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MBR Bookwatch

Volume 6, Number 6 June 2007 Home | MBW Index

Table of Contents

Cowper's Bookshelf Dunford's Bookshelf Kaveny's Bookshelf

Klausner's Bookshelf Laurel's Bookshelf Shelley's Bookshelf

Shirley's Bookshelf Taylor's Bookshelf Vogel's Bookshelf

Cowper's Bookshelf
Power Brain Kids
Ilchi Lee
Healing Society
6560 Hwy. 179, Suite 114, Sedona, AZ 86351
1932843191, $18.95 www.healingsociety.com

The founder of 'The International Brain Education Association' and president of the Korean Institute of Brain Science, Ilchi Lee created the 'Brain Function' system designed to enhance the functioning of the human mind through a variety of training methods. In "Power Brain Kids: 12 Easy Lessons To Ignite Your Child's Potential", Lee lays out a basic three month program for children ages 6 to 12. The separate chapters offer specific exercises related to a particular aspect of brain ability that includes focus, creativity, and mind-body communication. the step-by-step instructions for each exercise are fully illustrated with color photography enabling parents to assist their children to develop better concentration, improve memory skills, gain the intellectual tools necessary for emotional self-control, activate creativity and imagination, establish connection between the mind and the body, cultivate confidence and enhance self-discipline. The 'reader friendly' text is nicely embellished with colorful and illustrative drawings. "Power Brain Kids" is particularly and especially recommended for concerned and dedicated parents wanting to prepare their children to take maximum advantage of their schooling, the social relationships, and their intellectual capacities.

Fast Track
John DeDakis
ArcheBooks Publishing
9101 West Sahara Avenue, Suite 105-112, Las Vegas, NV 89117
1595071024, $14.95 www.archebooks.com

Set in Southern Wisconsin, "Fast Track" is the story of 25-year-old and strong-willed, strong-minded Lark Chadwick solving a mystery surrounding the car/train collision that had orphaned her as an infant. Beginning with her traumatic discovering of her Aunt Annie (who raised her after the death of her parents) dead from carbon monoxide poisoning, Lark's search for answers takes her to Pine Bluff and the scene of her parent's fatal car crash. Lark convinces the local newspaper editor Lionel Stone to allow her to write a follow-up story to that accident. In her research for that article she discovers lies, scandals, and something for which she is being targeted for murder. Superbly written and entertaining from beginning to end, "Fast Track" by John DeDakis is a full-length, highly recommended, unabridged mystery/suspense novel presented in ArcheBooks Publishing's magazine-style format called 'ArcheBookZine' and laid out in a two column format that transforms what would otherwise be a 300-page hardcover book into a 96-page magazine.

Women Know Everything
Karen Weekes, editor
Quirk Books
215 Church Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
1594741697, $16.95 www.quirkbooks.com

Women Know Everything: 3,241 Quips, Quotes, & Brilliant Remarks is an anthology of thousands of wise and witty women's words. Contributors include Oprah Winfrey, Cher, Margaret Cho, Madonna, Erma Bombeck, and many more. The quotes are grouped by topic, and the topics are in turn organized alphabetically from Ability, Apathy, and Appearance to Work, Writing, and Youth. A simple author index for easy quick lookup rounds out this eclectic and inspirational giftbook ideal for birthdays, holiday gifts, and just plan sharing between gal pals. "Although there are many trial marriages... there is no such thing as a trial child." -Gail Sheehy, American Social Critic

Discover Wellness
Dr. Bob Hoffman & Dr. Jason A. Deitch
Center Path Publishing
3459 Washington Drive, Suite 202, Eagan, MN 55122
CPR Strategic Marketing Communications (publicity)
475 Market Street, 2nd floor, Elmwood Park, New Jersey 07407
1933889276, $24.95 www.discoverwellnesscenter.com

Written by Dr. Bob Hoffman and Dr. Jason A. Deitch, Discover Wellness: How Staying Healthy Can Make You Rich is a guide to not only improving one's health and quality of life, but also foster pocketbook savings in the process. Chapters are filled with simple, time-tested methods for fostering improved health, from consciously applying better posture to promote spinal health to simple stretches ideal for engendering flexibility to guidelines for proper nutrition and exercise, the value of eating organic foods, and much more. Discover Wellness is simply a no-nonsense guide to help more people become less sick through inexpensive and easy-to-follow guidelines, and while not a substitute for a doctor's care, is decidedly invaluable for its practical preventative measures. Highly recommended.

Mary Cowper
Reviewer

Dunford's Bookshelf
Dirty Poker
Richard Marcus
Under Cover Publishing
c/o Perseus Distribution
193 Edwards Drive, Jackson, TN 38301-7716
0955169704, $17.95 www.richardmarcusbooks.com 1-800-343-4499

Over the past few years the game of poker (especially the forms known as Texas Hold'em) has become more popular and widespread than ever. Now almost every casino in the country has its Poker Rooms, and every week television viewers can watch poker tournaments -- which further inspires them to play in home games, online games, and aspire to make the 'final table' at gaming casinos. But as with any other game of skill and chance where money is wagered, won, and lost, there are those who cheat their fellow players. The many ways of cheating at poker range from the subtle to the obvious, and include collusion, slight-of-hand, marked cards, and chip dumping. Now poker expert Richard Marcus has provided aspiring poker players with an exhaustive manual focused on the phenomena of cheating at poker, how to insure any game they enter is an honest one, and how to spot cheating when it occurs whether it is a local game among friends, on the part of strangers in a regulated card room, or even in such massive and televised tournaments as the World Series of Poker that takes place annual in Las Vegas. Informed, informative, and thoroughly 'reader friendly, Richard Marcus practical and definitive study "Dirty Poker" should be considered 'must' reading for anyone who enjoys the game, and most especially for those who aspire to become professional poker players themselves.

Outdoor Follies
Peter F. Crowley
B&J Press
65464 Lake Park Road, Ashland, WI 54806
0979163501, $15.00 www.outdoorfollies.com

U.S. Navy veteran Peter F. Crowley presents Outdoor Follies: Humor and Adventures in the Outdoors, a compilation of chuckle-inducing fictional outdoor stories and three true outdoor adventure stories. Many of the tales revolve around hunting, though fishing, outdoor cooking, camping, and even canoeing are among the activities that make for memorable settings. A fine "outing" of wit, wisdom, and folksy charm; most of the tales are sufficiently brief to be suitable for reading aloud in a tent or around the campfire.

Xen
D. J. Solomon
Avar Press
PO Box 1993, Whiteville, NC 28472
0976066009, $13.95 www.avarpress.com

Xen: A Novel from the Future is an intriguing science fiction tale about a scientist, Pawkey Seneschal, who loathes humanity's evils so much that he unveils a means to forever rid all humanity of its hate, prejudice, and xenophobia. The secret lies within the "Ten Books of Xen", which are intertwined in a mythical tale about the repeated rebirth of Mankind - N + 1 times. Partly a puzzle for the reader to solve, partly a vision of an utopian future just within humanity's grasp, and partly a reexamination of all that is familiar in ordinary life, Xen is a triumph expressing a crucial message counter-culture and would-be world-transformers of all walks of life, from humanitarians and pacifists to feminists and libertarians.

Scarface: Scarred For Life
John Layman, et al.
IDW Publishing
4411 Morena Boulevard, Suite 106, San Diego, CA 92117
Elure Marketing: Andrea Larson (publicity)
$3.99 each www.idwpublishing.com andrea@eluremarketing.com

A premier publisher of comics and graphic novels, IDW Publishing has release "Scarface; Scarred For Life", a five part series of comics that takes up the story of Tony Montana, a character made famous by the Oliver Stone 'Scarface' movie starring Al Pacino as a small time Cuban gangster deported to the United States when Fidel Castro emptied his jails and prisons and exiled career criminals along with an exodus of law-abiding Cubans. This outstanding comic book series written by John Layman, penciled and inked by Dave Crosland, colored by Len O'Grady, lettered by Robbie Robbins, and edited by Chris Ryall takes up the story where the film left off. We find Tony Montana in the custody of the feds and recovering from a near assassination that wiped out his gang, trashed his mansion, and destroyed his drug business in Miami, Florida. But you can't keep a bad man down as Tony starts once again carving out a new empire while getting even with the man who tried to kill him, and the various other low-lifes (including two corrupt feds) that get in the way of Tony Montana. We are reintroduced to the love of his live, Elvira, who is now the trophy wife of Tony's nemesis, the Bolivian drug lord Sosa. Soon to be collected into a graphic novel format, the six individual issues of the "Scarface: Scarred For Life" miniseries present a vividly illustrated, original, and enthusiastically recommended story that fairly careens along from cliffhanger to plot twist, ultimately resulting in an satisfying and consistent conclusion that will leave the readers looking eagerly toward the next Scarface miniseries scheduled for publication by IDW Publishing -- "Devil In Disguise".

Michael Dunford
Reviewer

Kaveny's Bookshelf
Leaning on My Own Horn

I have promised myself that for this month’s Kaveny’s Bookshelf I will not be tooting my own horn-- so to speak. Horn tooting is an immodest and inappropriate activity for a literary critic, public sphere intellectual, television producer, playwright, creative writer, journalist chess champion, and 1984 city of Madison Table Tennis intermediate class runner up. Yes, in the last two years I have won over fifty international chess tournaments on the internet, and I have been promoted to the class rank right below international master. If you check on my office trophy shelf you will see I even have the ping pong trophy to prove it. So no more tooting my horn for Philip Kaveny. From now on I am going to loudly lean on my horn in shameless self promotion. One of the reasons I have been inspired to do this is the success of the number of really no talent zeros who have been doing this same thing for years while I have modestly kept my light under a barrel for three decades.

Something came me over right before my wife and I left for this year’s Kalamazoo International Medieval Congress which for the last forty years has been hosted by Western Michigan University. My wife Dr. Janice Bogstad and I have attended and participated in this conference since 1996. My wife has always participated as a presenter and I have acted mostly as a bookseller, and sometime session chair. This time I decided to actually tell people what I had accomplished last year rather than keep my mouth shut. I also promised myself that I would worry less about selling books and concentrate on having a good time-- which of course meant I sold lots more books.

The best thing about The Kalamazoo International Medieval Congress is the people. It is the largest medieval conference in the world drawing over thirty two hundred participants from all over the world, many of whom are our friends and colleagues. Since we have not seen most of them since last year, the first question that usually comes up sounds something like this. “What have you been up to?” This time instead saying the usual, “nothing much,” “how about you?”, I decided to actually tell people some of the things I had accomplished in the last year, and at least a couple of my failures. However in print I think I will keep my failures to myself.

So what do I mean by success and how did it happen? It all started rather strangely with me trying to coach The University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Chess Club and meeting three young men, all whom I am proud to know. They are Joe Gapko, Theo Howard, and later Aaron Brewster, the man who was to become my editor for the fourteen articles short stories and poems of mine that were published in the alternative, biweekly, student publication called The Flipside.

Since the Flipside was founded here at UW Eau Claire four years ago it has produced fourteen issues a years, and never missed an issue. Here is the URL http://www.flipsidepress.org/archives.htm if you want to check it out and read some of my stuff. Also you should at least go to this URL and check out the staff http://www.flipsidepress.org/staff.htm. The Flipside has a print run of about two thousand which compares quite favorably with nearly all the science fiction and fantasy magazines-- and it’s free.

