audience receives a fine thriller.
In Silence
Erica Spindler
Mira
Jun 2003, $23.95, 384 pp., ISBN: 1551666995
Following the suicide of her beloved father, reporter Avery Chauvin returns home to Cypress
Springs, Louisiana feeling guilt for not being there for him. Her former beau Deputy Sheriff Matt
Stevens says her father suffered from grief and depression following the death of his wife. Also back
in town is Matt's twin brother Hunter, a lawyer who almost was debarred for alcoholism. Avery
finds news clippings her father kept involving a murder that occurred in town fourteen years ago.
She begins to wonder about her father's death though the arson examiner and the coroner insist all
evidence point to suicide due to depression. However, another town visitor Gwen Lancaster
searches for her missing brother and tells Avery about a conspiracy by a local group the Seven to kill
outsiders and who probably murdered her dad. As Avery falls in love with Hunter, she endangers
herself in a quest to find the truth about the fourteen-year-old murder and its relationship to her dad.
She also wonders if her beloved Hunter or his father (her godfather) Police Chief Buddy is the killer?
Though the leap Avery makes to suspect foul play seems ingenuous, readers will relish this taut
thriller with a Hitchcockian climax. Avery is a great female character who feels guilt and grief and
also doubts the veracity of those who allegedly love her. Back flashes show her father as a caring
person suffering from his own guilt. The secondary players provide strength to the terse plot that
romantic suspense readers will welcome.
Down by the River
Robyn Carr
Mira
Jun 2003, $6.50, 384 pp., ISBN: 1551667045
Seems like everyone living in Grace Valley, California knows that Dr. June Hudson slept with an
unknown man last night. June's partner in a local medical practice, Dr. John Stone, also confirmed
she is four months pregnant. The amused and embarrassed June plans to introduce her beloved
retired law enforcement agent Jim Post to her family and friends as she knows the town waits for
them to show up at the cafe. At about the same time June's octogenarian Aunt Myrna Hudson
Claypool plans to soon present her mystery man to the crowd. Meanwhile, a druggie causes
problems for everyone and a flood may destroy the town. In that atmosphere the townsfolk adopts
Jim, though he had "deflowered" a favorite daughter, as if he lived there for life. This is an
interesting look at small town life with a touch of suspense thrown in on the side. The story line
ambles slowly for most of the novel though the flood and the actions of a miscreant add suspense at
the end. Readers see favorites from previous Grave Valley tales while also get deep inside the
psyche of the key cast members to their inner essence. Robyn Carr shines a strong spotlight on life in
small town California.
Slow Hands
Lynne Kaufman
Mira
Jun 2003, $23.95, 288 pp., ISBN: 1551667185
Sisters Sara and Coralee Halprin mourn the death of their mother, but inheriting a fortune makes it
easier to deal with the pain. However, the ache intensifies when they learn that their mother's will
stipulates that for the two siblings to come into the wealth, they must go into business together.
They brainstorm until they observe the treatment of Kobe cattle that the two Halprins feel are
treated better than women are. They open up a spa that caters to pampering women to include a fee
for a young stud. The business succeeds and soon Coralee falls in love, marries, and wants to end
the sibling partnership to enter a new one with her husband. However, the bottom falls out when
Coralee learns she has cancer and the vice squad takes a close look at the erotic aspects of the spa.
SLOW HANDS is an amusing but somewhat melancholy look at life from the viewpoint of neither
an optimist nor a pessimist. Instead, the sisters seem more like someone who sliced off the top of the
partially filled glass so that it is now full. The story line is filled with depth and though the spa offers
sexual pleasures, the plot never turns erotic. Instead fans receive an astute intriguing tale that will
turn off some sensitive readers who do not want females compared unfavorably to cows or run
businesses with a sexual twist.
The Falls
Karen Harper
Mira
Jun 2003, $6.50, 400 pp., ISBN: 1551666952
Keith and Claire Malvern left Seattle to open up The Falls Bed and Breakfast in Portfalls,
Washington. Before the couple actually opens the doors to their new establishment, Keith apparently
commits suicide by leaping off the nearby "Jumper's" bridge. Claire refuses to believe her spouse for
ten years would perpetrate such a cowardly act on her because he knew how hurt she was when her
mother killed herself, but she cannot persuade County Sheriff Nick Braden to investigate what is to
him an obvious suicide. A desperate Claire goes to a Seattle auction in which Nick, doing this for his
deceased wife, is for sale. She buys him for $750, asking him to investigate with her what happened
to her husband. As they begin working together and begin falling in love, a watcher pays close
attention to the duo just in case two more people must die. Though the story line takes the easy road
involving Keith's death and geography makes the culprit seem unreasonable, romantic suspense
readers will appreciate the tension that the story line builds up to until the final climax. Keith is a
delightful protagonist feeling guilt over his wife's death because even after several years he wonders
why she hid her cancer from him until it was obvious. Adding to his feelings of guilt is that he falls in
love with a woman he knows is too vulnerable for a relationship at this time. Claire is a bewildered
heroine, who starts having doubts about her deceased husband even as she feels shame for desiring
the sheriff. Karen Harper provides a fine thriller, but this could have been a great relationship
drama.
Air Force One: A History of the Presidents and Their Planes
Kenneth T Walsh
Hyperion
May 2003, $24.95, 261 pp., ISBN: 1401300049
AIR FORCE ONE: A HISTORY OF THE PRESIDENTS AND THEIR PLANES is an interesting
look at the "Flying White House". The book gives readers a glimpse at the twelve presidents,
starting with Franklin Delano Roosevelt to the current occupant and the varying aircraft they flown
on. Reporter Kenneth Walsh provides insight to decisions made by the chief executive while in the
air as well a look at the personalities of each of the president (at least the in the air traits). Mr. Walsh
interviewed four living presidents, former and present aids, and crew members of Air Force One to
give readers an anecdotal glance at a symbol of American power. Though very descriptive, it is the
illuminating view of twelve presidents, with, for the most part, separate chapters starting with JFK
(Roosevelt, Truman, and Eisenhower being ancient history share a chapter), which make for a
perceptive experience for political science followers.
The Essential 55: An Award-Winning Educator's Rules for Discovering the Successful Student in
Every Child
Ron Clark
Hyperion
Apr 2003, $19.95, 196 pp., ISBN: 1401300014
This is a simplistic, but powerful guidebook that should be part of the essential library of teachers,
student teachers, other educators, and to a lesser degree parents. Mr. Clark explains each one of his
rules in a practical way so that they can easily be adapted. Examples add to the overall
understanding. Most interesting is that Mr. Clark never loses sight of the goal of teaching: preparing
young people to succeed in life by knowing how to interact with others. Though one would think it
obvious, try going into a classroom where no one wants to be there for learning; only for socializing
or heat in winter. THE ESSENTIAL 55: AN AWARD-WINNING EDUCATOR'S RULES FOR
DISCOVERING THE SUCCESSFUL STUDENT IN EVERY CHILD lives up to its title and
should be standard fare in every school and part of the criteria of the education major because of its
practical nature. Perhaps rule 56 is if you are the new teacher on the block, you will be stuck on the
top floor of a six or seven story building with the textbooks in the basement whoever owns the
elevator is your best friend on that first day.
A Hard, Dry Road
Karen Brown
Five Star Books
Jun 2003, $26.95, ISBN: 0786253371
In Snakedance, Oklahoma, pregnant waitress Aleta Thornhill is engaged to marry her boss Delbert
Stump, owner of the Dust Bowl Diner though his mother objects to the marriage. However, both
keep secrets from one another that if uncovered could end their relationship in anger. A Worse case
scenario surfaces when Delbert learns from his mother's inquiries that Aleta had an abortion when
she was a teen. Angry for her failure to reveal this to him, Delbert drives to Amarillo, Texas seeking
to think things through by himself. Aleta, driven by music teacher Rick Lucas, follows. She finds him
in a motel where they begin to clear the air until a drunken female enters Delbert's motel room
seeking her underwear. Aleta flees for home while the local law delays Delbert. On his way home
Delbert knows he must persuade his cherished Aleta that he loves her. However, he wonders how
she will react when he tells her his deepest secret that impacts the identity of the father of the child
she carries. The premise of this well written romance is that secrets leads to everybody plays the fool
and they can destroy a relationship when trust is not a main ingredient. The two prime characters
and his mother keep confidences that lead to suspicion and distrust. Though the revelations seem too
dramatic and feel as if they will never end, fans will appreciate moseying on down A HARD, DRY
ROAD.
The Shocking Miss Shaw
Justine Wittich
Five Star Books
Jun 2003, $26.95, 299 pp., ISBN: 0786247673
In 1885 Washington DC, a distraught Melanie Shaw informs her beloved stepdaughter Sierra that
someone is trying to blackmail her with her past ruining her second husband, a US Senator. Not
wanting to disturb her father who is working to keep his country from violating a treaty with the
Indians, Sierra decides to travel to England in order to ferret out the source of the extortion. Both
Shaw females wonder if Melanie's first husband, declared dead from a ship accident, actually
survived. In London, the wealthy Sierra announces that she plans to go home married to a title.
Spymaster Fitz Kent refuses to accept Sierra's seemingly guileless answer as he feels she is too
beautiful and rich to marry just a title. He begins trailing her rationalizing that he needs to learn what
her agenda really is though deep in his gut he knows he is attracted to the American. While they fall
in love she needs his skills just to stay one step ahead of a dangerous blackmailer. THE SHOCKING
MISS SHAW is similar to many of the recent bookstore invasion of wealthy Americans and English
aristocrats falling in love. However, the investigation into who is the blackmailer adds mystery
elements that freshen up the story line. Though Sierra seems a bit too foolhardy and brave, she and
Fitz make for quite a couple starring in an irresistible Victorian romantic suspense novel.
Scenarios: A Nameless Detective Casebook
Bill Pronzini
Five Star Books
Jun 2003, $25.95, 284 pp., ISBN: 0786243260
Because of the well-deserved reputation of this sleuth, this reviewer is keeping this review very short
as this fourteen-story casebook showcases one of the great sleuths of the last half of century, The
Nameless Detective. The anthology covers the full range of decades starting back in the late 1960s
and going into 2002, but most of the contributions were written between 1979-1995. Bill Pronzini
displays his talent throughout the book so that readers receive what is bound to be recognized as
one of the better crime fiction assemblages of the year. The numerous fans of the Nameless
Detective will rejoice with this complete compilation while if there is anyone who has not tried at
least one tale this is a delightful entry to one of the greats.
Time Travelers, Ghosts, and Other Visitors
Nina Kiriki Hoffman
Five Star Books
May 2003, $25.95, 212 pp., ISBN: 078625338X
This fantasy anthology consists of eight delightful but strange short stories and one superb novella
all written in the last decade. Each tale consists of an individual(s) whose frailties and desires (in
some cases these are the frailties) lead to wrong turns in worlds that seem like our own yet feel
different. The novella, "Haunted Humans", is a powerful story that will shake the souls of readers.
Ghosts and humans argue, fuss, and fight often inside someone's head at the Mental Healing Center
to keep Dorothy Jean safe from Chase, who may be residing inside a patient's head. The stories feel
absolutely weird as if Rod Serling visited a not quite normal earth that at first glance seems like ours,
but overlaid in a fantasy environs. All nine contributions will delight the audience, but no doubt the
novella is the stand out that will send readers seeking Nina Kiriki Hoffman's novels (see PAST THE
SIZE OF DREAMING and FISTFUL OF SKY).
Worse Than Death
Barbara J. Ferrenz
Five Star Books
Jun 2003, $25.95, 250 pp., ISBN: 0786253959
In Edgewater, Maryland, Mary Kate Flaherty has problems with her husband Chuck and her two
children over the time she spends on writing and selling her novels as well as their belief she writes
trashy erotica vampire tales. Known as the Queen of Vampires with the alias Theodora Zed, her
family members also resent her attending conventions though that is what sells the books and buys
their luxuries like designer sneakers. Currently, in her Theodora persona, she attends Bloodcon in
Atlanta where wannabe writer Randall Valentine disparages her work as trash in a public panel. Not
long afterward, her shoe is found near the corpse of Randall, who has two small puncture wounds in
his neck. The police question Theodora with only fellow writer Connor Drake, who has loved her
forever, on her side. When a second murder similar to the first "Vampire Killer" slaying occurs in
New York while Theodora is in town, the author knows she must risk her life to uncover the identity
of a murderer even as her marriage is collapsing. Though the identity of the "Vampire Killer' seems
unreasonable and Mary Kate's husband is an idiot, WORSE THAN DEATH is a pleasant amateur
sleuth tale. The story line allows the audience to see behind the scenes at a convention and the
impact on a family when a member attends a lot of these. The two bites are cleverly explained and
the heroine's willingness to risk her life to solve the case makes for a fine reading experience.
Death in a Hammock
Kinley Roby
Five Star Books
Jun 2003, $25.95, 266 pp., ISBN: 0786253967
Over twelve years ago, Harry Brock worked as a Game Warden in Maine when he was forced to kill
a poacher in self-defense. The media hung Harry during the subsequent trial, but he was ultimately
acquitted. However, his wife, already frustrated with their life in Maine, filed for divorce taking their
two children with her. Harry now lives on the southwest Florida Island, Bartram's Hammock.
Katherine Trachey, accompanied by her two small children, asks Harry to take them to her runaway
spouse, Willard, who is one of the island's recluses. Harry escorts the trio only to find someone
killed Willard. As the prime suspect, the police lean towards either the wife for obvious reasons or
the President of the Preservation league, Luis Mendoza, over a conservationist dispute are the two
main suspects. Luis hires Harry to prove his innocence even as the loner begins to fall in love with
the other major suspect. DEATH IN A HAMMOCK is an enjoyable investigative mystery that starts
slow, but once it picks up speed, it never decelerates. The characters are an appealing group except
for the odious developer Orville Boone. Especially delightful is the hero who though a loner takes
the time to entertain two little children with a snake and works extra hard to solve the case. Readers
will take pleasure in Kinley Roby's first-rate tale.
Temporary Sanity
Rose Connors
Scribner
July 2003, $24.00, 320 pp., ISBN 074322907X
Hector Montero, a convicted pediophile, kidnapped seven-year-old Billy Hammond, tied his arms
and legs together with wire, stuffed a rag into his mouth then proceeded to rape and kill the child.
The lad's father Buck identified the body at the morgue. Buck proceeded to the area where Hector
was being transported to the Barnstable County jail on Cape Cod and killed him with his deer rifle.
The authorities charged Buck with murder in the first degree. The shooting and the subsequent
arrest was caught on tape and shown on television, a situation that worries defense attorneys Harry
Madigan and Marty Nickerson. Marty is particularly concerned since this is her first case as a
defense attorney after working as an assistant trial attorney for over ten years. When the presiding
judge is knifed in chambers and Harry's archenemy takes up residence on the bench, matters look
even more dismal for the defense team. TEMPORARY SANITY takes the reader from the opening
arguments to the jury verdict in courtroom scenes so vivid and intense that readers will feel they are
part of the case. Rose Connors can hold her own with such heavy weights as John Grisham, Scott
Turow and Nancy Taylor Rosenberg using her expert knowledge of the law to make the case very
realistic. It is interesting to see how a temporary insanity plea is used within the legal world and not
on a Hollywood movie screen.