It all started about a year ago. I was coming into work at UW Eau Claire with my wife Jan who has an appointment there as a full professor, is head of library collections teaches courses in Women’s Studies, and is head of Library Collection Development. The reason I go into so much detail with this is to underscore that my wife is a pretty busy woman. On the other hand, I am retired and in the process of getting a second B.A. in Religious Studies. Therefore she gets a bit impatient with my position of being a misunderstood genius who has been snubbed by the world. Of course we each have our take on this, but we both agree that I am a genius. However she might add some other adjectives to that description which I would not quite so flattering!

In any case, as we came into the Davies Student Center at UW Eau Claire there were Joe Gapko, a music, and economics student. Joe is a life long Muscular Dystrophy sufferer and was waiting in his motorized wheelchair to take prospective students on tours of the Davies Center.

My wife knowing that I had recently had about a dozen copies of my 1980 play The Munitions Factory printed out and bound suggested I give a Joe a Copy to read, and them asked him if he would like one. My play is set in Imperial Germany during World War I during the winter of 1917-1918 in a time which was known as the “Turnip Winter”. The play is really about the philosophical impulses to act and make real during wartime when barrier to human relations are broken down. What happens to the ladies when all the fine young men die on the Western Front? It also contests the logic of terrorism which in a sense makes it more horrible than what it opposes. But like any real art my play has a life of its own which is out of control.

I found this out when I ran into Joe’s mother Andrea Gapko, who was the Director and Mathematics Coordinator for the Academic Skills Center at UW Eau Claire. I ran into her while I was taking my morning break at the Davies Center. Of course the thing is that because I am retired on mornings or afternoons when I don’t have classes my breaks can last all morning or afternoon, as I take breaks with successive waves of people who are actually working. But in any case Andrea told me that her son Joe was nearly half way through the play and that he liked it and hoped everybody didn’t get killed. I remember thinking, “wow” somebody got it. If I have one reader gets I there must be others. Later his mother said that she really liked it, and Joe’s father Laurie stopped and told me in best Prairie Home Companion style, that I had written a pretty good play.

With that in mind next time I sat down to play a game of chess with Theo Howard, a large (since I am over six feet tall and over three hundred and fifty pounds when I say large I mean large), handsome and very charming fellow named Aaron Brewster sat down and asked if he could play the winner I said sure, certain at least at UW Eau Claire Chess Club I would always be the winner. Well since I love to lecture about chess principles as I trounce my opponents, I tend to get distracted and lose as I did with both players. I remember asking Aaron Brewster,( who has since become just Brewster to me) if he would like to play the lead in my play The Munitions Factory.

Later I heard on the night right before my wife and I left for Europe that Joe Gapko wanted to get together with me at a local watering hole with a few other people and talk about the production of my play which he was certain would never make any money, but he wanted to direct. We talked and planned until it was almost time for Joe’s father to pick him up, but I had to tell him one more story. I wanted it to be absolutely clear that chess was important to me not because of how I played the game, but because of the people I met through it, and that I wanted to thank and his family for all the effort the had put into organizing chess.

I went on to add that every single woman I had ever dated I met because I was a chess player, even my wife. Joe said, “Even your wife? Is this a long or a short story? I said it is a long story which would take longer to tell than we would have before the time his father Laurie had set to pick him up. So that story would have to wait till we got together when my wife and I returned from Europe. Sadly I never got to tell Joe Gapko that story because he passed away from unexpectedly of complications associated with Muscular Dystrophy while we in London.

Joe Gapko (1983-2006) was a very talented young man and many things to many people. Joe was also music major at with a beautiful voice who gave a numbers of my friend’s voice lessons. I know he was talented because I have just finished listening to his voice on the memorial CD that was produced of his songs. Though I am by no means music critic, I can say that Joe Gapko sang with a beautiful clarity and the CD is available for purchase though his family, and other sources I will mention next month.

My play The Munitions Factory was performed with the support of The University of Wisconsin Eau Claire English, and Religious Studies and English Departments last fall, and two maybe three things surprised me.

First it is a play with actors and so it performs better than it reads, because its gestures are more emphatic than one would have on the printed page.

Second even though written nearly thirty years ago, about events that took place ninety years ago the student audience said it was about today.

I found that young people seem to like my work, but professors not necessarily, they seem to want everything completely for them for them, where students seem to be more willing to fill in the blanks themselves .

But the last thing I learned is that my play had a much stronger romance element in it than I realized . After the play my wife said about a separation scene in (which my forty three year hold three a hundred and fifty pound factory worker with a wooden leg protagonist finds that though the beautiful and revolutionary young college student who has come to love him, she loves the revolution more), in which he explodes with rage. Her response is only “You hurt very much, don’t you”, forcing him to face his humanity. My wife’s only response was “Philip you wrote that, I mean Philip you wrote that.”

I need to wrap things up for this month but I want make a cautionary note to any of you who are considering become involved in science writer’s workshops. It is my experience especially with the science fiction convention workshops, particularly with the Feminist Science Fiction Convention Wiscon, that participants are being encouraged by organizers to be “junk yard dog mean to each other.” That is one of the reason why though I have am one of the founders of Wiscon and have with my wife attended twenty nine out of the last thirty one Wiscons,we canceled our appearance this weekend. My dealing with Wiscon Organizers caused me to give up on the Genre of Science Fiction and Fantasy --at least as a fiction writer.

Next week I will be attending a Romance Writer’s Convention in Green Bay Wisconsin where I will actually pitching a project to two editors and an agent, as will my wife. Several of our friends have sold novels in the Romance, which has turned into a really big tent with 45% off all fiction published in it. Several of our friends have sold novels, so we like to try our hand at it.

Klausner's Bookshelf
Wearing the Spider
Susan Schaab
Galavant Press
PO Box 636, New Cannan, Ct. 06840
1934291056 $26.95

Evie Sullivan is a senior lawyer in the law firm of Howard, Rolland and Stewart and is on the fast track to make partner. She devotes most of the hours in the day to her clients, which leaves little time for a social life. Before her world starts to fall apart, she meets lawyer Joe Baton on a plane ad the two instantly click.

When she returns to her office she is informed her name is on a file but Evie never had dealings with the case or the client. She also finds that on a trip to Chicago she was billed for a hotel room she never stayed at and though it lists her as making calls to Brazil she knows nobody there. She discovers that she is an attorney of record for a client that she knows nothing about and there is something in the wording of the file that seems to be illegal. An attempt is made on Evie's life and she begins to believe one of the partners Alan is stalking her because she once violently rejected his advances. With the help of Joe, she tries to find a way to restore her good name.

The romance between Joe and Evie is quick but believable as he becomes an intricate part of the plot as he works double time to extract Evie from Alan's machinations. Alan is the best kind of villain, one readers love to hate. There are a lot of action scenes in this fast paced thriller but it is the heroine who makes WEARING THE SPIDER special. She refuses to succumb even when it looks like all things Alan did to destroy her will ruin her.

Veil of Fire
Marlo Schalesky
River Oak
c/o Cook Communications Ministries
4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
1589190777 $9.99

In 1894 in Hinckley, Minnesota, the fire came out of nowhere turning the town and a few nearby towns into a raging inferno.

Dressmaker Nola Hanson and her twelve years old daughter Ellie Jean are trying to escape by riding a horse towards a train that they hear. Nola passes her daughter through the window of a car into the hands of Arla Anderson before being engulfed by the flames. Arla has her own guilt knowing she had locked up her daughter Rakel, but failed to free her in time when the flames engulfed her house.

Josef Strom watches his beloved wife Maggie die in the blaze. He manages to reach a gravel pit filled with water while holding on to his baby Emma. The preacher's wife tells him to keep soaking himself and his daughter as he ponders why God would allow a cow to live and a mother to die. The preacher's wife tells them they are the remnant who must go on.

When the inferno ends, no one is the same. Ellie Jean mourns her mom while Arla mourns her daughter. Josef mourns his wife while caring for his child. However, rumors spread of a monster living in the shadows. Could that essence be a ghost or the mythical fire-starter or someone hurt by the deadly blaze mentally unable to come home? None of the remnant's life will ever be the same?

This is an exhilarating inspirational historical saga based on a real event. Readers will feel the heat of the fire when Nola tries to save the lives of her daughter and self, the immediate impact on Josef and Arla, the mystery of the "monster", and the loss of faith by some while others are strengthened by just being alive. Readers will appreciate this deep look at the remnant struggling with why.

Living Shadows
John Shirley
Prime
080955786X $14.95 http://www.primebooks.net/books/book_detail.asp?isbn=999

The introduction to this fine collection, "The Author Gnaws his Knuckles: A Brief Foreword" describes the essence of this anthology quite succinctly. There are two sections with the first "A Few Blocks Down, Around the Corner" filled with suspense but contain no fantasy elements; the second "Through a Laser Scanner Darkly" crosses the paranormal or surreal realm. The twelve tales that make up section one are filled with suspense mostly psychological with a wide range of subjects including love hurts and Mr. Shirley's version of War and Peace (don't panic this is a short story collection). The contributions range from the 1980s to new releases. These are all solid suspense filled thrillers that start off seemingly as normal life that spins into walks on the darkest of mean streets. The second segment of eight tales also range from 1980s to new releases, but have a supernatural twist to them. This reader especially enjoyed "Blind Eye" (though I read it recently in the Poe's Lighthouse anthology) co-authored with Edgar Allen Poe. Fans of John Shirley will surely know how good he has been and still is with this twenty short stories collection.

28 Days Later: The Aftermath
Steve Niles with Dennis Calero, Diego Olmos & Nat Jones
Fox Atomic Comics
0061236764 $17.95

The two Cambridge, England scientists Clive and Warren work on an inhibitor to prevent human rage. Whereas the more violent prone Clive worries they are going too far, Warren wants to test on humans. Their first attempt on an abusive criminal goes awry. However, Warren thinks he has the elixir after testing with a monkey and plans to use an airborne virulent of Ebola to deliver it.

In Cherry Hinton Hall Park in Cambridge, Roger and his three children celebrate the birthday of his wife their mom. The youngest child sees a monkey in a tree that attacks the kid. He is rushed to the hospital as all hell has broken loose because Warren's concept mutated making the Rage Virus the norm.

This is the first "stage" and a half of a five stage graphic comic doomsday thriller. The art is gripping with its overall darkness enhancing the feeling of overall doom. The cast is solid as family battles to survive the aftermath of science out of control. Fans of the format especially those who enjoyed the movie 28 Days Later will want to read this terrific horror thriller.

13 Days
L.P. Starks
Brown Books Publishing Group
16200 N. Dallas Parkway, Suite 170 , Dallas, Texas 75248
1933285451 $15.95

Tri Coast Energy Executive Vice President of Oil Refineries Lynn Dayton convinced her boss to buy out Centennial by betting her job that she could have the newest acquisition's refineries on the Houston Ship Channel working within three months. With only a few weeks to go to make good on her wager, there remains problems. The worst is an accident that leaves four people dead when the refinery leaked poisonous gas H2S caused by a malfunctioning valve.

After examining the site and interviewing the lone survivor, Lynn begins to believe the accident was sabotage. Threats are made to her by phone and someone tries to assault her while she is running. The trouble is not limited to Tricentennial Refineries or others on the Ship Channel. Serious "accidents" occur that lead to US gas shortages. Lynn believes there is a conspiracy involving people who want the oil refineries shut down although she has no idea who. Her inquiries lead to someone wanting her dead before she can obtain the truth.

There is a lot of technical and scientific data interwoven in the story line dealing with how an oil refinery works that add too much complexity for the average layman to understand. Still that adds to the realism that the exciting 13 DAYS is a plausible business espionage thriller. Readers will enjoy the courage and risk taking of the female protagonist as she is a combo of vulnerability and strength.

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling
Neta Jackson
Thomas Nelson, Inc
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
1591453623 $13.99

It was the fire that made the Yada Yada Prayer group sisterhood realizes they had become complacent in their worship, with their families, and in their community. Each knows they must reaffirm their belief in the Lord, as God always brings a renewal of life and spirit out of the ashes of destruction.

The Yada sisters must grow and embrace the change of merging the Uptown Community with the New Morning Christian Church that potentially can make both stronger as neither would remain homogenous; however not heeding God's message could lead to intolerance and racism. The sisters especially understand they must pray and welcome newcomers into their prayer group if they are to remain true to the Lord. Jodi and Denny set the example by reaching out to those at a nearby juvenile detention center following the pair's understanding that listening to the Holy Spirit saying their past was good, but now the challenge is to reach beyond your safe group to others outside your net.

With this dramatic spin that widens the scope of the prayer group from its five previous tales; Neta Jackson inspires her audience to be all that God expects you to be. The ensemble cast expands with the blending of the two groups so that new problems emerge. Racism, HIV and other health issues, criminals and juvenile delinquents challenge the Yada Yada Prayer Group members to pray for guidance, listen to that guidance, and apply that guidance to one and all. Fans of the series will roll along with the Yadas as God wants them to try new things starting with expanding their sphere as everyone is welcomed in God's tent.

Moon White: Color Me Enchanted
Melody Carlson
Navpress
PO Box 35001, Colorado Springs, Co.80935
1576839516 $12.99

Sixteen years old Heather Sinclair struggles with so many radical changes in her life. Just last summer her dad married Augustine. At the Echelon Dance Studio, newcomer Elizabeth "Liz" Sinclair competes with Heather for the lead in an upcoming ballet and makes a move on her boyfriend. However, the most powerful is the reaction of her best friend Lucy, who pontificates that witchcraft is evil so fearing for Heather's soul pleads with her to quit studying Wicca or she will end their friendship.

Still upset with the changes going on in her life, Elizabeth, assuming all spirituality is good for the soul, explores Wicca. She regains much of her lost confidence, but the price is alienating her best friends including Lucy, who cannot abide her becoming a witch. Soon strange things occur that frighten Heather when she cannot explain the phenomena in logical terms and is unaware that the path she chose if she continues will cost Elizabeth her soul.

MOON WHITE is an interesting "Color Me" character study that stars a troubled teen choosing a path that leads to spiritual and mundane danger for her. Some readers will be upset with the lack of tolerance towards Wicca as God's is inclusive; whiles others will applaud Melody Carlson for condemning the religion since the bible strongly opposes witchcraft. Regardless of perspective Heather is a fascinating protagonist as she glides down a path that could have been a Christian cult as easily as Wiccan, but most critical proves destructive for her.

The Return
Austin Boyd
NavPress
PO Box 35001, Colorado Springs, CO.80935
157683946X $14.99

It has been six years since Admiral John Wells has been on a manned mission to Mars but this time he is in charge and lands on the red planet. He and his crew find evidence of the "aliens" that appeared on Mars (which led to the first mars landing) and Earth. In his hands are proof that so called aliens were mechanical devices made on earth. The proof from the first mission was destroyed in a space accident.

John and his crew are shocked to learn that there is a small colony on Mars that NASA has no idea about. There are women and a young man in this colony with all the necessities and a few luxuries who belong to and believe in John Raines' "Father Race religion" based on the alien appearances. John thought his wife and children were killed six years ago when someone destroyed the helicopter they were in; they are being held in Father Raines compound in Slovenia desperate to get a message out. Man and wife separated by space and both prisoners in different ways have friends trying to find a way to extract John's family as well as 321 innocent clones, which were part of Raines' master plan for the human race. They have a deadline because Raines plans to move forward on the new race in a matter of days.

There are two separate parallel plotlines that don't intersect at any point even though the heroine of one is wife to the hero of the other. This is not a fault as reader get two stories for the price of one. John is a typical NASA astronaut, brave, innovative, and courageous enough to make the difficult decisions. His wife has never given up hope of rescue and even aided in letting the right people know where she was located. Austin Boyd is a creative storyteller that will keep readers mesmerized with his innovative storyline.

Demon
Tosca Lee
NavPress
PO Box 35001, Colorado Springs, Co.80935
1600061230 $12.99

When Clay's books did not sell well, he gave up writing to become a book editor. He had no children with his wife Aubrey, who had an affair. When Clay found out about her extracurricular activities they divorced Aubrey. His life feels vapid so when Lucian comes into his vacuous sphere, Clay believes he is capable of dealing with him once he accepts that his new acquaintance is a demon, not just any, but the DEMON who began the FALL.

Lucian wants to "hire" Clay because he wants his side of the story told. Clay writes down what the demon tells him and soon believes this will become a publishable book. Because Elohim cherishes humanity, Lucian hates humans calling them "mud people". He explains the Creation, the Fall, the Resurrection, and the spreading of the Holy Spirit. Lucian also tells Clay that demon-kind is angry, acrimonious, and jealous as Elohim never gave them a chance to repent or gibe them the gift of a second chance at salvation. As Clay writes the Gospel According to Lucian, he becomes excited as he expects fame and fortune. He is unable to step past his own needs to question why he is the demon's chosen one.

The bible and urban fantasy combine to create an intelligent and thought provoking multilayered tale. In his euphoria, the protagonist fails to recall what his client's mission is as he can only see the glory and money he will make when he finishes the "memoir". Surprisingly, in spite of knowing Lucian is a sly trickster, readers will sympathize with his plight (think Milton) even as he uses his genuine feelings to corral another fallen one; the audience will also feel sympathy towards the vulnerable victim, a rather complex protagonist whose emotions mirror that of Lucien except that Clay fails to comprehend the ultimate truth. Tosca Lee provides a powerful discerning tale that will have fans pondering their own deals with the demons.

Wearing the Spider
Susan Schaab
Galavant Press
PO Box 636, New Cannan, Ct. 06840
1934291056 $26.95

Evie Sullivan is a senior lawyer in the law firm of Howard, Rolland and Stewart and is on the fast track to make partner. She devotes most of the hours in the day to her clients, which leaves little time for a social life. Before her world starts to fall apart, she meets lawyer Joe Baton on a plane ad the two instantly click.

When she returns to her office she is informed her name is on a file but Evie never had dealings with the case or the client. She also finds that on a trip to Chicago she was billed for a hotel room she never stayed at and though it lists her as making calls to Brazil she knows nobody there. She discovers that she is an attorney of record for a client that she knows nothing about and there is something in the wording of the file that seems to be illegal. An attempt is made on Evie's life and she begins to believe one of the partners Alan is stalking her because she once violently rejected his advances. With the help of Joe, she tries to find a way to restore her good name.

The romance between Joe and Evie is quick but believable as he becomes an intricate part of the plot as he works double time to extract Evie from Alan's machinations. Alan is the best kind of villain, one readers love to hate. There are a lot of action scenes in this fast paced thriller but it is the heroine who makes WEARING THE SPIDER special. She refuses to succumb even when it looks like all things Alan did to destroy her will ruin her.

Veil of Fire
Marlo Schalesky
River Oak
c/o Cook Communications Ministries
4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
1589190777 $9.99

In 1894 in Hinckley, Minnesota, the fire came out of nowhere turning the town and a few nearby towns into a raging inferno.

Dressmaker Nola Hanson and her twelve years old daughter Ellie Jean are trying to escape by riding a horse towards a train that they hear. Nola passes her daughter through the window of a car into the hands of Arla Anderson before being engulfed by the flames. Arla has her own guilt knowing she had locked up her daughter Rakel, but failed to free her in time when the flames engulfed her house.

Josef Strom watches his beloved wife Maggie die in the blaze. He manages to reach a gravel pit filled with water while holding on to his baby Emma. The preacher's wife tells him to keep soaking himself and his daughter as he ponders why God would allow a cow to live and a mother to die. The preacher's wife tells them they are the remnant who must go on.

When the inferno ends, no one is the same. Ellie Jean mourns her mom while Arla mourns her daughter. Josef mourns his wife while caring for his child. However, rumors spread of a monster living in the shadows. Could that essence be a ghost or the mythical fire-starter or someone hurt by the deadly blaze mentally unable to come home? None of the remnant's life will ever be the same?

This is an exhilarating inspirational historical saga based on a real event. Readers will feel the heat of the fire when Nola tries to save the lives of her daughter and self, the immediate impact on Josef and Arla, the mystery of the "monster", and the loss of faith by some while others are strengthened by just being alive. Readers will appreciate this deep look at the remnant struggling with why.

Demon
Tosca Lee
NavPress
PO Box 35001, Colorado Springs, Co.80935
1600061230 $12.99

When Clay's books did not sell well, he gave up writing to become a book editor. He had no children with his wife Aubrey, who had an affair. When Clay found out about her extracurricular activities they divorced Aubrey. His life feels vapid so when Lucian comes into his vacuous sphere, Clay believes he is capable of dealing with him once he accepts that his new acquaintance is a demon, not just any, but the DEMON who began the FALL.

Lucian wants to "hire" Clay because he wants his side of the story told. Clay writes down what the demon tells him and soon believes this will become a publishable book. Because Elohim cherishes humanity, Lucian hates humans calling them "mud people". He explains the Creation, the Fall, the Resurrection, and the spreading of the Holy Spirit. Lucian also tells Clay that demon-kind is angry, acrimonious, and jealous as Elohim never gave them a chance to repent or gibe them the gift of a second chance at salvation. As Clay writes the Gospel According to Lucian, he becomes excited as he expects fame and fortune. He is unable to step past his own needs to question why he is the demon's chosen one.

The bible and urban fantasy combine to create an intelligent and thought provoking multilayered tale. In his euphoria, the protagonist fails to recall what his client's mission is as he can only see the glory and money he will make when he finishes the "memoir". Surprisingly, in spite of knowing Lucian is a sly trickster, readers will sympathize with his plight (think Milton) even as he uses his genuine feelings to corral another fallen one; the audience will also feel sympathy towards the vulnerable victim, a rather complex protagonist whose emotions mirror that of Lucien except that Clay fails to comprehend the ultimate truth. Tosca Lee provides a powerful discerning tale that will have fans pondering their own deals with the demons.

The Restorer
Sharon Hinck
NavPress
PO Box 35001, Colorado Springs, Co.80935
1600061311 May 2007

Susan Mitchell is feeling overwhelmed by the demands of her children and those she makes on herself. Her husband Mark built a getaway for Susan in their attic, but the first time she enters she hears voices before being pulled through a portal into another world. She sees a knight kill a person and realizes she isn't in Kansas anymore. Although the knight is mistrustful of her, he takes her under his wing and brings her to his clan in Braide Wood.