Bare Bones
Kathy Reichs
Scribner
June 2003, $23.95, 320 pp., ISBN 0743233468
Tempe Brennan shuttles between Charlotte, North Caroline and Quebec serving as a forensic
anthropologist as needed. Currently she is in Charlotte, informing someone she knows that his
granddaughter was burned to death in a wood stove and the police want to question his daughter.
After she performs that grim duty, she, her daughter and their dog attend a barbecue party. When
the canine behaves like he did once before when he found a body, Tempe looks and finds bones. Her
initial determination is that they are bear remains, which leaves her happy that no one was murdered
and she and her Canadian boyfriend can go on a vacation. Just hours before she is to pick him up,
she is called to the site of a plane crash where the bodies of two men were burned beyond
recognition. While examining the bones for clues to the identity, Tempe relooks the bear remains
and finds a human bone. This discovery leads to a series of events that force Tempe to either take a
life or forfeit her own. Kathy Reichs gets better with each book she writes. Considering the
stratospheric level she started at that is quite an accomplishment. Her protagonist has made
life-altering decisions and acts upon them so that the character stays fresh. BARE BONES is a
thriller that fans of Patricia Cornwell and Linda Fairstein will enjoy. The novel contains just enough
forensic data to make the story line understandable but not enough to overwhelm the reader. It is
easy to predict that this book will be a New York Times best seller.
Haunted Ground
Erin Hart
Scribner
May 2003, $24.00, 352 pp., ISBN: 0743235053
While working his land cutting up peat, farmer Brendan McGann uncovers the well preserved
severed head of a red hair woman. Apparently the local peat conserved what later proves to be a
three-century-old head. Since "Bog Bodies" are a popular pastime in Western Ireland, Archeology
Professor Cormac Maguire is asked to look at the precious find. He quickly enlists anatomy expert
Irish-American Nora Gavin to accompany him to evaluate the head. Near the McGann farm in
Dunbeg, townsfolk discuss the disappearance two years ago of the wife and toddler of wealthy
Hugh Osborne. The spousal vanishing reminds Nora of the murder of her sister, killed in her mind by
her brother-in-law. As Nora and Cormac work together, their attraction for one another grows.
While they explore the peat find, Detective Devaney continues to investigate the missing Osbornes
over the objection of his superior who demands his inquiry ends as a cold case. Though the lead
protagonists are more equals and begin falling in love, HAUNTED GROUND feels like a modern
day rendition of the HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES with forensic science replacing Holmesian
logic. The two professional visitors are a delightful pair trying to solve the peat mystery, but unable
to resist involvement in the Osborne case especially Nora due to her sibling connection. The villagers
with their suspicious nature of the outside invaders add a gothic atmosphere to a strong suspense
thriller. Readers will appreciate this suspense tale that combines modern day forensic science with a
three hundred-year-old murder and a current mystery that might be "buried" in the HAUNTED
GROUND of the bogs.
Flirting With Pete
Barbara Delinsky
Scribner
June 2003, $26.00, 368 pp., ISBN 074324642X
Therapist Casey Ellis is attending the funeral of renowned psychologist Cornelius Unger, a respected
person in his field. Casey feels melancholy because Cornelius is the father who never acknowledged
her and never made any effort to talk to her even when she enrolled in one of his classes. At the end
of the funeral, his lawyer tells Casey that her father left her his Beacon Hill townhouse with the
request that she keep on the maid and the gardener. At first Casey doesn't want anything to do with
the home out of loyalty to her mother who has been in a coma for the last three years and is not
expected to wake up. When one of her partners in her group practice absconds with the rent money,
Casey decides to open a solo practice at her father's townhouse. There she meets the handsome
gardener Jordan; they start a relationship. She also becomes involved with a manuscript her father
left for her about a woman who he treated as an outcast by the town she lives in and is afraid of the
father who is coming home from prison after six years for killing her mother. Barbara Delinsky has
written a moving tale of two women having to cope with severe traumas, one fighting her demons
alone and the therapist having a support system that carries her through each crisis. One of this
author's greatest talents is to write about people who immediately establish rapport with the
audience so that readers care what happens to them. FLIRTING WITH PETE is a memorable work
of women's fiction.
A Vineyard Killing
Philip R. Craig
Scribner
June 2003, $24.00, 240 pp., ISBN 0743205243
After all the trauma he experienced in Vietnam and as a police officer in Boston who got shot in the
line of duty, J.W. Jackson is happy living on Martha's Vineyard and making ends meet by taking odd
jobs. One day while he and his wife Zee are eating at the local deli, shots ring out and J.T. rushes out
to see Paul Fox lying down on the sidewalk. The shooter is nowhere to be found but Paul is not
seriously injured because he was wearing a bulletproof vest. It turns out that Paul was wearing the
vest in an effort to persuade his brother Donald, a real estate developer who has many enemies, to
wear one also. Donald was using immoral but legal methods to force the year round residents to sell
their homes to him, making the police think Donald was the intended victim. J.T. gets himself
involved in the investigation and almost winds up getting himself killed. It is always great to have a
new Martha's Vineyard Mystery to read and A VINEYARD KILLING proves that claim. It is fun
getting reacquainted with characters we have come to like and seeing Martha's Vineyard through the
eyes of Philip R. Craig is always a special treat. The hero can't stop playing cop as he tries to solve
an attempted homicide, a murder, a stalking case, and figure out how all these events are connected.
This is definitely a must read mystery.
The Anniversary
Amy Gutman
Little Brown
June 2003, $21.95, 352 pp., ISBN 0316381209
He is credited with strangling to death over one hundred women and then having sex with them
postmortem. His crimes not only impacted the victims themselves but the victim's families, his
lawyer and his girlfriend who was the state's star witness during his trial. On the anniversary of his
death five years after Steven Gage was executed by the state of Tennessee, three women receive a
note saying "Happy Anniversary, I haven't forgotten you!" When Callie Thayer receives the note,
she immediately knows what it means and is afraid that her new life in Merritt, Massachusetts will be
destroyed when the truth comes out. Melanie White, once Steven's lawyer and now practicing in
New York City doesn't make the connection until Carrie calls her asking for help. True Crime writer
Dianne Massey, whose book about Steven skyrocketed her to fame doesn't take the note seriously.
By the time the dust settles one will die, one will be severely injured and the last will fight for her life
against a killer who is determined to have his vengeance. Every once in a while, a book come along
that is so exciting and chilling that the reader instinctively knows it will become a bestseller. THE
ANNIVERSARY is such a book with its speed of light pacing and its action packed plot focusing
on three females in peril. Try as one might, nobody will guess the identity of the killer until the
author chooses to reveal the identity.
The Lake House
James Patterson
Little, Brown
June 2003, $27.95, 384 pp., ISBN 0316603287
FBI agent Thomas "Kit" Brennan and veterinarian Frannie O'Neill rescued the six Winged children
from the School where they lived in appalling conditions and were the subjects of dangerous
experiments. The octet lived together for four months before they were returned to their biological
parents but in that time the children, who had bird DNA mixed into their genetic make up, imprinted
Kit and Frannie as their parents. Kit and Fran sued for custody and lost but when danger threatened,
the children turned to their real "parents" for help. Dr. Ethan Kane works on illegal experiments
using unsuspecting donors for his Resurrection project. He wants the children who he envisions as
the next step up in the evolutionary ladder and he'll use any means at his disposal to get them. Kit,
Frannie and the children are on the run but the doctor has sources within the government that leads
him and his minions to their hideout. He brings them all back to his lab where the leader of the
children, Maximus has a final showdown with destiny. THE LAKE HOUSE, the sequel to the
best-selling WHEN THE WIND BLOWS is a fascinating thriller starring six unusual children whom
capture the hearts of the audience as they try to make a place for themselves in this BRAVE NEW
WORLD. James Patterson revisits some very important moral and social issues that should be
addressed before scientists go much farther in genetic engineering. The plot is well developed with
plenty of action scenes but the heart of this novel remains Kit and Frannie who will do everything in
their power to make sure their children are safe.
Masters of Midnight
William J. Main, Michael Thomas Ford, Sean Wolfe & Jeff Mann
Kensington
June 2003, $14.00, 362 pp., ISBN 0758204213
MASTERS OF MIDNIGHT contains four novellas in which vampires play a prominent and
erotically gay role. The authors have different visions of vampires leading to highly original and
entertaining tales. "His Hunger" by William J. Mann. Thirty years ago in Cravensport, Maine
murders and disappearances occurred with no explanation. Jeremy thinks the story will make a good
human-interest piece, but he also has a personal stake in the story as one of the vanished was his
father. However, he is in peril after visiting Bartholomew, a vampire who plans to enslave Jeremy
and convert the writer's lover. "Sting" by Michael Thomas Forge. Following the suicide of his lover,
Ben becomes head librarian in Downing, Arkansas. He sees customer Titus put his hands into
beehives. When the two men become lovers, Titus explains that he is a vampire and the bee venom
prevents his blood craving. Titus feels strongly about stopping his kind who kills innocent children.
"Brandon's Bite" by Sean Wolfe. His father was a vampire while his mother was mortal. His father
taught him how to survive as a vampire. As an adult Brandon discovered he was gay so his father
disowned him. Brandon can choose any victim he wants but fears love because he believes he cannot
control his urge for blood. "Devoured" by Jeff Marin. Three centuries ago two Scottish lords shared
a secret passion for one another. When they were caught, Angus was killed but Derek was changed
into a vampire. He avenged his friend's death before immigrating to West Virginia. Now an affluent
businessman, he finally has a chance to love again but must first take care of Matthew's homophobic
enemies.
The Stand In
Kate Clemens
Kensington
May 2003, $6.99, 320 pp., ISBN: 0758201222
Movie star Jayne Cooper is upset because though her movies always make tons of money and she is
one the highest paid stars, she has never received an Oscar nominee or even tepid critic approval.
However, the worst slam comes from Steven (as in Spielberg), who refuses to give her a key part in
his next angst laden film because she has no idea how the masses live so cannot feel the role. Jayne
decides she needs to change places with a doppelganger if she can find one so she can learn how real
people live. Jayne meets checkout clerk and freshman composition professor Mary Lynn McLellan
at a local supermarket. Though slightly overweight and poorly garbed, Mary Lynn could pose as
Jayne's twin. Jayne persuades Mary Lynn to switch places in exchange for $100K. However, Jayne,
posing as Mary Lynn, never expected to meet and fall in love with Joe Porter and his two little girls.
Neither did Mary Lynn expect to love New York writer Arnie Levine. Though the switch theme has
been done a zillion times since Twain's the Prince and the Pauper, fans will enjoy this zany romantic
romp reminiscent of former President Bush's encounter with the bar code system. The story line
requires a brief acceptance that Jayne found a double in a supermarket frequented by the middle
class, but he story is very amusing especially when the actress is clueless on everyday occurrences
that most people take for granted. Fans who relish a lighthearted caper will appreciate this humorous
escapade.
Who You Know
Theresa Alan
Kensington
May 2003, $12.95, 320 pp., ISBN: 0758204787
In Colorado, Rette has many regrets to including trying to killing herself in school to gain high
grades and being overweight. She needs a job and hopes to score one as a copy editor at McKenna
Marketing. Her live-in boyfriend Greg and she plan to wed soon. Rette's sister Jen hates her job at
McKenna Marketing and barely does enough to keep from being fired. She is beautiful and quite a
male magnet, but broke up with her boyfriend for the fifth and she insists last time. She is desperate
enough to keep having her computer break down so the IT repair hunk that she desires shows up to
fix it. Rette's best friend and neighbor Avery looks for love over the Internet personnel pages with
her current interest being some cyberspace stud (she hopes he is a heterosexual male her age)
ArtLover. Though brilliant, hard working, and productive, she is frustrated with McKenna
Marketing for bypassing her for promotion for a bozo who fails to come close to her performance.
WHO YOU KNOW is a delightful chick lit that is at its best when the Office Space like activity
occurs in the business environs. The tale is solid, but not as strong when the plot ventures into the
love lives of the trio. The key threesome seems real as they seek love in their personal lives and
survival in their professional lives.
Almost a Gentleman
Pam Rosenthal
Kensington
May 2003, $14.00, 336 pp., ISBN: 0758204434
In 1819, Lady Kate Beverredge consoles her distraught best friend Phoebe Claringworth over the
death of her three-year-old son and unborn daughter. Phoebe is lucky to be alive though she might
think otherwise as her husband was DUI causing the coach to crash killing him and their two
children. Vowing she will never again be under the thumb of a male, Phoebe cuts off her hair. Three
years later, Mr. Philip "Phizz" Marston is considered the heir apparent to Brummell as the arbiter of
style. When aristocratic farmer David Hervey sees Phizz for the first time ever, he wonders about
himself, as he cannot keep his eyes off the man. When Mr. Marston leaves, David can't forget him.
This somewhat disturbs David because he has always favored women and has a near adult son born
out of wedlock. Soon David realizes why he is so attracted to a male, as Mr. Marston is actually a
masquerading female. David begins to "court" Phoebe, disguised as Mr. Marston. Soon they fall in
love, but he must persuade her that they belong together beyond just the pleasures of the flesh as she
knows the tyranny of marriage. This is an entertaining Regency romance starring a delightful lead
protagonist and an intrepid heroine. The reactions of Mr. Marston and Lord David upon first seeing
one another is priceless, especially that of the confused earl. Though his learning of a plot to harm
her seems stretched, fans will appreciate this charming tale.
Father's Day Murder
Leslie Meier
Kensington
June 2003, $22.00, 240 pp., ISBN 1575668343
Tinker's Cove is a small Maine hamlet that has a very well established and well written newspaper
the Pennysaver that has just been named "Community Newspaper of the Year" in Category five by
the Trask Trust for Journalism in the Public Interest". The trust issues grants to the publisher Ted
Stilling and investigate reporter Lucy Stone to attend the Northeast Newspaper Association
conference in Boston. Even though Lucy feels guilty about deserting her husband, four children and
her dog, she decides to go to the conference where she meets various members of the Read family.
They own the Pioneer Press group, which has newspapers all over the northeast. The head of the
conglomerate, Luther Read was going to sell out to a bigger company but changed his mind much to
the consternation of some family members. When he is killed, his son Junior is arrested for murder
but Lucy, who knows him from Tinker's Cove, is positive he's innocent and sets out to prove it, a
task that could get her killed if she's not careful. The latest installment in the Lucy Stone mysteries is
fast paced, exciting and very colorful. Readers are taken on a scenic tour of Boston and given
special insight into how the heroine's mind works when she is on the trail of a story. FATHER'S
DAY MURDER is the funniest novel in the series as Lucy frets herself into a tizzy worrying about
her family who she believes can't function without her. Leslie Meier's latest cozy is the perfect
mystery to read when one wants to be entertained.
No Way Back
Rick Mofina
Pinnacle
June 2003, $6.99, 456 pp., ISBN 078601525X
He is a well-respected renowned Pulitzer Prize nominee, a reporter for the San Francisco Star who
has come close to destroying his marriage because he got too close to the evil in his stories. Tom
Read's wife Ann, a successful entrepreneur who owns several clothing stores in the San Francisco
area, wants her husband to quit his job and he agrees to do it but when the editor asks him to do a
literary piece about a jewelry store robbery, he can't say now. When he arrives at the San Francisco
Deluxe jewelry store, he learns that one of the robbers is injured and the remaining two took hostage
a woman who was buying an anniversary gift for her husband. His world falls apart when he learns
that the hostage is Ann and the police have no clues to the identity of the perpetrators are. As time
passes and there are no ransom demands, Tom learns through his contacts that one of the kidnappers
considers him an enemy and has a score to settle with him. A Rick Mofina thriller is always exciting
to read and this especially good novel contains plenty of action and it looks like the victim will die
because one of the kidnappers is obsessed with the hero. The two villains in NO WAY BACK are
vile predators who kill without feeling remorse so nobody will feel anything but loathing for him.
This novel is particularly scary because the scenario is all too plausible.
Watch Them Die
Kevin O'Brien
Pinnacle, May 2003, $6.99, 416 pp.
ISBN: 0786014520
Rae Palmer knows she is being stalked, but no one believes her. When her boyfriend fell from a
rooftop, the police ruled it an alcohol induced accident, but Rae knows better. The killer ultimately
films his murdering her during a sexual encounter. He leaves the video of the snuffing in the return
box of Seattle's Emerald City Video. Employee Hannah Doyle takes it home only to believe she has
seen a real murder imitating a scene from the film Looking for Mr. Goodbar. Hannah panics when
she realizes that someone accessed her apartment after finding a copy of Rosemary's Baby in her
VCR. Later she learns a customer, who was recently nasty towards her, fell from a window just like
a scene in Rosemary's Baby. Hannah already worried that her abusive husband, whom she fled, will
find her and their four-year-old son, wonders what to do. She believes that the killer plans to murder
her and perhaps her son soon. She speculates that the killer is a student or professor both coming on
to her in a film study class. Though there is too much baggage hoisted by the heroine, readers
without a shadow of a doubt will appreciate this taut serial killer thriller. Each prime player seems
real from Hannah whose fears geometrically increased to the professor hitting on her to her fellow
student and finally those working with her at the store. Readers never quite know who the killer is
and why he fixated on Hannah until the end as Kevin O'Brien does what he does best: keeping the
suspense at unbelievably high levels.
Perfect Together
Lisa Plumley
Zebra Books
Jun 2003, $6.50, 352 pp., ISBN: 0821773410
All Jake Jarvis wants besides the love of his four-year-old son Noah, whom he raises by himself, is
to be accepted as a serious sports reporter. Instead, his station has started an ad campaign claiming
he is Los Angeles' "studliest" sportscaster, a situation that Jake finds embarrassing. When he learns
he is a contestant on the Dream Date TV show, he wants to refuse but that is not an option if Noah
is to eat. Actress Marley Madison has been a famous Hollywood star for over two decades, but is
now type cast as a sassy, sexy southern belle with her career over at twenty-seven. Her agent
suggests she prove she can play other roles by stepping out of character as a girl next door
contestant on Blind Date, but not revealing that she exchanged identities with her twin to anyone
until she completes the gig. At the Blind Date studio, Jake and Marley meet over coffee, but though
they act like oil and water something simmers between them that the producer notices. They are
paired up as a team with no chance of winning as their personalities are so far apart. Still this duo
can win a bigger prize than a TV show's award as love enters the mix. This amusing contemporary
romance focuses on opposites attracted to one another. Though Marley's "pauper" switch has been
used often and one must wonder how twins were raised so differently (separate households?), the
lead female character makes it feel real. The audience will want her and Jarvis to make it and will
look forward to the sequel starring her twin in her shoes.
Highland Angel
Hannah Howell
Zebra Books
May 2003, $6.50, 320 pp., ISBN: 0821774263
Sir Payton Murray is known as much for his trysts as for his sword prowess in defense of the
helpless. A desperate Lady Kirstie MacIye interrupts Payton's rendezvous with a married woman
when she begs him to help her. She accuses her husband Sir Roderick of trying to kill her and
abusing the children. Unable to resist the plea of beautiful lass, Payton agrees to rescue the lads
though her clan and his clan might not appreciate his interference. Payton abducts the children from
under Roderick's literally iron fist and brings them to his home to be with Kirstie. As Payton and
Kirstie begin to fall in love, the shadow of an irate vengeful Roderick crosses over their relationship
for he is coming with treachery and deceit as his prime weapons. HIGHLAND ANGEL is an intense
historical romance starring two courageous heroes and a vile villain, who is so malevolent he seems
more devil than human. This leads to readers wondering why anyone in his clan leadership tolerated
his behavior. Payton is kind of like an Errol Flynn character, swashbuckling whether he "battles" the
ladies (married of course) or evil knaves. Kirstie is his perfect mate as she brings out the best in him.
The abuse subplot is interwoven into a fine historical romantic suspense that will bring elation to
sub-genre readers.
Midnight Sun
Kat Martin
Zebra Books
May 2003, $6.99, 352 pp., ISBN: 0821773801
Though she loves her two sisters, Charity Sinclair envies what they are doing. Now twenty-eight,
she decides if she is going to have an adventure it must be now. Charity gives notice to her employer
that she is leaving her senior editor job at Glenbrook Publishing and informs her boyfriend of two
years likewise. The Manhattan based editor of renowned thriller novels is relocating for the next six
months to the Yukon. Software CEO Call Hawkins returned to the area he once called home four
years ago following the deaths of his wife and daughter in a car accident. He feels guilty that he
never was there for his family as he worked sixteen hours everyday. The noise next door upsets the
hermit Call who sees Charity moving in. Even more upsetting to Call is that he finds he wants sex
for the first time since the tragedy though he only desires it with his new neighbor Charity. As their
squabbling relationship turns to love, someone tries to kill her though she knows not why or whom.
Call risks his life to keep her safe, but refuses to accept the fact that he loves Charity. MIDNIGHT
SUN is an exciting romantic suspense starring two delightful lead protagonists. The courageous
Charity hooks the reader who has thought of doing the same thing she did, while the audience also
feels empathy towards Call. Though the attempts on the heroine's life adds suspense and a direct link
to the past, it seems unnecessary as the Yukon frontier and the previous deaths of his family provide
powerful cover for a deep tale that is superb when the plot adheres to those twin themes.
Cypress Grove
James Sallis
Walker
June 2003, $24.00, 272 pp., ISBN 0802733808
Turner has not had an easy life. Fresh off the plane from Vietnam, with images of atrocities churning
in his head, he signs up to become a Memphis police officer. His was not a sterling career but he
ended it spectacularly when he killed his partner and was sentenced to three years in jail. Two
months before he was to get out, he killed a man in self-defense and was sentenced to another
twenty-five years. After spending more than a dozen years in prison, always looking over his
shoulder for the next attack, he finally got out and set up practice as a psychotherapist. When he got
tired of the rat race he moved to a small Tennessee town, fully intending to live a solitary life. His
isolation doesn't last long before the local sheriff consults with him on a homicide case. Unable to
refuse, Turner gets sucked into an investigation where small time politics and a movie fan's desire to
meet his idol collides, killing a mentally impaired innocent who wouldn't hurt a grasshopper.
CYPRESS GROVE is really two stories that form a whole tale. In alternating chapters, readers get
to see how a small town murder unfolds and why Turner ended up in the town where the homicide
occurs. By only using the surname Turner and not revealing the location of the town, James Sallis
dehumanizes the man and town so that readers are forced to use their imagination to fill in the
blanks. The mystery is well constructed and believable but it is Turner's story that touches the heart
of the reader.
The Wood Wife
Terry Windling
Orb
May 2003, $14.95, 320 pp., ISBN: 0765302934
In the Arizona desert, award-winning, gin-pickled English poet Davis Cooper drowns in a dry gully.
He leaves his house near Tucson and his papers to tyro poet Maggie Black though they never met,
but clicked through correspondence. Maggie leaves California and her talented musician husband to
move into her new home. Maggie finds stanzas from unpublished poems and a gallery of paintings
left by Cooper's lover, Anna Navarra. The paintings frighten and enchant her. Maggie learns from
the natives that an unseen world of magic hides in plain sight of this mundane realm. Obsessing with
a need to better appreciate Cooper and Navarra, Maggie begins digging deep inside her soul. The
journey is mysterious and strange as she ventures beyond the time-space continuum into a magical
orb where she will begin to comprehend how Cooper died among other enigmas. THE WOOD
WIFE is an engaging fantasy that targets high school age readers, but will be fully enjoyed by the
older genre fans as well. The story line beautifully yet seemingly effortlessly blends harsh realism of a
remote part of the southwest with that of a reverie realm. Readers join the heroine on her journey of
self discovery while exploring along side Maggie the magic endlessness of the unseen world seen
through the heart. Terri Windling provides a triumphal tale that the audience will appreciate.
Land of the Living
Nicci French
Warner
May 2003, $23.95, 341 pp., ISBN: 0446531510
Twenty-five year old Londoner, Abbie Devereaux awakens to find herself tied up in a dark room
with no memory of how she got there or any other recent event. Amongst the abuse she receives,
her host also taunts her with a list of his previous victims. Abbie manages to escape. As she
recuperates from her ordeal the hospital, at no one believes her story including her doctors and
Detective Inspector Jack Cross, who insists there is no crime scene. Abbie returns to her life, but
finds her home, her job, and her boyfriend not quite matching her memories. She wonders if her
doctors are right that she is screaming for help or was she really kidnapped and that impacted her
recall. She also questions why her roommate is missing and who is this Ben now in her life. Abbie
needs to know if she had a breakdown or is he still there stalking her? Whatever is the truth Abbie
plans to find her flat mate and regain control of her life. Abbie is obviously the key player in this
thriller that readers will have to read to decide whether this is a serial killer suspense tale or a work
of psychological suspense. The story line works quite well when the disconcerted heroine wonders
about the truth while feeling deep in her soul the terror of abduction and whether it happened or not.
Nicci French provides a powerfully taut thriller.
Thief of Words
John Jaffe
Warner
Apr 2003, $19.95, 242 pp., ISBN: 0446530808
In the early 1980s, Annie Hollerman worked as a journalist at a respected newspaper. The star
reporter Andrew Binder was her boyfriend. Together they were dubbed A-squared and expected to
run the NY Times soon. However, at twenty-six her rising career implodes due to an error on her
part that leads to the editorial brass firing her and Andrew subsequently dropping her. Two decades
later, Baltimore Star News features editor Jack DePaul, the divorced father of an adult son through
a mutual friend meets Annie. He feels he has encountered his soul mate. However, the literary agent
is wary of males so Jack begins a campaign to win her heart. Ignoring the classic courting with
flowers and candy, Jack scribes a series of romantic emails that picture a life together if they had
only met twenty years ago. As he rewrites their separate pasts into one of togetherness, she knows
that he cannot reedit the scandal she caused back in Carolina. Annie ponders confessing her mistake
that ended her reporting career though the risk of telling him could lead to Jack ending their loving
relationship. Whoever said males can't do romance need to read THIEF OF WORDS. This is a
terrific second chance tale starring two charming lead protagonists. Annie is a haunted heroine who
the audience adores and will want her to find happiness or at least contentment. Jack is a closet
romantic whose email courting seems so modern yet so old fashioned. John Jaffe has provided a
powerful contemporary romance that shows love can happen to anyone, but especially those young
at heart.
The Guardian
Nicholas Sparks
Warner
Apr 2003, $24.95, 384 pp., ISBN: 0446527793
In Swansboro, North Carolina four months after her cherished husband Jim passed away, Julie
Barenson receives the puppy and note from beyond. Knowing he was dying, Jim's only regret was
how lonely his beloved Jules would be, as she had no one to turn to for solace. Jim arranged for
Jules to have the puppy and vows to watch over her. Because she knows that Jim would want her to
sing Christmas carols she names her puppy Singer. Four year later, Julie nearing her thirtieth
birthday feels ready to start dating. Two men court Julie. Richard Franklin seems perfect, yet Singer
detests him and Julie has doubts though the dates have been quite extravagant. Jim's best friend,
Mike Harris, has been there especially since her beloved died and Singer adores him. Julie is much
more comfortable with Mike than Richard, but should she risk her best friendship for a second
chance at love or should she go for the more exciting Richard? As Julie decides her future, a stalker
threatens her. THE GUARDIAN starts slowly as Nicholas Sparks purposely enables the reader to
fully comprehend what makes Julie tick before the story line switches into full speed whether it is a
romantic scene or a stalking moment. Her two beaus are fully developed along with Singer and
through memories of others insight into Jim is provided. Still, Julie, as the center of the plot, is a
fabulous lead protagonist who will gain much empathy from an audience that will appreciate Mr.
Sparks' exhilarating dark romantic suspense.
The Rules of Silence
David Lindsey
Warner
Apr 2003, $24,95, 405 pp., ISBN: 0446531634
Cayetano "Tano" Luquin extorts money from millionaires by threatening to kill anyone they cherish
if payment fails to be remitted. The professional blackmailer insures nearly impossible tracing even
following the money trail by having his victims make losing investments in which he reaps the
awards from paper companies "laundering" the cash. His current chosen lamb is software developer
guru Titus Cain. Titus and his wife Rita turn to counterterrorist expert Garcia Burden to help
expedite the Cains from this devious plot. If Tano learns that his victims deviated from his script,
one by one those close to Titus will be marked for death plus a demand for an increase from the $64
million dollar first offer will occur. A former CIA agent, Garcia starts gathering information on his
opponent knowing that if he breaks THE RULES OF SILENCE of this game someone will die.
Though somewhat similar in theme to Jon Katzenbach's THE ANALYST, THE RULES OF
SILENCE is an exciting action thriller that never slows down until the final confrontation occurs.
The story line moves at a rapid pace so readers need to wear their seat belts at all times. The villain
and his opponent each have agendas that make them the lead duo in a deadly game of cat and
mouse, and more easily understood than the victims. Not quite as character rounded as David
Lindsey's usual novel (see A COLD MIND and MERCY), readers will still appreciate this
exhilarating thriller.
The Pursuit of Alice Thrift
Elinor Lipman
Random House
Jun 2003, $23.95, ISBN: 0679463135
Boston surgical intern Alice Thrift is a genius with an IQ in the stratosphere and a Harvard degree.
Ray Russo is street educated dropped out. They meet when Ray pursues rhinoplastic surgery (a nose
job). For a reason only he knows, sweet talking Ray courts the caustic Alice, known for her terrorist
bedside manner. Shockingly, the brilliant Alice, after shunning Ray's pitch as nonsense, finally
capitulates. They have sex leading to her realizing that there is more to life than work. Yet ironically
her work improves and she even makes a friend Sylvie Schwartz at the hospital. When her platonic
former roommate registered nurse Leo Frawley and Sylvie flirt with one another, Alice feels lonely.
Vulnerable, she elopes with Ray only to learn he conned her out of cash and his "deceased" first wife
lives with him. Leo and Sylvie are there for Alice, who bitterly knows she failed her first life lesson.
Though Alice is not a likable character, fans will feel her loneliness and hope she makes it with
someone who cherishes her and she treasures in return. Ray is a mean man while Leo and Sylvie are
people the audience would like as friends. The bittersweet story line may seem rough to romance
readers, but actually salutes friendship when one thinks a friend in need is a pest and prefers not to
become involved, but does so anyway.