She learns she is in the realm of the Children of the Verses, a group of twelve tribes which believe in the one. They are under attack from many fronts, as Hezon wants to expand and assimilate the Children of the Verses into their own empire and they give the people an ultimatum that they can't possible meet. They can get weapons but they can't use them have because on the records and in the songs the voice the One says his people can only do battle with swords and the Verses. Cameron the head councilman of the tribes wants to use the sync beam even though it is forbidden and he has allowed the Rhusicans to enter the tribal lands. They invade people's minds and poison them in some way so they turn from the One. Susan discovers she is the new Restorer sent by the One with enhanced powers to save his people. She hopes when the time comes she will have the courage to do so.

The world that Susan enters is full of high tech superior to earth's but it's people have the same feelings, needs and hopes as they do in our own world. The people are waiting for their Deliverer while in our own world the Savior is believed by many to have come. There are plenty of surprises in this inspiring novel. The heroine is courageous and vulnerable at the same time in this new world where she has a connection with the One. Fantasy fans will thoroughly enjoy this exciting and character driven high fantasy tale.

The Wayward Muse
Elizabeth Hickey
Atria Books
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
0743273141 $24.00 www.simonsays.com

Jane Burden knows she is ugly having heard that from her mother as well as family, friends, and neighbors. She is too tall, with a freakishly long neck, arms and legs that belong on someone even taller, which leads to clumsiness and dresses that just never fit right. Adding to her being considered the ugliest female in the Oxford slums is that at seventeen she has no breasts. She expects to wed physically abusive Tom Barnstable as her mother reminds her that he is the best she will ever have.

Everything abruptly changes when noted artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti sees Jane and thinks she is a rare beauty he must paint as his Guinevere in a mural. Her mother agrees to allow her to pose because of the fee Rossetti provides. Jane enjoys her short time each week with the painter and his colleagues. She soon realizes she loves Rosetti, but is heartbroken when he weds his ailing fiancee Lizzie. Jane accepts wealthy William Morris' proposal mostly because he as Rossetti's friend and protege will enable her to remain near her true love. Over the next few years Jane gives birth to two children, but when Lizzie dies, Rossetti makes it clear how he feels about his Guinevere, which upsets her spouse William, who has always known he was a second choice.

The key to this terrific historical biographical tale is the ability of Elizabeth Hickey to bring to life four real people from the latter half of the nineteenth century. The story line is driven mostly by the heroine who thanks to the artist turns from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan considered the ideal of pre-Raphaelite beauty and the muse for her spouse and the artist. Fans of period pieces will enjoy this deep rich Victorian Era tale starring real persona.

Witch Hunt
Shirley Damsgaard
Avon Books
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022
0061147117 $6.99 avonbooks.com

It is a small quiet town where murder rarely happens, but at least twice Ophelia Jensen has been in the middle of homicide investigations. This isn't as crazy as it sounds because she is a psychic and both times her power led her to the killer. She lives with her foster daughter Tink, a thirteen years old medium and she is very close to her grandmother Abby the witch. After years of denial Ophelia admits she has powers and she lets her grandmother teach her folklore magick.

The serenity of the town is disturbed when El Serpiente, a bad motorcycle gang noted for extortion, running drugs, and murder, come to town. Her best friend Dori and Ophelia as well as Dori's cousin Beatrice go to the bar where the gang hangs out and Beatrice disappears with one of the gang leaders. When Dori and Ophelia go to Dori's place, they find Beatrice with a knife in her hands and blood on her. Adder is dead and the police arrest Beatrice but Ophelia is sure she is not guilty. She quietly investigates and gets help; if one can call it that, from Adder's spirit.

Each mystery that Shirley Damsgaard writes is better than the last. Her characters grow as they deal with what life hands them. Ophelia finally accepts she is a psychic who can do magic and her grandmother eases up on the pressure. Ophelia no longer denies that Abby was a practicing witch. Both grandmother and granddaughter have a beautiful relationship based on equality. The mystery in WITCH HUNT is well plotted and the villains hide in plain sight.

One Night with a Goddess
Judi McCoy
Avon Books
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022
0060774606 $5.99

Even to his offspring when Zeus makes a threat in terms of a promise, he will carry it out. So he gives three of his demigoddess offspring (Zoe, Kyra and Chloe) a choice that none of them desire. Chloe Degodessa, the Muse of Happiness, knows she better prove she is doing her job in a superior manner or next year she joins the mortal unemployment lines or mucks stables in paradise.

In freezing Chicago she obtains employment at Castleberry Hall working for Miss Belle and finds she loves the job of arranging happy receptions. However, the clock is ticking and she has only one month left to continue to prove her worth. At the same, Belle's grandson Dr. Matt Castleberry, a Doctors Without Borders physician has come home to emotionally recover from the atrocities he has seen humanity do to one another. He is so despondent he considers never practicing medicine again. Chloe finds herself attracted to Matt, which could anger her father and cost her access to Mount Olympus.

The second Goddess romantic fantasy (see ALMOST A GODDESS starring Kyra) combines an overall lighthearted whimsical romance with some powerful insight into western doctors struggling with providing help in third world nations. The story line is fast-paced and very breezy (it is Chicago) yet at times the anguish of Dr. Matt suffering from a form of battle fatigue syndrome brings reality to the mix. Readers will enjoy Chloe's breaking of the first commandment of thou shall not fall in love with a mortal, especially an emotionally troubled mortal.

Wild Sweet Love
Beverly Jenkins
Avon Books
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022
0061161306 $5.99

In 1895 incarcerated bank and train robber Teresa July receives a pardon for coming to the aid of a prison matron with the stipulations that she stay out of trouble and out of the west especially the Arizona Territory for a year. Philadelphia high society maven and charity representative Miss Molly Nance takes in the famous Black Seminole outlaw, who figures how hard can it be to stay out of trouble while living amidst affluence.

However, Teresa readjusts her original contention that keeping out of trouble will prove easy when she meets Molly's son, Madison, a womanizing retired cardsharp turned banker. He decides Teresa would make a fine notch on his belt, but instead of falling into bed with the hunk, she rips his skin that is when she is not defeating him in some sort of contest. As they begin to fall in love over horseshoes, her previous lifestyle surfaces leaving both and his mother in peril.

Using the sister of the hero of SOMETHING LIKE LOVE and a support role gambler from A CHANCE AT LOVE, Beverly Jenkins provides readers with a great historical romance that also includes a terrific look at black history. The lead couple each shows they can handle star billing as Teresa and Madison is a wonderful pairing who fuss, fight, compete, and love. No one shines a light on nineteenth century African-America than the incomparable Ms. Jenkins consistently does; which is why this reviewer is also a fan.

Homecoming
Janet Dailey, Fern Michaels, Dinah McCall and Deborah Bedford
Avon Books
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022
0061085081 $7.99

"Heading Home" by Janet Dailey. In New Mexico, Trooper the K9 and his two associates know immediately the assignment once their human pet rancher Josh Reynolds meets his neighbor Kate Summers. However, Kate has been burned by love once before and Josh is wary of that emotion so Trooper has his work cut out to bring these neighboring ranchers together.

"The Journey" by Fern Michaels. Twelve years ago Matt Starr jilted Maggie Osborne Harper to make a fortune. He succeeded in making billions, but knows he made the mistake of a lifetime when he dumped his beloved. Now he wants a second chance, but once burned.

"The Return of Walker Lee" by Dinah McCall. Ten years ago, Carrie Wainright was too afraid to take chance on love especially when her father intervened. She dropped Walker. Now she wants a second chance, but once burned.

"Rockabye Inn" by Deborah Bedford. Following a bad car accident that left her unconscious, Anna Burden awakens to realize she suffers from amnesia. Her neighbor and apparent friend Richard Reese provides her with tender warm support while she heals. However, Anna feels he is hiding something from her even as she realizes she loves him. Unaware at this time that what she wants is actually a second chance, but once burned

This is a reprint of a late 1990s second chance at love anthology that fans of any of the authors will enjoy. The novellas contain lead females burned once by love refusing to touch the heat a second time although the hunks try to coax them to do likewise.

The Devil's Temptation
Kimberly Logan
Avon
0061239194 $5.99

In 1818 London, Lady Maura Daventry attends a ball that many would say orgy is more descriptive as the most scandalous sex offenders of the Ton party without regard. Maura knows she does not belong here as this is no place for an innocent unless they are selling their virginity to the highest bidder, but she needs to be here to uncover the truth about the man who murdered her reprehensible mother five years ago.

However, the one person she wants to avoid is Hawksley, a womanizer who could bed any woman he wants including Maura if she is honest with herself; the attraction to him frightens her as she knows he is the most talked about rake in town. Making it even more critical to stay as far from him as possible, is that she seeks the threatening letter his father sent to her mother; she assumes he killed her mother although she recently has found evidence that points to a different lover. Hawksley not only finds her, but like a bird of prey he comes onto her with a seductive look and an offer to help her learn the truth. Although he starts off wanting to divert her from her quest, he soon wants much more.

The second Daventry sister Regency romance is a wonderful tale due to the changing relationship between the lead couple. Their linked heritage warns both to stay away from one other, but like moths to a flame they cannot. Although ostensibly an investigative tale, Kimberly Logan shows her skill as THE DEVIL'S TEMPTATION is more of a cat and mouse encounter between two people in love and less the amateur sleuth inquiry of older sister Jilly (see SINS OF MIDNIGHT). Readers will gain immense pleasure with this strong one sitting historical.

The Duke's Indiscretion
Adele Ashworth
Avon
0061128570 $6.99

In 1861 Duke Colin Ramsey realizes that his infatuation for Royal Italian Opera House opera singer Lottie English has grown into an obsession. He will do anything except betray the crown to spend one night in heaven with her.

Lady Charlotte Hughes lives a quiet demure life under the martinet domination of her brother Lord Brixham. At least that is the image she provides her sibling; for at night she is Lottie English. Her fantasy is a grand tour of the continent although she admits to herself making love with admirer Colin might prove better. She decides if she can persuade Colin to marry her, she can have both and be free of Brixham. Colin learns of her double life from kisses and offers her a real marriage with a grand tour once he completes his investigation. However, he soon has a more urgent need than making love to her, as someone wants her dead so he or she can claim something valuable.

This is a fascinating Victorian romantic suspense that focuses on the relationship between the opera singer and the investigating duke. The mystery elements take a back seat to the attraction between Colin and Charlotte as the whodunit enhances their need for one another. Historical romance fans will want to read Adele Ashworth's well written thriller.

Not Quite a Lady
Loretta Chase
Avon
0061231231 $6.99

In 1812 she was a child having a child due to the seduction of wicked Geordie Blaine while her governess failed to act. Only seventeen, Lady Charlotte Hayward is forced to give up her son. Unable to emotionally recover from the treachery of her lover and from not even holding her offspring once, Charlotte remains an enigma to the Ton, as she chose to rusticate and never marry, rejecting all suitors as she vows to be a perfect lady even if she is NOT QUITE A LADY anymore.

A decade later, Lord Hargate worries about the scholarly pursuits of his youngest son Darius, who studies animal mating behavior so that he can use what he learns to seduce women. Everyone agrees he is a heartless rake who insists love does not exist and does not care one iota what his behavior causes. His father, tired of the vulgarity of his most rakish son, exiles him to a property in Yorkshire with the hope the lad will have no oats to sow. However, next door is the challenge of a lifetime as Charlotte refuses to have anything to due with him. As the immovable meets the irresistible sparks fly eventually into a loving inferno with Darius knowing that the way to her heart is finding her son.

This entertaining intelligent historical romance contains a strong lead couple and a fully developed support cast. The deep story line is driven by the two-step between the immovable Charlotte and the irresistible Darius. Fans will enjoy Loretta Chase's poignant look at Regency society through the loving relationship between the fallen woman and the troublemaking mating scientist.

Sins of a Duke
Suzanne Enoch
Avon
0060843071 $6.99

By 1813 in London, Duke Sebastian Griffin has raised his younger siblings setting an example of proper behavior with not even a remote hint of scandal attached to him. He is very proud of his brothers and sisters as each has made what he considers an ideal match.

Beautiful Josefina Katarina Embry claims that she is a princess in some far-off nebulous land that no one has heard of. The Ton finds her charming and fascinating. Only Sebastian thinks otherwise as he believes she is up to no good although he is not sure what that is. He plans to expose her as a royal fraud except whenever they are together he cannot resist kissing this siren.

Fans of the "sin" Regency romance series (see AN INVITATION TO SIN and Something Sinful) will appreciate Sebastian's turn in the hopper. The normally aloof dispassionate hero suddenly is filled with ardor and a damn the torpedoes attitude yet Suzanne Enoch still keeps his demeanor and personality consistent with his previous big brother appearances. Josefina is more difficult to like as readers will agree with the Duke's initial assessment that she is up to no good. Their battling relationship takes off when they debate his "amateurish" kiss and never looks back as fans will enjoy their rousing gender war.

Unfinished Business
Karyn Langhorne
Avon
0060847891 $6.99

Washington DC African-American schoolteacher Erica Johnson believes in social and political activism. When her fourth grade students find causes for her to support, she literally wears their concerns with her "Books Not Bombs" t-shirt as she interrupts a Congressional hearing. Erica confronts conservative senator Mark Newman with her efforts to obtain the funding her children need.

He being a gorgeous war hero, Erica assumes Mark is candy material with political ambition. She is surprised when he proves intelligent and caring even as he still suffers from his combat related injuries and grieves his wife's death. He remains accessible as they debate the issues, but she admits to herself Mark is a real compassionate conservative while he acknowledges she is a loving liberal. As they fall in love, his more devious opponents plan to use their interracial relationship to destroy his political career while some of his supporters send her hate mail warning her to stay away from their hero.

Karyn Langhorne has written an exciting character driven political romance that focuses deeply on the guns vs. butter redistribution issue. The lead couple is a great pairing of two intelligent individuals who believes that their position is best for most of the country; each eloquently defends their side of the debate without "Cheneyizing" the other as demons. The interracial aspects of their respect and love bring out the worst in political activists yet the best in these beloved enemies. UNFINISHED BUSINESS is a winner with its mantra that all blood flows red.

The Viscount in Her Bedroom
Gayle Callen
Avon
006078413X $6.99

Lord Wade is the toast of society until a riding accident blinds him. Unable to listen to the sounds of so called sympathy and "seeing" the pity in their eyes, Simon becomes a recluse, living a quiet life with his shy sister and grandmother.

In 1845, Simon's grandmother hires a companion Louisa Shelby without consulting him. Louisa and her sisters saw their world end when their father committed suicide; with her siblings settled in happy marriages, she looks forward to the single life as elderly Lady Wade's companion. To her amazement, Louise is attracted to Simon and him to her as she brings him back to life with her elan and enthusiasm helping his sister in turning more comfortable with men as well; but he assumes it is pity on her part not a passionate love like he feels so he ends their relationship abruptly. He is already hearing nasty rumors about her.

The third and final tale in the Sisters of Willow Pond miniseries (see the other Shelby siblings' tales, THE LORD NEXT DOOR and The Duke in Disguise) is an incredibly deep Victorian romance that focuses on the impact of blindness on more than just the individual as each member of his family feels the effect immensely especially since he was their leader. Readers will feel for Simon as he comes out of his self imposed shell due to Louisa although he ahs doubts about his beloved's motives. This is a fitting climax to a strong trilogy with a powerful cast that makes for a terrific historical.

The Templar's Seduction
Mary Reed McCall
Avon
0061170445 $5.99

In 1309 for his attempts to sell sacred artifacts, disgraced former Templar Knight Sir Alexander de Ashby is sentenced to death. However, he is given a pardon of sorts if he agrees to pretend to being the recently deceased Scottish earl of Marston, who died in prison. Realizing his choice is between a brutal hanging and masquerading as some earl who he apparently resembles; Alex accepts the Scottish "sentencing. In his assessment, he figures he not only stays alive but lives like an aristocrat and might find something worth selling. Besides which his best friend remains hostage to his successfully completing the assignment.

Alex is warned that the toughest person to persuade that he is real thing is Marston's forceful spouse, Lady Elizabeth. He figures he could fool any female until he meets her. For the first time in his life he wants someone with his soul. However, his passion exposes him, as she knows this fake is a much better lover than Rob ever was. Soon the pretender concocts a plan to keep his beloved safe and free his friend, while restoring his name or dying with honor.

The relationship (between the reforming roguish Alex and the reforming shrewish Elizabeth) makes for a great medieval romance. The final Templar tale (see SINFUL PLEASURES and BEYOND TEMPTATION) is fast-paced once Alex meets Elizabeth and never slows down as he continually goes over his options, which seem to be saving friend vs. his love. Readers will want to know if he chose the lady or the pal; either way he assumes he loses although he underestimates his soulmate.

A Dangerous Beauty
Sophia Nash
Avon
0061231363 $5.99

Following her inappropriate behavior with Lord Sumner ending with her refusal to marry him in spite of their indiscretion on the beach and her father's ire, she settled for a loveless match with a squire. Having barely survived the scandal that shamed her beloved father, Lady Rosamunde Baird vows to avoid any impropriety. When she became a widow, the Dowager Duchess of Helston and her female minion allow her to join their flock for the season; Rosamunde assumes this is easy cover to steer clear of discrediting her family name although her indiscretion eight years ago was with the Helstons.

However, to her chagrin, her dowager hostess has a hunk of a grandson Luc "Lord Fire and Ice" St. Aubyn. His nickname comes from heating the passion of women until he cools them down by leaving them behind. He on the other hand initially assumes she is another of his grandmother's vapid friends until he goes riding with her. As they fall in love, scandal seems on the horizon with the exposure of him as the author of a sarcastic dictionary written under an alias.

The roguish Luc turns this delightful Regency romance into a fast-paced tale as he takes up the challenge of Rosamunde, who goes out of her way to avoid scandal. Once they go riding, he is hooked as she is the best rider regardless of gender he has ever seen. Fans will enjoy his antics as he lives up to the first half of his nickname heating a despairing Rosamunde but finds he does not want to cool their ardor. With Bierce's Devil's Dictionary leading each chapter with fun asides, Sophia Nash provides a lighthearted entertaining historical romance starring two opposites when it comes to scandalous behavior. Sub-genre fans will enjoy this gender war.

Darkhouse
Alex Barclay
Delacorte Books
c/o Bantam Dell Publishing Group
1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036
0385338791 $23.00 1-800-726-0600

As part of official policy following the shooting of a weapon, NYPD police officer Joe Lucchesi goes on leave after he shot and killed kidnapper Donald Riggs, but not before the culprit murdered his victim and her mother. Needing to get away from the city, one year later he takes his wife and their son Shaun to Waterford, Ireland.

However, Shaun's girlfriend vanishes for no apparent reason. Joe assumes Riggs' best friend Duke Rawlins is deeply involved as he believes Katie Lawson was abducted. He explains his theory to the local Garda, but they treat him as if he is a paranoid loose cannon rather than a peer. When they do nothing, Joe begins an investigation that angers the Garda who warn him that he cease and desist or he will be sent home.

This is an interesting relationship drama that includes deep discerning looks at families and at blood pacts that will stun and delight the audience. The story line focuses on how people act with one another as readers see first hand how the Lucchesi family get on with one another and why Rawlins reacts like he does with the death of his best friend Donnie. Fans of character driven cat and mouse thrillers that allow the suspense to simmer will want to read DARKHOUSE.

Still Life with Chickens: Starting Over in a House by the Sea
Catherine Goldhammer
Plume
c/o Penguin Group, USA
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
0452288487 $12.00

In her fifties and beginning to think of what she will do during her golden years, Catherine Goldhammer instead finds herself obtaining a divorce albeit an amiable one from her husband. The immediate impact is being economically poorer and raising their twelve years old daughter by herself. She relocates from affluent suburbia with her offspring to a fixer upper New England cottage that came with six two-day old chicks. Catherine bought the house and the chicks with the former for her and the latter to occupy her daughter. This terrific insightful memoir reflects the year she adjusted all cylinders of her life starting with raising the chickens and renovating a dump that the two female Goldhammers loosely called home. In the process she also repaired a broken psyche. Her fears especially for her daughter, her joy over minuscule successes, and her euphoria that the hard work starting with the bribery chickens that saved her soul make for inspired reading.

A Tale of Two Sisters
Anna Maxted
Plume
0452288517 $14.00

In London the Jewish sisters Lizbet and Cassie Montgomery seem to live reasonably contented lives. The attractive but a bit chubby Lizbet works as a columnist at Ladz Mag and lives with a nice boyfriend, product designer Tim. Glamorous beauty Cassie is a barrister married to BBC production assistant George Hershlag. Both seem contented and have a tight but also tense relationship between them because they always have competed with one another.

Lizbet raises the bar of the sibling rivalry when she informs their parents and her sister that she is pregnant. Whereas Vivica and Dad are euphoric with the thought of a grandchild, Cassie is angry as she has tried futilely for a year; she secretly prays for the worst. Her payers are answered when Lizbet miscarries. While Lizbet is despondent and depressed, Cassie feels guilty so trying to assuage her conscience she tries to be there for her sister.

This is a discerning look at assimilated "Anglicized" Jews with the viewpoint rotated between the two sisters. Both come alive in different ways yet share in common a deep love for one another and at times a deeper sibling rivalry. Lizbet's emotional trauma is much more devastatingly than the series of woes that strike Cassie; her subplot comes across that much stronger too. Chick lit in design, A TALE OF TWO SISTERS is compelling, sad yet amusing look at sisters, rivals hitherto teammates always their for each other.

Blackjack
Lee Singer
Five Star Books
295 Kennedy Memorial Drive, Waterville, ME 04901
1594145970 $25.95 1-800-223-1244

The year is 2066 and the earth is barely populated as a consequence of the biological and viral plagues as well as nukes nearly destroyed the planet. Terrorism got completely out of control and nations tried to throw out the undesirables of a jihad that was answered in kind by the western powers. The United States is desolate with shell points of civilization interspersed with fiefdoms, bandits, and despots.

Rica Marin is a mercenary because she and her grandmother need the money for vaccinations and boosters, so they don't catch a fatal disease lingering from the poison years. Right now her assignment is the country of Sierra; hired by Chief Graybie to investigate the Coleman's owners of the blackjack casino in Tahoe. She finds that the Colemans are better than most people she has had to investigate. They want to consolidate and make their power base larger in a peaceful manner. So people can feel safe and technology will grow in a controlled manner. The problem is Rica is working for the wrong side; the Colemans' enemies are the Scorsia who are mafia types and use mob methods to get what they want. Rica has the alloy the Colemans want but are suspicious of her and deal with the Scorsia patriarch so he doesn't get a chance to succeed in his grab for power.