The Only One
Christine Feehan, Susan Grant, and Susan Squires
Leisure
May 2003, $5.99, 309 pp., ISBN: 0843951702
"Dark Decent" by Christine Feehan. Ancient Carpathian hunter Traian Trigovise realizes tracking
this cunning vampire won't be easy as Gallent is no fledgling. His belief proved right when the trap is
sprung. In Austria, Joie Sanders takes a bullet protecting a US senator and his wife. Many miles
apart, a psychic link between the injured duo sends Joie climbing the Carpathian Mountains to
rescue Traian, not realizing the danger she is in and the love she will find. "The Star Queen" by
Susan Grant. On Sienna, Taj Sai believes life would be better for the decimated survivors of her
devastated planet if the warlords were eliminated. She blames men like her childhood friend Romijha
B'Kah for the destruction of their orb. Romijha joins the woman he loves to save what is left of their
failing world. "Sacrilege" by Susan Squires. To contain her need to kill, vampiress Magda Ravel has
resided in Mirso Monastery for about two centuries. Judging she is ready, Brother Pietr throws out
so that she can prove that she can live among those whom she renounced. In San Francisco, Magda
must relearn to live, but still thinks of her mentor back in the European monastery. Though the
Susan Grant science fiction romance tale is different than the supernatural novellas of Christine
Feehan and Susan Squires, all three well-written stories will make believers out of readers. The
terrific tales are set in the trademark realm that each author is famous for having created. Fans of
any of the three authors will enjoy this worthy collection and seek other books by the remaining
writers.
The Sea Wife
Holly Cook
Leisure
May 2003, $5.99, 309 pp., ISBN: 0843952075
Near the end of his sea voyage from Australia to England, Miles Dampier rescues a drowning
woman from the ocean. On his ship, he nurses his "mermaid" back to health. The grateful Sabina
Grey thinks a Selkie saved her life as she recovers yet knows she loves her savior. The ship's captain
marries Miles and Sabina, though they hardly know one another. In London, the caring attentive
male she fell in love with vanishes, as Miles becomes temperamental and thoughtless. He has
returned home seeking vengeance that eats at his soul and erodes their love. Having faced death
once, Sabina refuses to allow her spouse to destroy what they can have if he would let go his hatred.
The support cast is as diverse and interesting as any historical romance will contain. The story line is
thrilling, albeit a bit more exciting on the High Seas than when the lead characters are on land.
Sabina is a strong heroine who goes after what she wants, which is the return of the beloved man she
first met. Though the dramatic change in Miles seems too radical, romance readers will value Holly
Cook's delightful concoction, webbed feet and all.
Noble Destiny
Katie MacAlister
Leisure
May 2003, $6.99, 366 pp., ISBN: 0843951435
Four years ago, the Ton was stunned when Lady Charlotte Collins eloped with Italian Count Di
Abalonia. However, that marriage ended tragically and now Charlotte returns to England to what
she believes is her rightful place amidst the aristocracy. However, her peers have a long memory and
refuse to accept Charlotte back into the fold. Her only recourse to regain what she lost is to marry
her way back. Lord Alasdair "Dare" MacGregor attends the wedding of his sister where he meets
Charlotte for the first time since just before her scandalous marriage. Dare enjoys the verbal battles
with Charlotte just like he did five years ago, but has no plans to marry anyone. All he wants is to
flee London so he can return to working on his marine engine, but Charlotte knows he is perfect for
her to overcome her past, not that his owning her heart hurts her decision. Readers will enjoy the
war of words between the lead couple though why Charlotte insists she must return to her place of
prominence is never fully understood. Still, she is a refreshing individual whose antics with the hero
is not only amusing but also provide insight into the options Regency women had. Dare is a
delightful counterpart who needs a catalyst to realize he cherishes Charlotte more than his engine.
NOBLE DESTINY will please sub-genre fans with its battle of the sexes plot starring two fine
protagonists.
No Place for a Lady
Katherine Greyle
Leisure
May 2003, $5.99, 333 pp., ISBN: 0843952024
In 1807, at his London house, Lord Penworthy informs his visitor Lord Marcus Kane in front of
whore Fantine Delarive that someone tried to kill House of Commons MP Wilberforce. Stunned that
a vulgar woman would be at their meeting, Marcus is further shocked when his host asks the two
guests to work together. Though both agree to perform their patriotic duty Fanny will be paid for
her efforts. Marcus, though experienced in espionage in France, needs a guide to work his way
through the serpentine slums of the rookeries where the first clues will take the sleuths. As they
work as a team, Marcus realizes that first impressions mean nothing. He sees his partner act very
comfortable as a lady attending an aristocratic soiree. Marcus also receives an education into the life
of the poor chidlren living and in some cases thieving in London's slums. As the duo's efforts lead to
danger, they fall in love. Marcus desperately tries to persuade Fantine that they belong together, but
she worries that her beloved blue blood could never accept her work on behalf of the impoverished
children. This engaging Regency romance provides readers with an insightful look at a way of life
just a short distance from the typical Ton that star in the sub-genre novels. That absorbing glimpse
provides a host of characters some nameless that enables the audience to better understand the
cheeky heroine. Perhaps Fantine adapts to easily to everything like a chameleon (who is the real
Fanny?), but fans will appreciate this feisty woman and the metamorphosis of Marcus who
recognizes what a treasure she is.
Aphrodite's Secret
Julie Kenner
Lovespell
May 2003, $5.99, 351 pp., ISBN: 0505525097
Like all Protectors, Jason Murphy has special abilities that enable him to communicate with sea
creatures and turn into a were-dolphin. However, unlike his peers, Jason has an evil father
Hieronymous to contend with. His odious dad imprisoned Jason for six years causing him to miss
the birth of his son Davy to the human Lane Kent. In turn this also left him subject to being declared
an Outcast by the Venerate Council of Protectors for violating the required registration of half-breed
births. Hieronymous has plans to kidnap his half-breed grandson so he can steal the child's superior
intelligence and become the smartest evilest dude in the world. Jason wants to win back the trust of
the only woman he ever loved, but never bothered to tell Lane about his species. Even more
important he must keep his son safe from his own father. The lead couple is a delightful star-crossed
pair, who clearly cherishes one another yet cannot trust each other. Hieronymous is kind of
cartoonish as a villain, yet that adds to the pleasure of the tale. The other Protectors come across
pathetic wasting time arguing over whether their peer Jason is a risk due to his gene pool to the
point that the reader will scream at them to stop squabbling and take on the villain all ready. Perhaps
nobody but Julie Kenner could take a farfetched tale even by fantasy standards and turn it into an
amusing escapist novel.
Blue Moon
Laura Marie Altom
Lovespell
May 2003, $5.99, 351 pp., ISBN: 0505525380
When she died from an overdose Geneva McBride is shocked when she does not go straight to hell.
Geneva deserted her husband Jonah and their baby Katie. However, heaven is giving her a second
chance to make amends. She must matchmake a permanent relationship between her former husband
and his soul mate. In some form of a celestial joke, Jonah's "beloved" seems more like Geneva a
card-carrying member of the Bad Girl's Club. Jonah wonders why his life is collapsing. His
restaurant the BLUE MOON is failing and his infant is ailing. Now he finds sleeping in his
restaurant's bathroom is a woman, who when he wakes her up claims amnesia. When "Angel" begins
helping Katie, he does not throw her out. When she claims he is her spouse, he goes along for the
ride for now. Soon he enlists the town to join in on his charade that he quickly wants to make real
and permanent. However, what will happen to the growing love that they share when his Earth
Angel regains her memory or someone recognizes her? Though readers will just have to accept
Jonah's illogical decision to not tell the truth to Angel, the story line is an amusing heavenly romantic
suspense. The cast makes the plot hum, as readers will appreciate the lead couple, the caring
townsfolk, the child, and the second chance at Angel wings for Geneva. Though the suspense
subplot adds action and intrigue, it takes away from a fine matchmaking tale that fans of angelic
romances will enjoy
Unearthed
C.J. Barry
Lovespell
May 2003, $5.99, 302 pp., ISBN: 0505525402
Songwriter and wannabe singer Tess MacKenzie is heading home having just been paid when some
street punk accosts her demanding she give him her money. Refusing, she sprays her mugger with
hair spray before running for her life. In her haste to escape Tess barrels into another person Cohl
Travers. Talk about jumping from the pan into the fire, Cohl abducts Tess. However, this is not your
simple kidnapping as this is a real alien abduction. Cohl believes that Tess contains the voice that
will save his world Speculator. Though she cannot accept that she is no longer on earth and that she
has the singing talent to save a world, Tess aggress to perform, but of course there are a few
preliminary steps like risking one's life to find the amulet that her song will activate. However,
kidnapping is becoming away of life for her, as thugs on Speculator abduct her. For the good of his
world as much as for his heart, Cohl follows in hot pursuit. Living up to her homonymic last name,
C.J. Barry provides an exhilarating science fiction romance that readers from both genres will enjoy.
The story line is loaded with action, plenty of humor and romance, and makes Speculator seem like
an unearthly but genuine orb. The lead couple is the ultimate star-crossed lovers and Tess is an
intrepid Pauline, as peril seems to be her middle name. Though at times the tale turns cartoonish,
fans will savor this delightful novel.
Dead For Life
Ethan Black
Simon & Schuster
June 2003, $24.00, 294 pp., ISBN: 0743244001
NYPD detective Conrad Voort is one of the richest men in the police department, his family
escutcheon going back to the Revolutionary War. Conrad's biggest worry is his cousin's widow Julia
is living in his posh townhouse while she's looking for another place to live. She would like nothing
better than to replace Camilla in his bed and life. Conrad and his partner Mickie are escorted to a
homicide scene to explain what the killer means when he writes in a note that Voort screwed up.
The victim is a former prostitute turned travel agent and the killer says there are going to be three
more victims by midnight. Voort takes a lie detector test and wears an electronic bracelet to remain
on the case. With each death, more is revealed about the killer's motives which is centered on a
mistake Voort made six years ago. The protagonist is a good man, a great police officer who has to
live with the fact that one mistake six years ago led to the killing spree of a murderer who only
wants justice for himself, his family and even his city. While working on the case, the hero is under
constant pressure because he realizes he will probably lose his job after killer is caught. The killer
elicits reader sympathy because the people he is murdering are the true villains who were never
brought to any kind of justice. DEAD FOR LIFE is an exciting police procedural that will keep
reader attention from first page to last.
My Ex-Best Friend
Beth Brophy
Simon & Schuster
July 2003, $23.00, 242 pp., ISBN 0743244222
After twenty-three years of friendship, Lydia Finelli has dropped out of the life of Claire Newman
just when she gave birth to the twins. A hurt Claire goes on with her life, balancing her family's need
against her full time job as a star journalist at Nationweek. When Claire runs into Lydia at the local
bakery, she asks Claire if she can call her, Claire who'd desperately needs to know why Lydia cut her
off so completely agrees. Lydia sets up an appointment for Claire to meet her at her home. When
Claire arrives, she finds Lydia dead in her bed, the victim of an apparent suicide. Claire reestablishes
her relationship with Lydia's husband Matthew and his son Collin but can't help wondering why
Lydia killed herself. As she starts investigating she finds small, but almost insignificant clues that
prove that Lydia may have been murdered and she goes all out to confirm her theory even when she
knows she is putting her own life in danger. Beth Brophy's underlying theme throughout the whole
book is that evil often wears the face of goodness so people can't tell the monster living amongst
them. Readers' hearts will go out to the heroine, a woman hurt by her friend's coldness, but who still
cares enough about her to bring her killer to justice and make sure that her son is psychologically
healing. Claire treats Lydia's death as she would a news-breaking story, investigating all reasonable
theories and following up on the smallest clues. MY EX-BEST FRIEND is a fascinating work of
psychological suspense.
Loving the Highlander
Janet Chapman
Simon and Schuster
May 2003, $TBA, ISBN: 0743453077
In 1200 AD during a clan battle in the Scottish Highlands, the Druid wizard Father Daar casts a spell
that accidentally sends several MacBain and MacKeage warriors into the twenty-first century to
include the MacKeage brothers Greylen and Morgan. During the chaos of time transformation, Daar
lost his magical staff in a Maine pond. Since arriving and settling in their new century, Greylen, now
known as Michael, has married his modern day lover (see CHARMING THE HIGHLANDER).
Morgan worries about the impact that Daar's lost staff has had on the surrounding flora and fauna.
When Mercedes Quill begins hiking and marking the area for a wilderness park set aside, Morgan
becomes concerned that the Highlander secrets will be revealed. He plans to stop "Sadie" from
succeeding, but is shocked by his attraction to her as much as by her obstinate resolve. For Sadie it
is an affectionate legacy honoring her late father though she finds the weird Morgan quite a loving
distraction. The second Highlander time travel romance is a charming tale that readers of medieval
warriors displaced will appreciate. The key, as with the first novel, is that the Highlanders have had
time to adapt to their new century yet have to courageously confront technological things taken for
granted by their beloved ones that seem magical to their psyche. The story line is fun to follow as the
living creatures by the magical pond add depth to a delightful "battle" of the sexes. With novels like
these two MacBain tales, Janet Chapman shows she is a talent that sub-genre fans value.
Zandru's Forge
Marion Zimmer Bradley & Deborah J. Ross
Daw Books
June 2003, $24.95, 528 pp., ISBN 0756401496
On the world of Darkover during the age of THE HUNDRED KINGDOMS, petty kings make the
Towers (places where people with strong psychic powers gather) build laran (psychic) weapons that
can be used without the combatants ever coming face the face. In the tower of Arilinn two young
men strike up a friendship that will last them all their lives and change their world for the better.
Carolin Hastur, destined to become king, is sent to Arillinn tower to learn how to use and control his
laran powers. Varzil Ridenow, whose family was former enemies of Hastur and now become wary
allies, goes against his father's wishes to enter the Tower because he feels Darkover needs his
powers as they are the strongest in the land. They share a dream of making The Towers independent
of Kings and banning all distance weapons. That goal has a chance of being fulfilled if Aerlin and
Carolin elude the evil sorcery of Eduin, whose father is the outlawed ex-keeper Rumail Deslucido.
Carolin must also wrest the kingdom away from his cousin Rokhal who seized it when the old king
died. ZANDRU'S FORGE is a powerful sword and sorcery tale starring two heroes who share a
dream and fight to make it a reality. Marion Zimmer Bradley and Deborah J. Ross have written a
novel so fulfilling and satisfying that it is impossible to put down. There is plenty of action and the
characters are fully developed, even the villains, making it easy to understand what motivates them.
Fans of Darkover will not want to miss out on this work that adds more detail to the age of The
Hundred Kingdoms.
Craven Moon
Billie Sue Mosiman
Daw Books
June 2003, $6.99, 352 pp., ISBN 0756401208
There is three different kind of vampires. The Predators believe they are superior to man and other
vampires. They force vampires to buy blood from them so they can pass as Naturals. The Craven are
timid creatures who hide in the shadows while depending on the pity and the mercy of the Naturals
to stay alive. Malachi is none of the above because he is the son of a mortal man and a vampire
mother. Many of the Predators believe he is the prophesied one, the being that would lead a war
against them. As a dhampire, Malachi is a mortal with extraordinary strength and psychic powers but
he doesn't drink blood. He marries Danielle and they have a son Eli. His beloved family is the center
of Malachi's world. When his enemy's minion kills his wife, Malachi decides to become a full fledge
Predator to hunt down the vampire and the mortal who destroyed his world. He just never imagined
he would become involved in the vampiric version of Armageddon. Billie Sue Mosiman's vampire
world has it's own set of rules and customs that must be adhered to if vampires are to coexist with
their human counterparts. Hearts will go out to the hero who lost the love of his life and readers will
understand the choices he makes. It is Malachi's own humanity that makes him a very good vampire.