This is quite a different apocalyptical thriller because it leaves the readers with hope. The human race wasn't totally destroyed and they have the numbers to build a base that is anchored in equally and justice for all instead fear instead of prejudice. Rica is a strong willed woman willing to do more work as long as they fall within her moral compass. The Colemans are benevolent rulers with high ideals who want to protect their country by assimilating smaller weaker neighbors. Lee Singer has written a fascinating and enthralling work that focuses on the characters to deliver a cautionary message.

Remember Me
Sandra L. Tatara
Five Star
1594145822 $26.95

She is only forty years old but Dani Monroe feels life has passed her by. Her husband Brian was in an automobile accident that left home paralyzed and impotent unable to be the kind of husband he once was for her. He withdrew from her and others and although he stays at home, he takes very little part in family life. Their son Trace is going to college and though she is happy for him, she knows her life will become even more sterile.

She buys a horse and gets a new enthusiasm for life. Ray Crawley, a sixty-two old man enters her life and gives her the love and attention she desperately needs. She feels he is her soulmate and with Brian's permission begin a glorious love affair even though she is wracked by guilt because she is caught between two different lives. When Ray disappears due a misunderstanding, Dani falls into a depression that takes months to recover from but then Brian is lost to her forcing her to strengthen her fortitude to go on living and enjoying life once again.

Some novels make an indelible mark on the heart because they are soul rendering poignant; REMEMBER ME is one such book. Readers' hearts will go out to Dani who tries so hard with Brian only to be met with disinterest and avoidance. Her love for Ray and his for her is something that only comes along once in a lifetime and despite the twenty-two year age difference they make a beautiful couple. Readers will run the gamut of emotions from total happiness to intense sorrow as they see deep inside Dani knowing just how she feels.

The Doctor's Daughter
Donna MacQuigg
Five Star
1594145962 $26.95

In 1880 England following the funeral of her daughter, Duchess Katherine Strong informs her obstinate granddaughter Rebeccah Randolph that her mom made one last request before dying. She wanted her two offspring to travel to the New Mexico territory to meet with their father, who deserted them sixteen years ago. Rebeccah's sister Lydia left six months ago to honor her mom's wishes, but she is to leave tomorrow; if she fails to go to America she will be left penniless.

Meanwhile in the New Mexico Territory, veteran Indian fighter Colonel Sayer MacLaren moves his squad into Fort Marcy to quell renegade attacks. He meets the siblings and is attracted to Rebeccah. Her meeting with her father goes reasonably okay until he assigns her to teach the children of Rancho de Gutierrez. As Sayer keeps visiting her and her true love in England fails to reply to her letters, she falls in real love with the Colonel, who begins to believe the Indian raids are not being performed by Indians.

Returning to nineteenth century New Mexico (though a generation later, see THE PRICE OF PRIDE), Donna MacQuigg provides a delightfully entertaining western romance. The lead duet is a terrific pairing as the career soldier and the English lady fall in love although neither initially believes the other is right for them. The colonel's investigation into the attacks is a cleverly designed subplot that augments the prime romantic story line. Sub-genre fans will enjoy this fine historical with its strong blending of romance with a "whodunit".

1634: The Baltic War
Eric Flint and David Weber
Baen
PO Box 1403
Riverdale, NY 10471
141652102X $26.00 1-800-223-2336

The Baltic War, which exploded the continent into two hostile armed camps, last year (see 1633) remains hot. The United States of Europe, allied with the Grantville, West Virginia's transplanted Americans, prepares a counterattack on the League of Ostend allied monarchies (France, Spain, England, and Denmark). The League's rulers fear the democratic wave brought forth by the time traveling Americans, as that would end their privilege and status of power.

Meanwhile Grantville's Admiral Simpson continues to develop ironclad ships to break the naval blockade that the League of Ostend has imposed on the Baltic. Grantville's Mike Stearns begins a rescue of diplomats incarcerated by Charles I in the Tower of London. Rebecca Stearns negotiates with the Prince of Orange and the Spanish Cardinal-Infante to join their side of the conflict. Finally in Copenhagen, POW USE naval officer Eddie Cantrell tries to convince the Danish monarch to pull out of the Ostend alliance even while he flirts with one of the king's offspring. As fronts open seemingly everywhere, Europe remains tied up in the first continent wide war to end all wars.

This is an excellent entry in the Ring of Fire chronicles that specifically follows up on 1633 by the same authors; thus to fully savor the brilliance of Eric Flint and David Weber in this tale, it behooves the audience to read (or re-read) the previous collaboration first. The fast-paced storyline contains several fronts in which the advanced twenty-first technology plays key roles in the war, but it is a psychological and philosophical battle for the minds and hearts of the people that is perhaps more critical to the cause of freedom and democracy. Obviously relevant, with its emphasis to transform Europe from dictatorial monarchies/oligopolies to democratic societies, 1634: BALTIC WAR is one of the best entries in one of the best ever alternate history sagas.

Lucy's Blade
John Lambshead
Baen
1416521216 $24.00

Though they know the consequences of their actions, Court Magician Dr. John Dee, observed by chief spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham and his secretary Simon Tunstall, begins the ritual to summon a demon into the Royal palace while Queen Elizabeth I is in residence. If anything goes wrong they will lose their souls. The plan is to bring forth Lilith using the Necronomicon with a dog to serve as his host on this plane while they interrogate the honest but shrewd demon to learn the identity of who threatens the Queen. The dog will have died once they are finished with and return Lilith back to his plane.

So far so good as Lilith is trapped inside the dying canine until Sir Francis' teenage niece Lucy Dennys rushes into the room to save her dog; Lilith switches hosts. Dee grabs his dagger as he understand what just happened and heads towards Lucy to kill her immediately before it is too late to stop the demon and Lilith takes control of Lucy's body. However, unable to kill her or let anyone else kill her, Sir Francis stops Dee from murdering Lucy although the magic practitioner insists she is no longer is his beloved niece. Centuries into the future London University Professor Alice Harding looks back to the escapades of Lucy the evil slayer.

LUCY'S BLADE is a lighthearted satirical fantasy that contains two rotating story lines from Lucy's adventures under the reign of Elizabeth I to Dr. Alice Harding looking back from her academic perch during the reign of Elizabeth II to Lucy in the sixteenth century. The historical period piece is the more entertaining as Lucy hosting Lilith makes absurd anachronistic sidebars about the present (sixteenth century that is) from the perspective of someone living in the future (our present) looking back. Readers will enjoy the adventures of Lucy the evil slayer but she also affirms the belief that there is still only one Buffy.

Lethally Blond
Kate White
Warner
c/o Grand Central Publishing
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017-0010
0446195561 $24.99 www.amazon.com 1-800-759-0190

In New York City, Buzz weekly celebrity gossip magazine crime reporter Bailey Weggins has become proficient at investigating incidents mostly public temper tantrums by the rich and famous. Recently she has found celebrity crime turning deadly (see OVER HER DEAD BODY and IF LOOKS COULD KILL). Having moved on after being pinked by Gloss magazine, Bailey also moved forward accepting that her heated fling with TV star in Miami Chris Wickersham is long over.

However, when Chris calls saying he is filming in Manhattan, she immediately assumes he wants to reignite the fire. Instead he asks for her help. His friend and fellow actor on TV's hit show The Morgue, Tom Fain, has been missing for about a week and half just when his big break finally occurred; Chris feels Tom would never vanish at this moment although most of the Hollywood crowd and the cops think he bolted. Bailey agrees to investigate the disappearance, not realizing how lethal tailing Tom's trail can turn.

Though lighthearted, the fifth Weggins crime caper is a fine mystery tale starring a likable heroine who is a sort of adult Nancy Drew with hunks in her life. The story line is fun although why Chris would hire a gossip reporter whose job is to write up what she learns about celebrities instead of a professional sleuth is a bit of a mystery although it does enable a romantic subplot to happen. Fans of the series and anyone who appreciates a humorous investigative cozy will want to read Kate White's fast-paced mystery.

The Sisters Mortland
Sally Beauman
Warner
0446696013 $13.99

In 1967 in England, Widow Stella hires artist Lucas Feld to paint a portrait of her daughters the Mortland sisters. His work captures not only their beauty, but the unique personalities of each of the trio. Lucas shows twenty-something Julia the oldest as the haughty ruler of the others; twentyish Finn who is the middle sibling depicted as deeply focused and a bookworm; finally the eccentricity of the youngest thirteen years old Maisie, who hears voices as she can talk with the dead.

Almost three decades later in 1991 Lucas is having a showing of his work with his first masterpiece THE SISTERS MORTLAND as the star attraction. This leads long time family friend Daniel Nunn to need to look into the tragedy associated with the portrait. He knows that THE SISTERS MORTLAND never were the same following that summer when he, his friend Nick Marlow, Lucas and the two older females had a brush with love. He needs to know why the tragedy occurred because he does not comprehend that he is the one that is not the same remaining after all these years obsessed with the siblings and the events of the summer of 67.

This is an interesting English suspense thriller as the audience is hooked wondering just what the tragedy was that destroyed the summer of love. The story line is broken into three narrations. Maisie as the "watcher" of the other five relates what she sees especially when she talks with dead nuns or her late dad. Daniel takes charge in 1991 as he is fixated with a need to know what happened in 1967. Finally Julia provides a coda wrapping up the thriller. Throughout the audience will obsess just like Daniel to know what really occurred. Sally Beauman provides a well written character driven suspense mystery.

Hooked
Matt Richtel
Twelve (Warner)
c/o Grand Central Publishing
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-0010
0446580082 $24.95 www.amazon.com 1-800-759-0190

In a San Francisco Internet cafe, a woman leaves a folded note on the table of writer Nat Idle, who picks it up along with the book he was reading and follows her outside. As she drives away, he opens her note that reads "Get out of the cafe – Now!". A nanosecond later an explosion rocks the cafe.

While everyone in the Marina District think terrorism, Nat thinks Annie as the handwriting is hers. Although she died four years ago when she was swept to sea from her sailboat, he recognizes his late girlfriend's handwriting on the note. HOOKED, as he never moved past Annie's death, Nat begins questioning those who lived. Meanwhile the house of one of those who survived, aspiring author Simon Anderson, catches fire, which increase Nat's theory of a conspiracy but the motive eludes him. He decides to visit Annie's family starting at their questionable business Strawberry Labs where they do a lucrative drug trade that he always wondered if it was legal. Like a bulldog he cannot let go even when attempts on his life occur.

Though the flashbacks to the relationship between Nat and Annie add depth of understanding to his personality, they intrude on a fascinating personal thriller of a man needing to know how his allegedly dead first love leaves him a note that saves his life. The story line is action-packed but owned by Nat's run as he seeks the truth that no one seems to want to let him have. Fans will appreciate Matt Richtel's exciting amateur sleuth thriller starring a seemingly everyman HOOKED with an obsession that propels him to continue in spite of the odds overwhelmingly that at worst he will die while at best he will know nothing.

Volk's Game
Brent Ghelfi
Henry Holt
175 - 5th Avenue, Suite 400, New York, NY 10010-7725
0805082549 $23.00 www.henryholt.com 1-888-330-8477

Alekei "Volk" Volkovoy lost a leg during the Chechnya hostilities. Still in spite of his combat injuries, the Russian works two jobs with lethal efficiency. He is a formidable criminal not to mess with who makes large sums of money in all of the major illegal activities; he is also a covert military operative comfortable with assassination.