There are some secondary characters deserving of having their stories told and their are enough of
them to fill up the author's entire writing career. CRAVEN MOON is horror the way that it was
meant to be written.
The Glasswright's Test
Mindy L. Klasky
Roc
June 2003, $6.99, 352 pp., ISBN 0451459318
Eleven years ago, Rani was at the wrong place at the wrong time and as the results of her actions the
Glasswright's Guild was destroyed, its guildhall torn down, it's members tortured then sent into
exile. Rani stayed in the kingdom of Morenia and became close friends of king. She worked to build
up a new Glasswright's Guild and she's sponsored a troupe of entertainers, one of which, Tovin
became her lover. All of this should have satisfied her yet she sill yearned to be accepted by her
exiled guild now living in Brianta. The Fellowship, a shadow organization that has members from
every walk of life and armies to rule the world, force the Glasswright Guildmaster to invite Rani to
Brianta to take the test to become a master in the Guild. When she arrives there, the fellowship
contact her and force her to make a choice that will tear her apart. THE GLASSWRIGHT'S TEST
is fantasy the way it was meant to be written. Mindy L. Klasky is a powerful world-builder who
crates a kingdom that is rich in culture and history, a place where a highborn princess can
communicate with the gods. The heroine is a very independent and determined woman who sets a
goal and lets nothing and nobody stand in her way. That character trait is her biggest strength and
weakness because it allows her to survive while pushing those close to her away. This reviewer can't
wait for the next installment in this creative fantasy saga.
Messiah Node
Lyda Morehouse
Roc
June 2003, $6.99, 352 pp., ISBN 0451459296
The world of the future is a very different place than the world we know now. All good citizens are
linked via a virtual reality net that is more alive to some people than the actual world. Citizens must
belong to a recognized religion and each religion has its own Inquisitors who have the power to
operate in the secular world. Disenfranchised citizens have access to mouse.net; this custom made
lower level link uses old hardware, cannibalized parts and throwaways that can be fixed. A meteorite
struck and destroyed the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, leading many to think that the end times
are approaching. The angel Elijah has come during a Passover Seder for Amirah, the daughter of the
Archangel Michael who refuses to let him have her. Morningstar has found his antichrist and must
find someone to cure her of her affliction and the only possible person is Mouse, hacker
extraordinare. As the world rushes towards its doom, only Mouse, criminal to the world order, has
the power to stop events from reaching a crisis point. Although Lyda Morehouse uses many
religious symbols, this is not a theological work of science fiction but condemnations of runaway
technology, and the integration of church and state. The religious symbols are representative of a
world in control by extreme right wing fundamentalists as a result of a bomb that destroyed and
changed much of the planet. MESSIAH NODE takes place in a world that is all too believable given
the current state of events today. Ms. Morehouse is a talented powerhouse who writes on the
cutting edge.
Katie's Gold
Tom Mitcheltree
Intrigue Press
June 2003, $24.95, 253 pp., ISBN 1890768480
When Pam Livingston, Chuck Ovens and Nora Ryan lured historian Paul Fischer to Jacksonville,
Oregon, he thought they wanted him to write a biography of Doctor Hollingsworth. Instead, the trio
hoped that Paul would find proof that Pam was Kate Baker's granddaughter and heir to a vast
fortune. Although Paul found the proof, he never gave it to them. Although Paul thought he whole
incident was in the past, it reopens when his home, office and garage are broken into and the only
thing missing is the research on the Walker sisters. When Paul receives a call from Pam informing
him that somebody beat Nora up, he flies to Jacksonville to find out what is going on. After Chuck
is murdered and the killer visits Nora two more times. Pam and Paul go through the estate records
and learn about a large sum of money that has not been found. Before the killer strikes again, Paul
and Pam are determined to find the money and end the nightmare they are living. KATIE'S GOLD is
an exciting amateur sleuth tale but it is the antagonist who captures and holds the reader's attention.
The killer is so single minded and determined, that he will use whatever means necessary, including
murder to get what he wants. The audience will like reading about a woman who made her will so
airtight that ever the lawyers can't find a loophole. Pam has grown since her last appearance
(KATIE'S WILL) and the audience will find her more approachable and likable. Paul is a mench that
is impossible to dislike and KATIE'S GOLD is a novel that is good, if not better, than it's
prequel.
Wild and Wicked
Joanne Rock
Harlequin Blaze
May 2003, $4.50, 250 pp., ISBN: 0373790910
Kyra Stafford knows she loves her Crooked Branch Horse Farms business partner Jesse Chandler,
but though he has hit on every other available female in Citrus County, he has never given her a
smoldering look. After waiting for years for him to notice her beyond being a best pal since they first
met when she was ten, Kyra decides she either must free her soul to love someone else or open his
heart to what she really wants, a lifetime with him. During a pirate's festivity, Kyra abducts Jesse
informing him that he will service her if he wants his freedom. Hesitant to destroy a friendship by
seducing the one woman he actually cares about, bad boy Jesse cannot resist her lure. One night of
sex and their roles reverse. While Kyra ignores her beloved except for ranching, Jesse desperately
wants what he never sought before, commitment. Perhaps abduction is the way to go. Though
conceptually abduction sends a bad message, Joanne Rock keeps her tale light, heated and romantic.
The story line is fun, as Kyra and Jesse are warm ethical individuals who the audience will adore.
The support cast enables the reader to understand the duo especially Jesse's motives to keep his
roving hands off Kyra, who tries to change from quiet innocent to WILD AND WICKED
temptress.
As Bad As Can Be
Kristin Hardy
Harlequin Blaze
May 2003, $4.50, 248 pp., ISBN: 0373790902
Mallory Carson plans to make her establishment, Bad Reputation, a success by serving "Screaming
Orgasms". She also figures having her barmaids dancing on the bar will encourage males to populate
her tavern and spend plenty of money. Her brother Dave worries about his sister so he sends his
buddy, Shay O'Connor, to check the joint out. However, Mallory and Shay end up making love, but
he acts like it was nothing. Mallory is outraged because men don't leave her. Shay feels guilty for
having sex with his pal's sister and though attracted plans no repeat. Mallory does not want Shay's
interference about the way she runs Bad Reputation. When she learns who the best lover she ever
had even with a one-night stand is, Mallory decides to teach her sibling and a man she could fall in
love with a lesson on playing with a woman's affection. Mallory is the key to the fun AS BAD AS
CAN BE as she uses her bad girl image as a defense mechanism to cloak her insecurities. Shay is the
first male to penetrate (no pun intended even if this is a Blaze) her barriers. The secondary cast
especially the wild B-girls add depth though Dave needs to chill out a bit. Fans desiring a torrid yet
humorous romantic romp will appreciate Kristin Hardy's engaging tale.
Duets 100
Jennifer Drew and Holly Jacobs
Harlequin Duets
May 2003, $5.99, 376 pp., ISBN: 0373441665
"You'll be Mine in 99" by Jennifer Drew. Hiho, Ohio celebrates the town's centennial birthday with
gala events including a beauty pageant. Though he detests his hometown, Joel Carter, ancestor of
Hiho's founders, is the guest of honor. His employer Big Bert, owner of Vision Motors, decides that
Katy Sloane is the perfect spokes person for a new vehicle, but the librarian refuses to enter the
pageant whose winner will gain the car deal. When Katy and Joel learn that the hundredth birth date
is next year, he blackmails her into entering the beauty contest. Joel and Katy fall in love, but can he
persuade the small town librarian that they belong together? The Drew duo draws an amusing
romantic romp that will remind readers of The Music Man. "The 100 Year Itch" by Holly Jacobs.
One week before Hiho's centennial celebration, Zoe Wallace works long and hard to insure success
festivities happen while running the town's newspaper. Erie, Pennsylvania TV news reporter
Theodore "Mace" Mason wants to cover big city news instead of "feely good" events like the Hiho
gala, but that is where his boss sends him. Zoe and Mace meet and soon jointly investigate a rumor
that instead of the "100 Year Itch" they are falling in love in 99. However he desires big city
reporting and she fled his dream journalism for small town living. Ms. Jacobs provides a charming
romance filled with plenty of laughs. Both tales represent exactly what Duets has been all about as
each contains plenty of amusement, delightful lead and support characters, and appealing romances;
just avoid the Hiho beauty parlor.
T2 The Future War
S.M. Stirling
Harper Collins
June 2003, $23.95, 368 pp., ISBN 0380977931
Sarah Connor, her son John, and her lover Dieter felt destroying Clea before she activated Skynet
had given them victory, but soon learn otherwise as the organic terminator managed to feed the
discs to Skynet. Almost immediately Skynet concludes that humanity poses a threat to its survival
and must be eradicated. Instead of complacency, Sarah and Dieter become concerned when the
Pentagon announces Skynet will run all its weapon systems. Skynet begins experimenting to prepare
for Judgment Day, when the advanced computer system fires all the nuclear weapons in its arsenal.
Skynet starts the nuclear end run as Sarah and her loved ones hide in a fallout shelter. With human
collaborators and terminator robots with advanced weapons on its' side, Skynet seems on the verge
of victory. Only Sarah as a rallying point and her two cohorts lead a weak resistance that over the
years is becoming stronger against a god-like enemy. T2 THE FUTURE WAR is a great action
packed doomsday thriller starring three long time favorite heroes, but also provides well-rounded
personality traits to Skynet so the audience knows this is an independent sentient essence. Sarah
seems so much more than she was in past books and movies as she has turned into a profound
leader, who recognizes she is an icon to the resistance. John has matured from his previous feelings
of resentment and disbelief into the hope of the future. This finale (loosely put need to read to
understand why) is a winner as S. M. Stirling terminates the series with a triumphant doomsday
thriller in which humanity fights to survive against a killing machine.
Stealing for a Living
Naomi Rand
HarperCollins
Jun 2003, $23.95, 256 pp., ISBN: 0060199369
Though she raises a toddler and is dealing with her teenage son arrested for shoplifting, Emma Price
knows that her time in Brooklyn as a single mother feels like heaven compared to her current
assignment as a New York City Capital Defender's Office investigator. Emma is to uncover anything
that will enable Roland Everett to avoid the obvious death penalty. When his injury compensation
claim was rejected Roland retaliated by killing three people. While Emma struggles with finding
anything to help her "client", her lover, Brooklyn Homicide Detective Laurence Solomon, is
working on the execution of abortion-rights activist Dr. Eleanor Hammond. Emma knew Eleanor
and the woman's family when she was a child, but found nothing redeeming in any of her
relationships with any of the Hammond brood so she wonders why she thinks a friend was killed.
Though an anti-abortion group claims the credit, Emma believes that this homicide is more domestic
in nature and begins her own inquiries. In some ways STEALING FOR A LIVING is a simplistic
look at evil, yet paradoxically that is why the second Emma Price novel (see THE ONE THAT GOT
AWAY) is a superb investigative tale as Naomi Rand focuses on the rationalization for murder
justifiable in the killers' minds. Fans of urban mysteries will appreciate this novel as Emma struggles
on all fronts, whether it is at home in Brooklyn, in her competition with her lover on the Hammond
homicide, or failing to find a redeeming quality for a malevolent bigot who she believes deserves
death.
Sharpe's Havoc
Bernard Cornwell
HarperCollins
Apr 2003, $25.95, 306 pp., ISBN: 0060530464
In 1809 in the Iberian Peninsular, though isolated from his side's main forces, Richard Sharpe and his
unit defend Oporto, Portugal from Napoleon's armies. The city and the surrounding area are home
to the famous red wine and numerous influential English red wine-exporting families. His superior
Captain Hogan assigns Richard to keep safe the House Beautiful wine heiress Kate Savage and keep
an eye on slick Colonel Christopher. As Richard and his commandos perform their current mission,
the French attack them. Portuguese irregulars led by philosopher poet Lieutenant Vicente save the
beleaguered English. The two units consolidate heading to Kate's winery only to arrive, as she is to
marry treacherous Colonel Christopher. In his eighteenth appearance as a soldier during the
Napoleonic Wars era, Sharpe lives up to his name, retaining a keen freshness as he battles the French
and the bureaucracy. The tidbits from history, of which there are plenty, are brilliantly interwoven
into the taut story line so that the audience receives a smooth plot yet know what is fact and what is
Bernard Cornwell's vivid imagination. Anyone who relishes the era, enjoys war stories, or is a
historical buff should read the Sharpe novels that bring in focus the realistic atrocities of battle as
few novels short of All's Quiet on the Western Front has achieved.
Dead Ringer
Lisa Scottoline
Harper Collins
June 2003, $25.95, 320 pp., ISBN 0060514930
Bennie Rosato built the all-female law firm of Rosato & Associates from scratch and thinks of it as
her second child. It is tearing her apart that she might lose it because so many of her clients went
bankrupt and no new clients are knocking at the door. When Robert St. Amien, a French lens
manufacturer with an office in Philadelphia, wants to hire her in a class action suit she thinks that
will be the saving of her law firm. While she and the associates are working on the case, trying to be
the lead counsel since her client had the most to lose, Bennie runs into some potential problems. Her
sociopathic identical twin sister is in town, ruining her reputation and getting her arrested for
robbing a jewelry store. While she is trying to find Alice, somebody kills Robert and Bennie's focus
shifts into finding the perpetrator who killed her client. DEAD RINGER is a little different (but just
as good) from other Lisa Scottoline novels because it focuses on Bennie and is told from her point
of view. There are a lot of thrills and chills in this legal thriller but there are more insightful
explosions than usual into how Bennie thinks and feels. This is a fine addition to the Rosato and
Associates novels, as it adds dimension and depth to one of the better legal thriller series on the
market today.
Slightly Wicked
Mary Balogh
Dell Books
May 2003, $5.99, 348 pp., ISBN: 0440241057
Judith Law is the sibling with no future so her parents send her off to become a companion to her
wealthy aunt. However, her first stagecoach ride proves unromantically tedious until the accident
leads to the overturning of the vehicle. Lord Rannulf Bedwyn rescues the damsel in distress.
Knowing she has nothing to look forward to, Judith decides she will have one memory, a night of
passion with no strings with her hero though she uses an alias. Not long afterward, Judith arrives at
her aunt's estate but shockingly Rannulf comes almost immediately afterward accompanied by his
grandmother. He is meeting Julianne Effingham, Judith's cousin. However, once he recognizes who
the companion is, Rannulf knows he is courting the wrong relative but he has to persuade his
beloved that they belong to each other. Though the "Slightly" series uses one night of heavenly
passion as part of an initial encounter, this tale also depends heavily on a second step coincidence.
Still, fans will feel wickedly entertained by this delightful Regency romance. The key to this pleasant
plot is the lead characters, trying to do the right thing for everyone, but also wanting to please
themselves, which conflicts with their noble efforts. The latest Bedwyn tale is an invigorating novel
that will send newcomers seeking previous Mary Balogh stories and her fan base waiting for next
month's SLIGHTLY SCANDALOUS romance.
Diary of a Mad Mom to Be
Laura Wolf
Delta
May 2003, $10.95, 304 pp., ISBN: 0385336772
No longer a mad bride to be (see DIARY OF A MAD BRIDE), Amy Thomas Stewart finds work as
a public relations specialist to self proclaimed celebrities and politicians so low in the food chain,
photosynthesis has not been reached. Perhaps it is the inanity of her job that she loses, but Amy
begins thinking a baby would make life complete. Her beloved husband Stephen is not quite as
comfortable with the concept yet reluctantly agrees. When the stick turns obligingly blue, Amy
knows her diary entries will change to what she wants for her baby, potential names, and key daily
events like puking at any hour of the day. As she is beginning to learn about the habits of the
creature residing in her womb, Amy is on twenty-four hour call not just mornings when she feels
sick. As the blessed event comes closer and her figure vanishes, Amy thinks people look at her like
she suffers from an incurable contagious illness. Though often amusing, by its nature the diary of a
pregnancy becomes repetitive (how often can one vomit); still chick lit fans will laugh at many of
Amy's comments on her observations of the world filtered through a natural hormonal haze. Though
not quite as refreshing as the prequel, DIARY OF A MAD MOM TO BE has many humorous
moments that will bring laughter to sub-genre fans and anyone pregnant though have a bathroom
handy as the laughs directly effect the bladder. Though overall fun, only the die-hard wolverine fan
will want a pack of more Amy titles such as "Diary of a Mad Geriatric".
Redemption Ark
Alastair Reynolds
Ace
Jun 2003, $24.95, 576 pp., ISBN: 044101058X
Light years ago, the Inhibitors feared intelligent species and built machines to stop any from
developing. These killing machines traveled the universe to destroy intelligent life. Eons later, the
machines must have failed as intelligent species have arisen including humans advancing throughout
the cosmos. Late in the twentieth-sixth century, the human crew of the Infinity learns why a sentient
race suddenly vanished, but the crew also innocently rouse the Inhibitors. The death killing machines
turn towards mankind for total annihilation. Planets are eradicated to tap into the raw material to
build a doomsday destruction device never seen before by humanity. As humans compete and even
kill one another to escape the coming genocide, only war criminal Clavain seems remotely capable of
stopping what looks like human extinction. Though there is a bit of the middle novel syndrome to
REDEMPTION ARK, fans of hard core futuristic outer space action thrillers based on scientific
theory will relish this Reynolds universe tale. The exciting story line picks up about fifty years after
the events of REVELATION SPACE, but for the most part can stand on its own though reading the
debut novel first is recommended. The key human characters are fully developed and make the
audience believe that they the readers too are part of a doomed future because the Inhibitors seem so
authentic. Those fans who want premium outer space adventure will peruse Alastair Reynolds's
powerful two novels and its companion but independent tale, CHASM CITY, as well as some
related short stories. This will have to satiate the audience until book three is released next year.
The Devil in the Dust
Chaz Brenchley
Ace
June 2003, $6.50, 272 pp., ISBN 0441010717
The nobles' younger sons from another land wanting their own territory and titles settled the
kingdom of Outremer. Although the king is the nominal ruler of the land it is four city-states and
one, Surayon, that is magically closed and invisible to all outsiders. In addition to the secular army,
the order of the Knights Ransomer, the military branch of the church, protects the borders and
weeds out heretics from within. The heart of this order lives in Ancial in the stronghold of the Roq
de Rancom. Julienne, the daughter of the king's shadow, journeys to meet her future husband when
circumstances force her to take refuge in the Roq de Rancom. She meets Marron, who arrived just
recently to serve as a member of the order. There he meets the knight Sieur Anton d'Esanivey who
seeks redemption within the harsh walls of the fortress. Marron sees the cruelties and barbaric
practices that are part of the church, but when the nomadic tribes try to take the Roq de Rancom by
force, he and Sieur Anton risk their lives to save the residents. THE DEVIL IN THE DUST is the
first novel in a six book series and though, it is a stand-alone book, it lays the groundwork for future
installments in the series. Marron is the heart of this novel, a hero courageous enough to act on his
ethics. He always takes the moral high ground even when it means going against the order's rules
and risking severe punishment for his transgressions. It will be interesting to see what happens to the
characters in future books.
In the Forests of Serre
Patricia A. McKillip
Ace
June 2003, $22.95, 304 pp., ISBN 0441010113
Once upon a time in the kingdom of Serre, the heir to the throne Prince Ronan went to war in the
hopes that he would be killed in battle. He lost his wife and child and saw no reason to go on living
but fate had something else planned for him. On his return home from battle his horse stepped on a
witch's chicken and she cursed him. When he returned home, his father informed him that he
arranged for the prince to marry Princess Sidonie of Dacia, a kingdom known for its powerful
sorceress. The prince is ensorcelled by a firebird and follows it into the forest where he meets the
princess and the Gyre sorcerer who accompanies her from her land. No introductions occur and the
princess resumes her journey only to find that her bridegroom is not at the palace awaiting her. Gyre
searches for him, but when he encounters the prince he changes him into a firebird and assumes the
appearance of Ronan. Gyre intends to take over the prince's role because Roman doesn't want it and
the sorcerer does. Patricia A. McKillip weaves her usual magic to create a spellbinding tale of two
star-crossed lovers who find that fate is not always unkind. The adventures they partake in change
them in subtle ways, making them more aware of the needs of the other and wanting to give that
person their heart's desire. Readers will remember the irascible witch in this tale who lives in a house
of bones, has big feet and is more and less than she seems.
Something From the Nightside
Simon R. Green
Ace
June 2003, $6.50, 240 pp., ISBN 0441010652
It's a place where the sun doesn't shine, a locale where past, present and future converge at times. It
is where one' darkest dreams and desires are met, a place not of this earth but connected to it so that
people travel to and from it. John Taylor lived his entire life in the Nightside, abandoned by his
father when he discovered the woman he married wasn't human. John has a gift of being able to
locate anyone anywhere and he used that extra sense to help people. He finally got sick of lies,
betrayals and mistrust of those who would turn from friend to foe in the blink of an eye. He left the
Darkside and set up shop as a private detective in mundane London and for five years etched out a
living, safe and secure. One day Joanna Barrett comes to his office asking for help in locating her
runaway daughter in the Darkside. Unable to refuse a damsel in distress, John travels to the
Darkside, a place he's secretly happy to have a reason to return to because it is home and so very
much alive. Cross the X files with The Twilight Zone, add a pinch of The Outer Limits and a dash of
Eerie, Indiana and one might have a glimmer of an idea what the Darkside is like. Simon R. Green
has written this fascinating little gem that makes people want to walk on the wild and visit his
extraordinary world. For though it is the focus of darkness, the Nightside has packets of goodness,
which means that those who want to can defeat evil anywhere.
The Unexpected Wedding Guest
Patricia McLinn
Silhouette: Special Edition
May 2003, $4.75, 249 pp., ISBN: 0373245416
In Tobias, Wisconsin, Max Trevetti gives away his sister Annette in marriage (see THE WEDDING
OF THE CENTURY). Max has mixed emotions as he raised his younger sibling following the death
of their mother yet knows her husband Steve is perfect for his little Annette. At the gala, Max talks
with his sister's best friend and former business partner Suz Grant. To his shock, he thinks the little
girl is beautiful and when she drives him home as he consumed a bit too much alcohol, he cannot
stop himself from kissing her. With their successful business recently sold, Suz plans to stay in town
awhile until she decides what she wants to do next. As she begins to help Max with his construction
business while he recovers from a broken wrist, he falls in love with her, a feeling she has secretly
had for him for years. While Suz must persuade her beloved she is an adult, Max must convince
himself that he is good for the woman he loves. The second tale in Patricia McLinn's "Something
Old, Something New" is a charming old fashioned contemporary romance that the audience will like
because the lead couple are nice everyday people who deserve a loving relationship (like everyone
does). Readers will especially be pleased that Max has found love. Several key support players
provide the means to understand the motives of the stars, especially that of the male protagonist.
Though somewhat simplistic, fans will relax with this warm loving tale.
Roma Eterna
Robert Silverberg
Eos
June 2003, $25.95, 416 pp., ISBN: 0380978598
The Exodus failed to take the Jews from Egypt into the Promised Land. Thus Christianity never
surfaces as the Jewish people remain enslaved in Egypt. Still Rome rises to defeat the neighboring
Barbarians. The rest is history (at least alternative) as key global events fostered by ROMA
ETERNA starting in A.U.C. 1203 (A.D. 405 our time) into the next fifteen centuries occur as the
Roman Empire ebbs and grows. Robert Silverberg rewrites several of his related short stories into an
epic alternative historical novel that engages the reader with intriguing theories of how much
different the world would be if one pivotal event (albeit Moses leading the Jews) had a different
ending. Though entertaining and easily hooking the audience, the tale still feels more like a short
story collection as none of the characters (over the fifteen hundred years) feel fully developed. Still
sub-genre readers will relish this fascinating saga of a seemingly eternal Roman Empire as each
subsequent chapter builds off of events that chronologically (and literally) preceded it.
In the Hall of the Martian King
John Barnes
Aspect
June 2003, $6.99, 296 pp., ISBN 0446610836
By the thirty-sixth century mankind has spread all over the universe. Jak Jinnaka has finally
graduated from the Hive and was employed by the Protectorates Administrative Service Corps,
stationed on Mar's outer moon Deimos. He is actually a double agent working to further the Hive's
interests and goals. When his supervisor leaves him in charge of Deimos, he is given a mission that
will take him to Mars. In the ruins of Chrysepolus, an archeologist finds the lifelog of Paj Nakagen,
the founder of the interstellar religion known as the Wager. The Martian king possesses the diary
that Jak must retrieve by persuading the monarch to turn it over to him on behalf of PASC (actually,
the Hive). Others will do anything to get their hands on these priceless records, but the most
dangerous is Jak's ex-girlfriend the evil princess Shyf of Greenword. She conditioned him to love her
unconditionally and give her anything she wants, an obsession that he has not been entirely erased
which makes success for Jak quite difficult to achieve. If one can imagine a futuristic version of the
TV series Get Smart, than readers will have a very good idea of what IN THE HALL OF THE
MARTIAN KING is like. The hero of this fast-paced, action-packed space romp is an adorable man
who tries to do his job and ends up alienating even more people than he did in his last caper (see A
PRINCESS OF THE AERIE). John Barnes has put the fun back in space opera and readers will love
him for doing that.
Everglades
Randy Wayne White
Putnam
June 2003, $21.95, 320 pp., ISBN 0399150587
Dr. Marion Ford lives in a stilt house on Dinkin's Bay on Sanibel Island off the west coast of Florida,
which is also home base for his business, supplying marine specimens to schools and research
facilities. On the surface, he looks like a nerdy scientist but for years he was a deep cover spy. The
guilt and shame he feels for those years is spiraling him into a deep depression, just when a good
friend apples to him for help. Newly windowed Sally Minster comes to Doc Ford for help because
someone broke into her apartment and has stalked her since her husband died. Doc finds out that the
man who followed her is a private investigator who wants to make sure that Sally's husband is really
dead. Before he died he became deeply involved with the International Church of Ashram
Meditation Inc., run by a con man named Shia who will do anything necessary to get what he wants.
When Sally is kidnapped and the man guarding her is found murdered, Doc Ford must go into the
heart of the guru's empires for answers that will lead him to Sally. Randy Wayne White is a creative
genus who writes stories that are seductively compelling and hauntingly refreshing. The protagonist
finally comes to terms with the violence that is a part of him and in doing so is able to help those he
cares about as well as appoint himself the avenger to those who need to be taught a lesson. After
reading EVERGLADES, one will come to appreciate just how fragile that ecosystem is and find
pleasure in the complex and intricate plot.
The Delicate Storm
Giles Blunt
Putnam
June 2003, $24.95, 320 pp., ISBN 0399148655
Algonquin Bay, Ontario experiences a rare January warm front that awakens the bears that should
remain in hibernation. When a dog brings home a piece of an arm, the local police initiate a search
for the rest of the body parts. Through diligent investigative work they conclude that the victim is a
former CIA agent who worked in Montreal in 1970 during the French Canadian separatist
movement that turned violent. While Detectives John Cardinal and Lise Delorme work the case, a
doctor goes missing until her nude body is found in an isolated part of the town. The police link up
the two murders because the rare AB type blood was found in the doctor's office and the first
victim's car. They believe the perpetrator was injured and needed medical assistance. To learn who is
getting away with murder the two detectives travel to Montreal to try to reconstruct the events that
happened over three decades ago to see if one of their interviewees will lead them to the killer. THE
DELICATE STORM is a very well written police procedural that takes the reader back in time to
the violence of the seventies during the Vietnam protests and the French Canadian separatist
movement. The police methodically follow each piece of new evidence and try to connect all the
pieces to form the larger picture, but the cases prove difficult and the detectives frequently become
frustrated at their lack of progress. It is very entertaining to follow the investigation with is
frustrations and triumphs. Giles Blunt is rapidly becoming one of the best writers of psychological
suspense.
One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night
Christopher Brookmyre
Grove/Atlantic
May 2003, $12.00, 373 pp., ISBN: 0802139809
With so many icons converted into tourist attractions, Gavin Hutchinson figures his idea to adapt a
North Sea oil rig into a "floating holiday experience" for tourists is a sure shot. Gavin believes that
people want vacations that are different without having to really travel any distances. To test his
concept, Gavin offers to host a fifteen-year high school reunion at his resort. Most of the invitees
look forward to the social event, though no one can recall who the host is. Besides overseeing that
the reunion goes well, Gavin has personal problems as his spouse has discovered his womanizing.
However, his biggest trouble occurs after the gala begins. Terrorists expecting the rich and famous
crash the converted oil rig gala. Disappointed to find a bunch of aging thirty-nothings instead, the
disgruntled mercenaries try hard to adapt to knowing that this is NOT THE END OF THE
WORLD. Picture a satirical spoof of Die Hard I to have an understanding of the wild ONE FINE
DAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. The exciting story line takes no prisoners as the
ensemble cast provides macho action yet deep social commentary (from a leftist's perspective).
Though the action is thrilling and the key charcaters deep enough to ensure the irony of the tale,
much of the fun comes from the deeper than an oil well and strip mining references to pop literature
and movies. Fans of skewing the accepted so-called values will enjoy visiting the Brookmyre
symbolism of modern western society: the oil rig.
Acquisitions
Kimberley White
Indigo
May 2003, $8.95, ISBN: 158571094X
In the Detroit area, Greico Enterprise pharmaceutical sales representative Akira Reed works late in
the office by herself when she hears a noise that frightens her. She decides to leave only to run into
her supervisor Mr. Johnson. He informs her that if she plays nice with him, he will help her obtain a
promotion. Akira flees in shock, but she thinks over what he said and the touching he did and files a
sexual harassment suit against him. Greico assigns the investigation into the serious charge to
discontented attorney Roman Miller. Even before meeting the accuser he assumes she is full of it.
However, after Akira courageously rips his skin, he feels guilty and tries to help her. When no
collaborating evidence surfaces, he dismisses the charge, but makes a point to emphasize that he
believes Akira. Meanwhile that same night when her boss harassed her, someone stole a valuable
HIV cure. The police believe Akira did it. Roman, who is falling in love, refuses to believe she did
this and sets out to prove the woman he plans to marry is innocent. Though the tapes that the office
maintains for security incriminates the heroine and not the culprit seems off kilter, fans will
appreciate this enjoyable legal thriller romance. The harassment charge is treated with the
seriousness this offense requires, and also handled realistically as often this charge is almost
impossible to prove while the accuser is subtly punished for making waves. The stolen formula adds
suspense, but actually takes away from the insightful look at harassment as seen through two
delightful lead characters and a powerful support cast.