In St. Petersburg's renowned Hermitage Museum, Volk's two vocations merge when he learns of an unknown Da Vinci masterpiece hidden underneath the work of some minor leaguer, Pierre Mignard. He recruits the beautiful cold blooded killer Valya to help him steal the Leda and the Swan. Together they begin the quest to purloin the Da Vinci even as another team member makes the mistake of double crossing these two effective killers.

VOLK'S GAME is a delightful over the top antihero thriller that satirizes the James Bond tales using stereotypes to lampoon 007 and other super agents of a like ilk. The story line starts at hyperspeed and keeps accelerating until the final bloody confrontation. Volk is a fascinating lead character who is not admirable yet readers will enjoy his escapades especially when he goes on an avenging rampage. Not for everyone, fans who enjoy the antics of a kick butt macho rogue, perhaps thug might better describe him, will want to tour Russia's underbelly with Volk as a guide to the seamier side of life.

Havana Blue
Leonardo Padura
Bitter Lemon
1904738222 $14.95

Havana police lieutenant Mario Conde enjoyed the New Year's Eve celebration but he drank too much as he expected the day off to recover. Instead in spite of a four poster headache, his superior calls to tell him that Ministry for Industry official and party VIP Rafael Morin Rodriguez vanished.

Mario knew Rafael and the man's wife Tamara when the trio attended high school together and the cop was in unrequited puppy love for her. Hangover aside, Mario interviews Tamara, who offers nothing about what happened or why; instead she insists her loving spouse is an honest civil servant working for the benefit of the people. Although he prefers otherwise, Mario assumes either Rafael is dead or fled before a scandal destroyed him; either way the case has political ramifications that he knows he must gingerly walk carefully. However, the biggest issue in Mario's mind is not those looking at his every step in the investigation, but that the prime suspect is Tamara, who he still wants.

The third colorful Havana police procedural (see HAVANA BLACK and HAVANA RED) is a terrific whodunit starring a likable dedicated cop trying to investigate a maybe crime in a totalitarian society where he can easily follow a clue across a forbidden zone. Mario's investigation is top rate as he struggles with his feelings for the prime suspect and has even more trouble dealing with officialdom as the potential victim is a highly ranked bureaucrat. Readers will appreciate Leonardo Padura's tense Cuban mystery starring a great detective in a superior tale.

Love Me If You Must
Nicole Young
Revell
0800731573 $13.99

Patricia "Tish" Amble fixes up dilapidated old houses to sell. Her latest "Bring it back to life" project is a rundown Victorian in Rawlings, Michigan that she feels would make a perfect setting for Halloween. She figures this one will take a year or two, but once done should make a nice profit so she buys the house and moves in to begin renovating the fixer-upper.

However, this particular house seems different than those she has fixed and sold. Her neighbor David Ramsey jokingly warns her of ghosts residing in her new abode. Soon after David leaves she meets police officer Brad Walters, another neighbor. However, instead of spirits Tish finds proof that a crime occurred there but soon begins hearing whispers with no one nearby. When a corpse shows up, Tish is the prime suspect mostly because of her dark past and opportunity so she investigates not understanding that someone has a reason to keep the truth hidden.

The first Tish Amble whodunit is a fun suspenseful amateur sleuth tale in which the heroine insists there is no such thing as a ghost even as evidence affirms the opposite theory. The story line is fast-paced with the mystery and two men vying for Tish's attention. Although Nicole Young waits to long to explain what Tish's dark secret is as that is why she is in trouble, fans will enjoy this fine investigative thriller starring a fixer-upper extraordinaire needing to fix a murder mystery before she finds prison as her next home.

Blameless
Thom Lemmons
WaterBrook
c/o Random House Trade Group Publicity, 1745 Broadway, 17th floor
New York, NY 10019
1400071747 $12.99 www.randomhouse.com 1-800-726-0600

Dean of the colleges Arts and Humanities, divorced Dr. Alexis Hartnett is a take charge person who never shows emotion. Divorced Professor Joseph Barnes is a highly regarded teacher in spite of his cynical outlook. This pair could never find an attraction at least on the surface, but they do. Meanwhile Alexis office assistant Lucy Conn is upset with her boss for neglecting her duties while pining over Joe; Lucy is a minority of one who loathes Joe.

Lucy concludes that Joe has dark secrets that he prefers hidden, but she will learn them and expose him. Meanwhile Joe works on a Hawthorne paper that parallels his precarious position at the school. He is falling in love with his superior, but knows nothing will come of it as he would have to reveal his sordid past to her. Alexis reciprocates in every way including fear of testing love as she has ghosts too that she hides, but mostly worries that the new professor, after a great start, is beginning to fail at the job.

The cautious relationship between the two middle age educators is cleverly developed so that the audience understands why each hesitates when it comes to love. The contemporary tale links to biblical Job and more so Hawthorne is brilliantly interwoven into the solid inspirational story line as Joe especially learns losing all is not necessarily the end because starting fresh might lead to something better and more meaningful. Although the key element leading to exposing Joe is Lucy detests him; yet her obsessive need to investigate the object of her hatred never comes across as plausible since readers never learn why she is so fixated on destroying him. Inspirational readers will enjoy Thom Lemmons insightful tale.

Like Always
Robert Elmer
Waterbrook
1400071658 $12.99

The Sullivan family is elated because twenty years old Airman First Class Michael is coming home from being stationed in Iraq. His parents Will and Merit have prayed every day for his safe return and that of his unit too. His younger sisters Olivia and Abby are just as euphoric as their parents. However, the reunion is somewhat marred by Michael's girlfriend not showing up as she Dear John dumped him.

Meanwhile Will and Merit decide to follow a dream by relocating from California to Idaho where they buy a run down lake resort that they know they will have to put in a lot of work to restore. To their shock, fear and joy, forty-four years old Merit is pregnant. However, soon the family will face the greatest threat to their belief in God as Merit has an extremely difficult choice to make.

The five Sullivans come across as full blooded different individuals with varying desires and needs. However, the tale is owned by Merit who faces a terrible dilemma that shakes to the core her belief in God's ways and even more so that of her husband and three offspring. Readers will appreciate Robert Elmer's deep inspirational family drama starring an interesting individual whose decision displays the core of her faith.

These Boots Weren't Made for Walking
Melody Carlson
Waterbrook
1400073138 $13.99

Thirty-one years old Cassidy Cantrell believes this is the week she visited hell without leaving her hometown of Seattle. After just after spending a fortune on designer boots at exclusive Martolli's to enhance her image at work and insure she receives the promotion she expects, her boss informs her that they are downsizing her and a few others; in other words she is fired. Eric, her boyfriend of three years, whom she blames for a recent weight gain as she frets he will never commit to her, abruptly dumps her.

Despondent and broke, Cassidy breaks the two commandants of single swingers: thou shall not eat junk food and thou shall not move back in her mother's home in Black Bear. However, mom is very different than when Cassidy left. Back then she was devastated by her husband tossing her aside for a younger chick breaking the first commandment of single swingers; now she has done a complete makeover; she looks great not just as a fifty-five year old as she dates men Cassidy's age. Cassidy can take a page out of mom's new book or continue to follow mom's previous tale of woe.

This is an interesting character study of a young woman who goes from all glitter to depressed slob to a full caring well-rounded person. This Christian chick lit story line is fun to follow due to Cassidy who serves as an inspiration for the audience once she gets past her doldrums and begins to reassert herself; her faith is not in your face so that her beliefs enhance the plot. Although the plot has been used countless times since Methuselah was a kid, readers will enjoy Cassidy's reusing of her glamour boots not meant for walking.

Leaper: The Misadventures of a Not-Necessarily-Super Hero
Geoffrey Wood
WaterBrook
140007343X $13.99

Thirtyish recently divorced James is undergoing acupuncture when he thinks of his ex-wife's latest demand of him. Meg wants him to return her cutting board to her. He suddenly realizes where it is: in her garage. In a blink or a leap he finds himself naked except for acupuncture pins and a towel inside the family garage now owned by Meg. He lives in affluent poverty except for caffeine as he is a barista at Starbucks.

When he leaps again, he begins to wonder about the source of his sudden skills especially whether it is divine or devilish; he knows what Meg would say. He grew up on comic books wearing superhero costumes so he ponders how he would look in tights and a cape. However, leaping without notice causes problems as soon he is fired for disappearing on the job, kicked out of his apartment for disturbing the neighbors with his abrupt comings and goings at all hours, and loses his potential girlfriend Monica Oates who thinks he is crazier than her family. All James wants is to go back to his normal caffeine impoverished existence before anymore misadventures at inopportune moments occur.

This is a terrific inspirational tale that satirizes superheroes with amusing odd sidebars that leave James embarrassed and wondering why God picked him to have this power (Jonah of the whale fame). The story line is lighthearted leaps of action in which the superhero ends up in several humiliating situations as he leaps in and out of trouble. Geoffrey Wood has a refreshing unique style that proves there is plenty of room for creativity inside the Christian thriller tent.

The Serpent Bride
Sara Douglass
Eos
c/o Morrow & Company
10 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022
0060882131 $26.95 1-800-242-7737

The land is being torn apart by men and their penchant for war; that need is further fostered by evil Kanubai or Chaos as he was called in an earlier epoch. Imprisoned deep within the earth, Kanubai begins his way to the surface abetted by the Dark Glass Mountain, who may be more malevolent than Chaos ever was. His enemies, Light and Waterr have taken the form of mortal men; Light of Lister sometimes appears as a frog while Water prefers the mortal form of Isaiah, but also appears as as a serpent to his followers. In their way, they prepare for the upcoming war.

Lady Ishbel Brunelle the archpriestess of the Coil is visited by the Serpent God and told she must marry King Maximilian Persimius of Escator. Although she detests the order, she acquiesces to his decree unlike Maximillan, who is euphoric that Ishbel is his bride. However, someone influenced by Kanubai's thoughts kidnaps Ishbel because Chaos needs her and her unborn child to return to earth. Maximillan vows to find her, but begins to understand that though he is a monarch and she a high priestess, they are pawns in the upcoming war of the gods.

This is book one of the Darkglass Mountain saga, but takes place five years after the sinking of the Tencender and the near extinction of the Icaii race. The SunSoar, Axis and his father StarDrifter, are alive and destined to play major roles in world events. As always in a Sara Douglass fantasy, there is a cast of hundreds with multiple simultaneous plot lines that interweave; however, the star though she is the courageous victim Ishbel, plaything of the gods. THE SERPENT BRIDE is high epic fantasy that will fascinate fans of Ms. Douglass' Wayfarer Redemption Tales as new escapades have begun.

The Margarets
Sheri S. Tepper
Eos
0061170658 $26.00

Margaret Bain lived on Phobos where she was the only child. As lonely children do she created imaginary playmates including a warrior, a healer, a telepath, a linguist, a queen and a spy who had different names and lived on different worlds. At the age of nine one of her imaginary selves split off; Wilvia meets her future husband Prince Jozire. At twelve, she is on earth and is granted a water ration while another one of her imaginary splits off is not granted a water ration. She becomes the foster daughter of the being known as the Gardener on another planet.

At twenty-two another split occurs and on Margaret is a bond slave. Another Margaret marries the man who loves her and goes to the colony world Bright. One Margaret is a shaman while the lone male of the split becomes a warrior. Yet anther Margaret becomes a shaman and two Margarets become bond slaves on different worlds. Different ages and different life experiences go into the making of the Margarets who are the only chance of saving human life from those who openly and covertly try to destroy it. If they fail in their mission it means the withdrawal of help from the races who want humanity to have a chance and the race trying to restore a barren earth. Water is in very short supply so one races sells the people of Earth water in exchange for getting humans as bond slaves.