Three Wishes
Seressia Glass
Indigo
May 2003, $8.95, ISBN: 158571092X
In Grant Park, children's software programmer Maya Hughes comes home in a steady downpour
when she notices a child soaked and waiting at her neighbor's home. She invites seven-year-old
Taylor Whitfield to dry off and warm up in her place until her father, a surgeon, comes home.
Though they met once before, Maya coaxes the child into her house with the help of her dog Hamlet
and her don't call me a cat Horatio. Taylor's father, Dr. Nick Whitfield, hurries home when he learns
that his daughter's caretaker was hospitalized due to an accident. Nick and Maya are attracted to one
another and the precocious Taylor pushes them closer to each other. However, she spent seven
years failing to have a child, which resulted in her marriage ending while he fears falling in love ever
since his first wife died during childbirth. Readers who wish for an old fashioned, delightful
contemporary romance need look no further than Seressia Glass' warm tale. Two individuals
deserving of love, but almost phobic about avoiding the risk makes for a fine story especially with
charming protagonists like the lead couple. Though Taylor acts too wise for her age at times, the
hearts of fans will reach out to her. Fans will value this appealing novel.
Surrendering to Yourself: You Are Your Own Soul Mate
Iris Krasnow
Miramax
Apr 2003, $24.95, 274 pp., ISBN: 0786869135
In her latest "surrendering" advice book (see SURRENDERING TO MARRIAGE and
SURRENDERING TO MOTHERHOOD), Iris Krasnow makes a strong case that women need a
self-identity outside of being a wife, mother, and daughter. Using anecdotal references from herself
and those whom she interviews for this nonfiction work, Ms. Krasnow affirms that for a woman to
feel fulfillment and internal harmony, they must know who they are, accept who they are, and learn
to love who they are. The author is not denigrating other roles of women as mothers nor as wives as
that can provide plenty of satisfaction, but Ms. Krasnow feels strongly that is not enough. To be
whole, a woman must pursue activity that only satisfies herself with no shared credit for
achievement. This self-help tome is well written (as is its two sister books) and smoothly moves
forward with fine examples to support the hypothesis that women require activity that is
disassociated with their family relationship "roles". However, the Pollyanna writing fails to deal with
those who have few options like single mothers living in abject poverty, but for those stressed out
middle class females like this reviewer whose reasons for critiquing fit the book's theme
SURRENDERING TO YOURSELF is Nirvana.
Second Draft of My Life
Sara Lewis
Washington Square Press
Apr 2003, $13.00, ISBN: 0743436709
Encouraged by her agent, forty-two years old highly acclaimed novelist (at least in the minds of can't
write reviewers who enjoy the unrecognizable), Charlotte Dearborn decides to give up her writing
career after the South Coast Book Awards banquet. Charlotte was nominated in the wrong category
with the wrong title and even the wrong first name. Though minor in the scheme of life, the
frustrated author feels this piece of straw breaks the "back" of her word processor. She has had
enough of failure so she decides to start a new career. Charlotte decides to become an early
elementary school teacher figuring that the switch from writing literature to teaching reading should
prove easy. That thought quickly changes once she meets her class of conquering little kids and her
beaten down peers. Charlotte keeps a journal of her tribulations UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE that
soon turns into a manuscript starring a Don Quixote teacher fighting windmills of varying size.
Charlotte is the key to this satirical look at publishing and teaching. However, the heroine carries too
many burdens in her personal life that slows down her keen amusing look at her two professional
lives. The cleverly drawn cardboard support characters (their black and white existence enable
Charlotte's colorful web to stand out further) lead to a humorous though ironically loaded with too
much angst novel. Still readers will answer yes to this humorous tale while seeking Sarah, make that
Sara Carey's, previous tales.
Good Morning, Killer
April Smith
Knopf
May 2003, $24.00, 354 pp., ISBN 0375412409
While working the same bank robbery dubbed "Mission Impossible", FBI special agent Ana Gray
and Santa Monica Detective Andrew Berringer fell in love. Their relationship has endured past the
case but it hits a rocky patch when they work another case together, one when Ana is the lead and
Andrew's boss. Fifteen-year-old Juliana Meyer-Murphy was abducted at a shopping mall and the
kidnapper called her parents twice before he let her go. She was raped and tortured but is strong
enough to give the police the description of her attacker. Using other evidence they accumulate, Ana
is ready to make an arrest but the suspect gets away. Instead the police arrest Ana for attempted
murder. She is off the case and out on bail, hoping that when she comes to trial the jury will believe
her plea of self-defense. While on suspension, she keeps up with the kidnapping case from her
sources within the department and ends up risking her life and her freedom to be the one to take
Juliana's rapist down. GOOD MORNING, KILLER the sequel to NORTH OF MONTANA is an
exciting police procedural that pushes the envelope between victim and perpetrator. April Smith has
a smooth, lyrical style of writing and if a crime thriller can be labeled literary, this is the perfect
example. The protagonist is someone who lives in a world of gray and it shows in her personal and
professional life, which makes her a fascinating character, one the audience would like to understand
better.
Virtual Murder
Jennifer Macaire
Novel Books
March 2003, 164pp., $TBA, ISBN 1591050774
In the not too distant future, the Net has become such a vital part of day to day living that it has it's
own governing body and police force. One of the hottest places on the net is Virtual Dreams; a site
where people can take a virtual vacation that lasts two weeks in net time but only two days in real
time. It is the ultimate in virtual reality and participants can do anything on his or her own except
have sex. The owner of the business, Andrea Girt, has a waiting list a mile long and both she and the
net, which takes a cut, believe their site can only get better. When the first tour guide gets killed
while within the tour, net officials believe he had a heart attack but Andrea thinks somebody killed
the tour guide. When a second attempt is made, the Net police are forced to look for answers to the
creators of the program, mutants that don't officially exist and have never left their cages in an
underground top secret scientific laboratory. Only the mutant (who can pass for human) Monkey
can stop the killer but that means turning against his own kind. This science fiction mystery has a
fascinating premise that readers will find pulls them into the story line almost from the start. The
characters are well developed and believable, but the star of VIRTUAL MURDER is Monkey, a
mutant with a human heart and soul, who can operate independently of the net. Jennifer Maccaire is
a talented writer who has found her niche in futuristic mysteries. One hopes that readers haven't seen
the last of Monkey.
The Wreck of the River Stars
Michael Flynn
Tor Books
Apr 2003, $27.95, 480 pp., ISBN: 0765300990
Today's technology is tomorrow's junk. For instance, The River of Stars was a luxurious passenger
liner that used immense magnetic sails to catch the solar wind. However, the invention of the
Farnsworth fusion drive turned the sailing ships obsolete. The River of Stars is the last one still
operating as it hauls cargo between Jupiter and the asteroid belt. However, its sails are never used,
as they are symbols of the past. When Captain Hand dies from an illness, Gorgas becomes in charge
when an emergency occurs. A small meteor hits the ship destroying two engines and crippling the
deceleration process making a safe landing impossible. The only hope to walk away resides in the
sails, but navigator Corrigan and sailmaster Satterwaithe know Gorgas and Engineer Bhatterji would
never listen especially since the latter insists he can fix the malfunctioning engines. Turning to
ancient philosophy of not putting all your eggs in one basket Corrigan and Satterwaithe
serendipitously work with the crew of misfits to merge the old with the new in a desperate attempt
to survive. This is science fiction at its best as the audience sees the impact of a radical change in
technology on people and industries as has happened throughout history especially the twentieth
century (horse driven coaches to cars, etc.). The story line conveys a deep powerful look at varying
technological changes on a crew without slowing down the plot. On top of an action-packed yet
cerebral thriller, the cast is fully developed so readers understand the crisis and how everyone will
react to it. Flynn has written a winner.
The Summer Queen
Joan D. Vinge
Tor Books
May 2003, $17.95, 671 pp., ISBN: 0765304465
The Winter clan's century and a half reign over Tiamat is ended and now its Summer's time to rule
with Moon as the leader. Moon, vowing a different economic path through technology, has ended
the harvesting of the Mers whose blood was the cash crop sellable commodity, providing off world
longevity to clients. The Hegemony also has left the planet. Moon's former lover, Gundhalinu,
attempts to save the Hegemony by trying to gain control over stardrive plasma spilled from a
wrecked Old Empire ship. If he succeeds, faster-than-light travel will become available as it once
was and Tiamat will no longer suffer periods of isolation. However, the Brotherhood seeks the
immortality elixir allegedly found only on Tiamat while Moon clashes with opponents over the fate
of the Mers, as these intelligent beings are the source of the elixir. She also must keep safe the
ancient computer hidden under the planet's prime city that links the galaxy's clairvoyants. If the
Hegemony obtain either the people of Tiamat will face endless winter, but if the Hegemony gain
both the people of the galaxy will face eternal winter. Surprisingly the sequel to THE SNOW
QUEEN is a tighter, albeit still very complicated, planetary thriller. The story line is loaded with
many concepts though some get shortchanged because of the abundance. The key charcaters are
fully developed (critical in this novel) so that the audience appreciates Moon's troubles and her
former lover's endeavor. Joan D. Vinge provides readers with a strong galaxy tale that shows why
she was nominated for a Hugo for this work (and won with the first story).
Mistress of Dragons
Margaret Weis
Tor Books
May 2003, $25.95, 381 pp., ISBN: 0765304686
Dragons rule much of the world though they do so secretly with human props serving as monarchs
and much of the enslaved race unaware of their existence. Perhaps the only exception is the isolated
mountainous matriarchal nation of Seth where the Mistress of Dragons rules. The current Mistress is
near death and her chosen replacement Melisande waits her turn to rule the nation and keep its
people safe from dragons, last spotted two decades ago. Melisande will do her duty, but prefers her
current lifestyle in the amazonian monastery living with her lover. However, King Edward of
Idlswylde turns to Draconas for help with a dragon causing death and destruction. Draconas advises
the monarch that his only hope reside among the amazons in Seth and he will personally go there.
However, Draconas, a dragon in human garb, has his own agenda using Edward as a pawn so he can
complete his mission as a member of the ruling Parliament of Dragons to find the law breaking
renegade. When Melisande and Draconas meet, the world will never be the same. MISTRESS OF
DRAGONS is an exciting opening tale that demonstrates Margaret Weis' abilities to make a world
governed mostly by dragons seem real. The story line is fast-paced, loaded with action, and filled
with strong charcaters of both genders. Several twists add to the fun of a soaring sword and sorcery
fantasy.
Kushiel's Avatar
Jacqueline Carey
Tor Books
Apr 2003, $27.95, 702 pp., ISBN: 0312872402
"Anguisette" Comtesse Phedre has for the most part over the past decade lived in domestic
tranquillity with her loyal swordsman Joscelin though she also meets the demands of her demi-gods
to feel pain when making love by annually taking on a few "lovers". However, her former lover and
rival, Melisande, imprisoned in a temple for an unsuccessful coup, asks Phedre for help. Melisande's
son, Imriel vanished. If Phedre rescues Imriel, Melisande will provide the location of the lost tribe of
Dan, whose elders reportedly know the hidden Name. Phedre and Joscelin quickly learn that slavers
heading south abducted Imriel. They follow the trail to the Pharaoh of Menekhet who informs them
that the lad was taken to the nightmarish Drujan, headed by The Conqueror of Death and bloody
priests who kill, seemingly by magic, for any slight. Imriel is the sacrifice that authenticates the
Conqueror's dominance. Phedre knows she needs to get inside so she arranges for Joscelin to sell her
to the Conqueror of Death as a sex slave. The latest Kushiel tale is fantasy at its most powerfully
visual best. The story line is colorful as the audience journeys with the heroine on her trek to what is
the equivalent of Africa. The lead protagonists as expected are complete individuals so that fans
understand their motives and how each interacts with others in adventurous scenarios while the
secondary characters appear so authentic that the depth of the plot is as deep as a tale seemingly can
become. Though better if read after the first two novels, KUSHIEL'S AVATAR could stand-alone
to the delight of an appreciative genre.
Jaws of Darkness
Harry Turtledove
Tor Books
Apr 2003, $27.95, 624 pp., ISBN: 0765304171
The Second World War continues to rage on and over Derlavai. The continent is methodically being
razed by the exchange of magical beams of fire, the battle between giant armored beasts, and
dragons shooting fire. At first the powerful military of Algarve blitzkrieg to victory through the
conversion of the life force of victims, especially the Kauanians. However, recently the tide seems to
be turning as the military of Lagoas and Kuusamo have brought the war to the Algarvian homeland.
A sorceress-driven ship of ice has transported their deadly dragons to rain firebombs at the heartland
of the enemy. Though the Algarvian might has been dented for the first time in this long war, either
side could win the fight especially if one side obtains more powerful magic to use in the fray. In this
world gone mad, the little people such as Ealstan and his beloved wife Vanai, a Kaunian, want to
simply raise their child in a safe environment, but genocide rules the planet. Though a fantasy
equivalent to World War II, aficionados of the Great War as well as the genre's fans will enjoy this
superb entry in Harry Turtledove's strong "Darkness" series. The big events of WW II are cleverly
changed into a fantasy realm yet here is no question what they equate to in the real world. That and
great characters simply trying to survive on a stage of mass destruction are what makes Mr.
Turtledove the master of historical fantasy. JAWS OF DARKNESS uses sorcery to paint the true
horrors of World War II on everyday people.
The Dragon's Doom
Ed Greenwood
Tor Books
May 2003, $25.95, 415 pp., ISBN: 0765302233
Though now overdukes, sorceress Embra, warrior Hawkril, thief Craer, and sorceress Tshamarra
along with ex-regent Ezendor Blackgult cannot rest on their laurels. To bring peace to the realm, the
Overdukes must confront those who oppose their monarch. They must fight the priests of the
Serpent and the wizard Ambelter as well as their supporters if they are to make Aglirta safe.
Currently the priests and their minions are posing the greatest threat. They are using a nasty form of
a plague to send innocent people into a killing frenzy. Those who survive the berserker spree
become mythical creatures enslaved by the priests to reuse again. With their work cut out to just
avoid becoming victims of the bloody plague, let alone going on the offensive, the Band of Four still
wield the Dwaer stones to embellish their counter spells in order to defeat their enemies. However, it
looks bleak and hopeless. The latest Band of Four adventure is not a cozy as this blood and sorcery
tale flows red rather freely. Fans of the series will appreciate the gore that is cleverly interwoven into
an exciting story. Besides a warning label to the anemic, the audience will know the quartet remains
true to their respective essences so that the apparent series final, THE DRAGON'S DOOM, is a
reader's joy.
The Blind Mirror
Christopher Pike
Tor Books
$24.95, May 2003, 351 pp., ISBN: 0312858957
Horror book cover artist David Lennon returns home to Lompoc, California to recover from his
girlfriend Sienna Madden ending their relationship. Walking a nearby beach, he discovers a female
corpse, apparently the victim of a ritual killing. The police lock David up on suspicion of murdering
Sienna, who they claim is the corpse on the beach, but a lack of evidence frees him although he is
still under a cloud of suspicion. David visits friends he has not seen in a while, but notices a pattern
that his experiences with others reflect the subplots of a vampire novel of which he is commissioned
to draw the cover. As the police watch David, he insists to them and the FBI that Sienna lives as she
keeps leaving him phone messages. David slowly realizes his hometown is not what it once was, but
what happened to make it the center of eerie still puzzles him. Though somewhat filled with
unnecessary variety of fear generators, THE BLIND MIRROR is a fine horror tale that hooks the
reader who wants to know what is going on. During the reading of the novel, fans will ponder
several times over whether the story is a psychological suspense thriller starring a flipped out killer
who murdered his girlfriend, a supernatural tale, or science going berserk. Christopher Pike keeps
the chills at a high level with this exhilarating story.
I Do (But I Don't)
Cara Lockwood
Downtown Press
Jun 2003, $12.00, ISBN: 0743457536
Working as a wedding planner at Forever Wedding in Austin, Lauren Crandell reflects on her life.
Under thirty and divorced already seems like a bad role model for her work, but Lauren feels relief
that Brad, a classic consumer user (spend but not earn), left her though she still struggles to move
past that failure. Lauren spends most of her life on the job insuring ceremonies go off without a hitch
in spite of her doubting boss Gennifer Douglas who believes that anyone under forty cannot breath
and chew gum at the same time. Being an organizational fanatic, Lauren knows she is good at the
job. Lauren oversees two weddings that somewhat fall apart and require rescuing from fire fighter
Nick Corona. To her shock, as she does not want a relationship now though her sex life is
nonexistent, Lauren finds herself in flames thinking of Nick. He reciprocates her feelings, but neither
feels the confidence to develop something permanent especially with family and friends constructing
roadblocks on the primrose path. Fans of ultra breezy contemporary chic lit tales will say I do to
Cara Lockwood's warm amusing lighthearted romp. Told in the first person, readers see deep inside
the heroine, but will still wonder why she allows herself to be such a victim of loved ones. The rest
of the cast is predominantly observed through a Lauren slightly cynical filter. Readers who need a
few hours of humorous romantic escapism will appreciate I DO (BUT I DON'T) as Cara Lockwood
displays strong talent, but those desiring a bit more of the cerebral will say I don't.
Dark Hunger
Mayra Calvani
Amber Quill
ISBN: 1562799558
Alana Piovanetti always enjoyed horror tales in books (not just fiction) or film especially when
supernatural creatures starred. So her best friend Valeria is not surprised when Alana accepts
employment as a vampiress at the Puerto Rican restaurant La Cueva del Vampiro. Alana considers
Valeria her best buddy who knows the surface of her dreams, though she hides the depth of the
nightmares that were always there, but seem more prevalent now than ever before. From the first
time Sadash saw her face, when Alana was nearing adulthood, he knew he found his cherished soul
mate. He waited for her to mature and feels the time is now to make her his. At the first night
opening of the restaurant, Alana spots Sadash, the man who has haunted her dreams. She feels the
attraction immediately, but though compelled to become a vampire like him and with an opportunity
to learn the truth about her past, will she take the step? Sadash also worries if he can keep her safe
from the secrets in her past. On the surface, DARK HUNGER appears like many recent vampire
romance novels. However, Alana lifts the novel high above the current level of similar books
because readers feel he protagonist's inner torment between a love that borders on obsession and a
past that she obsesses over. Sadash is somewhat more typical of the sub-genre though his human
like conscience brought about by his love for Alana will surprise readers yet feels true to his
character. Even with the threat to their existence as a couple taken a back seat to the love story,
sub-genre fans will fully hunger for more dark supernatural romances from Mayra Calvani.
Harriet Klausner
Reviewer
Donovan's Bookshelf
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Reynolds & Jonathan Noakes
Vintage Texts
c/o Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
009943704X $12.00 1-800-423-4525
Students, teachers and general readers will find this a fine guide to Atwood's most popular writings,
with an in-depth interview with the author offering some unique insights into the texts under
discussion. Included here are critical observations on Handmaid's Tale, Blind Assassin, Bluebeard's
Egg and more: a must for students of Atwood's art.
Churchill
Sebastian Haffner
Haus Publishing
c/o Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
1904341063 $22.95 1-800-423-4525
This powerful biography tells the story of a monumental figure who influenced the world. Haffner, a
European journalist, was one of the foremost figures in European writing and influenced Churchill's
policy towards Germany and the Nazis, here providing a passionate and involving probe of the man
whose methods and motivations changed the shape of history.
The Surprise of Cremona
Edith Templeton
Pallas Athene
c/o Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
1873429657 $17.95 1-800-423-4525
This armchair guide follows one woman's adventures in Cremona, Parma, Urbino and Arezzo
Templeton was a novelist and widow of the physician to the King of Nepal: her journeys among
these six northern Italian towns in the early 1950s provides travel literature at its best, with a zippy
dialogue and 'you are there' chatty tone which keeps readers interested.
Colonel Barker's Monstrous Regiment
Rose Collis
Virago/Time Warner UK
c/o Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
1860498930 $13.95 1-800-423-4525
This portrays the life of one Colonel Barker, a post-World War One vet who was a model gentleman
and a solid soldier. Or so his wife and young son believed in 1929 he was sentenced to prison for
impersonating a man. This provides his odd story, set against the backdrop of a post-war
England.
Hesperus Press
c/o Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
$12.00 each 1-800-423-4525
This publisher's focus on neglected works by famous authors provide short classics which are unique
and revealing. Leonardo Da Vinci's PROPHECIES (1-84391-016-0), for example, presents the
artist's lesser-known but no less eloquent literary abilities in a series of vignettes steeped in word-art
color, while Percy Bysshe Shelley's ZASTROZZI (029-2) tells of a man decides to avenge the
wrongs done to his mother. Both are unique displays of talent in forms their authors are not well
known for but no less talented in workmanship.
Hesperus Press
c/o Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
$12.00 each 1-800-423-4525
This press is devoted to re-printing classic yet under-covered fiction from illustrious authors who are
either little-known in the English world, or whose secondary works have fallen to the wayside. New
publications in this series which should be part of any comprehensive literary collection include
Marquis de Sade's INCEST (1843910306), Leo Tolstoy's HADJI MURAT (1843910330), Giacomo
Casanova's THE DUEL (1843910322) and Henry James' IN THE CAGE (184391025X). All are
excellent literary achievements and deserve renewed attention and a place on any modern library
shelf.
Queen Elizabeth: The Queen Mother
Valerie Garner
Headline
c/o Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
0747223297 $35.00 1-800-423-4525
This survey of the Queen Mother is intended as a tribute to her life as much as a biographical
coverage, and covers her various challenges and contributions as the queen. Many full-page color
photos accompany this survey of her life, making for a fine coffee table edition or keepsake.
Dover Publications, Inc.
31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, NY 11501
1-800-223-3130 www.amazon.com
Origami craft and math come together in Rona Gurkewitz & Bennett Arnstein's Multimodular
Origami Polyhedra: Archimedeans, Buckyballs And Duality (0486423174, $7.95), a guide which
tells how to create Archimedean solids using origami structures. Be prepared for a title which is
filled with math concepts linked with models for constructing the paper polyhedra designs. Margaret
Trowell's African Design: An Illustrated Survey Of Traditional Craftwork (0486427145, $14.95)
provides an illustrated survey of African design crafts which includes nearly 200 illustrations
depicting geometric patterns in baskets, fabrics, and decorations. This republishes a 1966 original
with only slight alternations and holds almost two hundred black and white illustrations.
Dover Publications
31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, NY 11501
1-800-223-3130 www.amazon.com
Egmont Colerus' Mathematics For Everyman: From Simple Numbers To The Calculus
(0486425452, $11.95) provides a fine survey republication of an Emerson edition which originally
appeared in 1958, using an intriguing style to present math concepts from symbols to algebra. The
tone and presentation are meant to provide basic math concepts to a math-impaired reading audience
of adults and it succeeds even today. Michael Faraday's Chemical History Of A Candle
(0486425428, $9.95) republishes an 1800s title surveying Faraday's lectures to young students on
the topic of candlelight and its properties and potentials, providing a fine lecture to modern
audiences interested in the basics of scientific discovery. Carroll Lane Fenton and Mildred Adams
Fenton's The Rock Book: With A New Preface And Supplementary Chapters By Thomas H. Rich
And Patricia Vickers-rich (0486422674, $24.95) provides a popular, readable introduction to
geology, reprinting the work first published in 1940 and still certain to be popular today. From the
basics of rock hunting and collection to the earth's geological history and climatic changes, this
provides an excellent introduction to rocks and minerals.
Dover Publications, Inc.
31 E. 2nd St., Mineola, NY 11501
1-800-223-3130 www.amazon.com
Dover's history titles are quite often keys to starting a foundation in a given section: affordable,
notable authors and titles are packaged in presentations which are not to be missed. L. Carrington
Goodrich's A Short History Of The Chinese People (0-486-42488-X, $12.95) republishes the 1969
fourth edition of a work which began its coverage in 1943. It provides a scholarly account of China,
from prehistoric times to the birth of the Chinese Republic in 1912. Eric Schroeder's Muhammad's
People (42502-9, $26.95) reprints a 1955 classic of religious observation, poetry, and history. It
covers the birth of Islam and the rise and fall of the caliphate, using both archaeology and art
references to spice its historical coverage. James Burney's History Of The Bucaneers Of America
(42328-X, $16.95) provides a blend of original and classic research, providing a strong reprint of the
1950 original account which covers the exploits of major bucaneers of early America. Fans of
avaiation history will relish Henry Serrano Villard's Contact! (42327-1, $18.95), republishing the
revised edition of an original 1987 work covering the Wright brothers' contributors and the effects
of their peers on their achievements. Early air machines and their pioneering pilots are reviewed for
audiences who enjoy lively writing and original works. Armin Tuulse's Castles Of The Western
World (42332-8, $14.95) provides a primer to the history and culture of castles of Europe, pairing a
collection of photos and line drawings with research which goes beyond history and covers
construction methods, architectural siting, and purposes of over 200 strongholds. Any interested in
castles will find this a 'must'. Claude Albritton Jr.'s Abyss Of Time (42556-8, $14.95) covers
changing concepts of the Earth's antiquity after the 16th century, blending both history and science
as it explores the changing notions of how old the planet is. The science and history blend is
intriguing as changing perceptions of planetary are presented.
The Gastronomical Tourist
Arthur Bloomfield
Creative Arts Book Company
833 Bancroft, Berkeley CA 94710
0887394426 $18.50 www.amazon.com
This set of memories and recipes toes the line between a travelogue and a recipe book: The
Gastronomical Tourist: Memories and Recipes of a Bistro Crawler at Home and Abroad combines
over 200 bistro recipes with an affectionate recollection of fine dining in small bistros around the
world, and discusses such varied topics as what makes a Nicoise salad, and memories of eating
Peruvian chowder in San Francisco. Mouth-watering descriptions blend with dishes which are
equally appealing and surprisingly simple.
The Silver Gryphon
Gary Turner & Marty Halpern, Eds.
Golden Gryphon Press
3002 Perkins Road, Urbana, IL 61802
1930846150 $27.95 1-800-888-4741m
Most science fiction anthologies revolve around either a year or two of works or a theme: this
celebrates the small press's several decades of prime works by having those who contributed to the
first 24 books of the press to write a story which defined them as a writer. Works by James Kelly,
Michael Bishop, Paul Di Filippo and other notables thus are new to this anthology and present
exceptional science fiction and fantasy works notable for their diversity of plot and content.
Alan Lomax: Selected Writings, 1934-1997
Ronald Cohen
Routledge
29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001-2299
0415938546 $30.00 1-800-634-7064
These selected writings by folk music scholar Lomax will appeal to a diverse range of audiences;
especially those involved in the folk music field who will readily recognize his name from the wealth
of field recordings pioneered by his interest. Lomax promoted and recorded folk music and
discovered such notables as Woody Guthrie: this survey of his life and achievements comes with a
music cd which is also an inviting listen.
Selling Your Crafts
Susan Joy Sager
Allworth Press
10 East 23rd Street, Suite 210, New York, NY 10010
1581152663 $19.95 1-800-491-2808
From selling at craft fairs and building a strong customer base to devising a business plan, budget,
and creating marketing plans, this encourages and provides practical advice to the crafts hobbyist
who wants to move to the next level: earning an income from their projects. Tips on Internet
marketing and mail order are particularly inviting and practical applications of modern selling
techniques.
People of the Bayou
Christopher Hallowell
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster St., Gretna, LA 70053
1589801121 $12.95 1-800-843-1724
This survey of Cajun life and culture lose in Louisiana blends a history of the region and its
settlement with insights on the Cajun peoples who have clung to their French-based roots. Blend in
folk stories of back country and Cajun living with historical and cultural insights into a strong and
threatened peoples and you have an account which is hard to put down.
Seduced by the West
Laurie Winn Carlson
Ivan R. Dee, Inc. Publisher (National Book Network, dist.)
1332 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60622-2632
1566634903 $26.00 1-800-462-6420
Seduced by the West: Jefferson's America and the Lure of the Land Beyond the Mississippi isn't just
another survey of the opening of the American West: it questions the underlying motivations of
sending Lewis and Calrk on a transcontinental journey by foot when American ships were already
exploring the Pacific Coast, and probes underlying relationships with the Spanish to provide an
intriguing new view of not how the West was explored; but why. A 'must' for any California history
collection.
Seeds of Mortality
Stewart Justman
Ivan R. Dee, Inc. Publisher (National Book Network, dist.)
1332 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60622-2632
1566634989 $24.95 1-800-462-6420
Modern cancer patients receive not only medical advice, but spiritual and psychological advice and
support groups which help them search for inner strength. Seeds of Mortality: The Public and
Private Worlds of Cancer considers the language and functions which tend to gloss over the reality
of cancer, making a case for sometimes-silent struggles and the problems with making cancer a
public battle. Links between cancer struggles and public knowledge are drawn which provide
intriguing reflections on the social nature of this disease.
Has Science Found God?
Victor J. Stenger
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Dr., Amherst, NY 14228
1591020182 $30.00 1-800-421-0351
This presentation of the latest results in the search for purpose in the universe provides a skeptic's
view of scientific links between religion and theories of the universe's properties. In Has Science
Found God: The Latest Results in the Search for Purpose in the Universe, Victor Stenger
persuasively argues that nothing in modern science supports spiritual or supernatural explanations,
and he provides rational explanations for empirical observations which originally seemed mystical in
nature. An intriguing argument which will interest many.
The Wheel of Time Sand Mandala
Barry Bryant
Snow Lion Publications/NBN, dist.
PO Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14850
1559391871 $24.95 1-800-950-0313
The Wheel of Time Sand Mandala: Visual Scripture of Tibetan Buddhism is a visual and reflective
survey of the Tibetan religious art of sand painting with mandala representation of visual scriptures
provides readers with a beautiful blend of sand pictures and insights on the art form's spiritual
connections to Tibetan Buddhism. Each stage of the mandala's creation by monks provides beautiful
insights into the art and meaning of spiritual-based patterns. A lovely guide, packed with
insights.
Virtual Roots 2.0
Thomas Jay Kemp
SR Books
104 Greenhill Ave, Wilmington DE 19805
0842029230 $29.95 1-800-772-8937
This revised, updated edition to genealogical research on the Internet lists websites from around the
world and the resources and guides on each which lend to genealogical research. Entries include
email and postal addresses, phone contacts for the web site, and lists of archives and other data
sources around the world. From special collections and historical society holdings to public and
research libraries, Virtual Roots 2.0: A Guide to Genealogy and Local History On The World Wide
Web is packed from cover to cover with genealogical research and reference assistance source
materials.
Diane C. Donovan
West Coast Editor
Midwest Book Review
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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