Sherri S. Tepper has written a fantastic science fiction novel filled with various races inhabiting various orbs in the universe connected by wormholes. These races and places are detailed so that the reader feels like they actually see the worlds and meets these races. The various Margarets have some things in common like bravery, fortitude and the ability to survive in less than ideal conditions. Mesmerizing and enthralling, THE MARGARETS are a sci fi mystery that the readers will want to solve.

The New Space Opera
Gardner Dozois (editor) and Jonathan Strahan (editor)
Eos
0060846755 $15.95

In the Introduction to this anthology consisting of eighteen original contributions, the definition of the space opera subplot is discussed with various sources like the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, the New Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (Jack Williamson contribution), and Locus (Paul McAuley article) defining it. Each has similarities yet differences, but this strong anthology summarizes space operas as "romantic adventure set in space and told on a grand scale". Thus there is plenty of room for a myriad of tales with the vastness of space and the subjective definition of grand. This is exactly what the audience receives in this superb compilation as the authors using their own personal definition of space opera to provide excellent tales differing in locale, scope, and supporting scientific theory. Even the tones are dissimilar as some are life and death struggles to survive a dying system ("Verthandi's Ring" by Ian McDonald) or a war (Greg Egan's "Glory") vs. an amusing Poe play on Mars ("Maelstrom" by Kage Baker). The role of earthlings also varies from the conquered to the conqueror. The bottom line is editors Gardner Dozois and Jonathan Strahan and their eighteen authors provide the grand tour of space with strong characterizations starring in short stories written on a grand scale.

Laced
Carol Higgins Clark
Scribner
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
0743289439 $24.00 1-800-223-2336

Just married private investigator Regan and NYPD Major Case Squad Chief Detective Jack Reilly leave the Big Apple to honeymoon in Ireland with their prime stay at romantic Hennessey Castle. Near their honeymoon lodgings, they spot an old cemetery and stop to look around; the first gravestone they see is marked REILLY. The pair writes it off as an odd coincidence especially since he has family all over the Emerald Isle. They learn that lace-maker May Reilly died in 1822 with one of her delicate lovely items, a tablecloth used for special occasions at the castle. Locals insist May Reilly haunts Hennessey because she never was paid for that beautiful masterpiece.

Not long afterward, Regan swears she seen a woman on the grounds of the castle, who vanished into thin air in a nanosecond. Almost immediately afterward a fire breaks out followed by the Reilly tablecloth apparently stolen by Jane and John Doe, who ridicule Jack for not recognizing them as jewel thieves he has been after for quite a while. With Regan at his side and his Irish Reilly relatives assisting him, Jack gives chase although he knows he is an ocean away from his jurisdiction.

Readers will enjoy the often amusing honeymoon of Regan and Jack as they engage in a couple of lighthearted mysteries both laced to the tablecloth. The story line is a fast-paced Irish cozy (even if the stars are New Yorkers) as the heroes give chase trying to catch a couple of clever thieves. Fans of the Regan Reilly series will appreciate her mysterious honeymoon as she begins her HITCHED life with Reilly.

A Fall from Grace
Robert Barnard
Scribner
074327220X $24.00

Inspector Charlie Peace and his pregnant wife Felicity leave London for nearby Slepton Edge so that their children can be raised in a safe harmonies atmosphere. To Felicity's chagrin, her narcissistic romance writer Rupert Coggenhoe joins them allegedly to be near his future grandchild; though his daughter doubts his seemingly pure motive. She and her spouse soon learn the truth why Rupert chose to rusticate in suburbia as rumors abound of an illicit relationship from his hedonistic past that is about to explode back in London.

Though wary of her dad, Felicity believes he would never harm her, her unborn or her husband; his sin is that of a selfish egomaniac. Rupert needs diversion and finds it with sexy, scheming teenage Anne Michaels, who enjoys blackmail and aggravating outsiders of her drama club of teen felons. Murder shakes up the new and old townsfolk; Charlie unofficially investigates since his father-in-law who teamed up with his "Lolita" is a prime suspect.

In his eighth police procedural (though FALL FROM GRACE is not an official police procedural, Charlie seeks peace at home as his wife struggles with her father moving into suburbia with them. The story line is fast-paced with a fascinating look at the not so innocence of children who can prove quite destructive. Although the key bus scene puts somewhat a brake on this fine thriller Charlie's investigation into uncovering a killer while he learns more (probably than he wants) about his wife and father-in-law and that makes for a delightful caper.

Origin
Diana Abu-Jaber
W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10110
0393064557 $23.95 www.wwnorton.com 1-800-233-4830

In Syracuse, New York grieving mother Erin Cogan somehow got past the Wardell Center for Forensic Sciences guards to reach crime lab technician fingerprint examiner Lena Dawson. The obviously upset intruder pleads with Erin to look into her baby's death; officially from sudden infant death syndrome. The distraught mom swears her six month old child Matthew did not die from SIDS. While police officer Ed Welmore escorts Lena from the building, Erin looks at the Dawson file, which reads classic SIDS.

Lena prefers cases involving loss, hurt or damaged children, which is probably associated with her own murky orphaned early childhood. However, although a loner, Lena follows her intuition, which leads her to take a glance at recent SIDS cases; that in turn sends alarms in her stunned mind when she sees how much an outlier Syracuse has recently become compared to the national average and the city's trends. She begins to wonder if perhaps the near hysterical mother might be right that there is something more humanly sinister than SIDS at work here; something tied back to her own miraculous infant survival when the odds of her living was zero.

Lena makes the tale as she has a ton of psychosis yet needs to know the truth about herself and the sudden spike in SIDS cases. The story line has plenty of action, but is fully driven by Lena, who refuses to quit on either of her quests although mentally she knows her precarious hold on sanity is slipping. Her tentative romance with a detective and her former' spouses need to keep her safe enhance the look at this unlikely heroine. Besides a deep look at SIDS and somewhat other causes of infant mortalities (shockingly America ranks 42nd in the world when it comes to infant mortality rate; a worse placement than Cuba), ORIGIN is a strong well written police investigative thriller.

The Marriage Game
Fern Michaels
Pocket Books
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 13th fl., New York, NY 10020
0743477456 $25.00 1-800-223-2336 www.simonsays.com

Samantha Rainford enjoyed her three week honeymoon with the man she thought she loved Douglas Rainford. However, when she came home one day she found divorce papers. His lawyer the wormy Mr. Pritzi of Pritzi, Pritzi, Pritzi and Pritzi offers her a $5,000 check as stipulated in the prenup. She tells him to tell Douglas where he can place his money even as she learns she is at least wife number four.

Sam after consulting with her best friend Slick joins the FBI, but eight months later flunks out of their academy. Instead of whining she decides it is time to get back at that rat Douglas so she and Slick attend a privately sponsored training center where she meets former CIA covert operative turned civilian instructor Kollar "Pappy" Havapopulas. They want one another but first she must complete her mission to make Rainford pay. She successfully finds the other members of the Rainford ex-wives club and recruits them in a scheme to bring heartbreak and financial ruin to Rainford.

This is a fun lighthearted comedic contemporary romance that takes a humorous page from the movie The First Wives' Club although the outcome is as unrealistic. The story line is driven by Sam as she trains for her quest and goes about trying to achieve her goal while also falling in love with Pappy. Though the architect, the plumber, and the cartoon artist are more caricatures adding eccentric humor than development unlike the fourth wife, readers will enjoy Fern Michaels' amusing take on THE MARRIAGE GAME.

One for Sorrow, Two for Joy
Elise Juska
Pocket
1416516921 $14.00

Former etymology graduate student Claire tells her spouse Bob, an entomology professor that she is leaving him. Ever logical he asks her where she will go if she leaves their New Hampshire home. Married two years she leaves her ring behind as she tells him she does not know yet but will inform him once she does.

She reflects back to when they met when both were in graduate school. She saw him "talking" to a caterpillar. They began to date and when he was offered a teaching position in New Hampshire, she stopped writing her PH.D in linguistics to marry and join him. Since she stopped going to school Claire has felt useless and does not fit in with the other spouses of professors.

Claire calls her younger sister Noelle in Ireland informing her she left Paul. Noelle says she is surprised that Claire showed the guts and invites her to spend time with her and her boyfriend. Claire reflects on how the two sisters have seen each other twice in two years, at her wedding to Bob and at their mom's funeral. Claire accepts the invitation and leaves Bob a message. Now the two sisters try to reconcile the split caused by mom favoring Noelle and dad defending Claire.

The key to this fine family drama is the changing relationship between the two sisters. The lead protagonist struggles with finding her place in life. This is handled deftly through present incidents and flashbacks although why Claire stopped working on her dissertation is unclear as school was her life before Bob. The dysfunctional family that the siblings were raised in allied each to a differing parent, which adds depth to the heroine's present day problems. Fans of a deep character study starring an adult coming of age protagonist will enjoy Elise Juska's fine look at Claire seeking something of substance even if it means sleeping alone.

Midnight Brunch
Marta Acosta
Pocket
1416520392 $14.00

In California wannabe writer Milagro de los Santos has moved into the ranch house of her beloved plastic surgeon Dr. Oswald Grant in spite of his family's delicate condition; Oswald and the rest of the Grants suffer from "genetic autosomal recessive disorder" also called vampirism. Besides Oswald, Milagro and his grandmother seem to get along so she feels more like a princess.

However word of a purebred human living and loving their son has staked horror into the hearts of Oswald's concerned parents. They arrive for a clan naming ceremony as well as to drive out the evil human. They exclude Milagro from attending a family rite involving a midnight blood curdling ceremony for his cousin's newborn. When Oswald leaves on a medical mission, two other vampires Willem Dunlop and Silas, decide they need a human sacrifice to launch the Project for a New Vampire Century; Milagro as a vampire lover is perfect.

The sequel to HAPPY HOUR AT CASA DRACULA is a delightful satire that lampoons the vampire romance sub-genre. Milagro is wonderful with her hot saucy observations on life and death amidst the vampire horde. Fans will enjoy her latest zany escapades as she tries to stay one bite away from the screaming mob.

If You Desire
Kresley Cole
Pocket
1416503609 $6.99

After a decade on the job by 1856 Hugh MacCarrick is considered by his superior Lord Weyland as the perfect assassin; dangerous situations do not faze him because he has been cursed; his affliction is compounded because he loves Jane, the daughter of his boss unattainable to a MacCarrick, who are cursed "to walk with death or walk alone". Thus he expects something bad to eventually happen to him anyway so he takes risks that no one else would contemplate.

However, daring Hugh is not prepared for his latest assignment. Lord Weyland asks Hugh to come home from the continent to keep his daughter Jane safe as he believes a former agent turned rogue Davis Grey plans to kill her. Although he has always loved her, Hugh knows she and the other Weyland eight are women he can never have especially now that he is a hardened killer. Once the threat is neutralized, he will leave. However, Jane will not let him go this time; her plan is to seduce her beloved so that he will never leave her again as she believes together they can prevent the curse from happening.

The second MacCarrick Victorian romantic suspense (see IF YOU DARE) is a fabulous thriller that grips readers from the onset as the hero lives life over the edge because he expects the ancient curse to destroy him; he believes. Jane is a terrific counterpart to Hugh because she refuses to back down when she must choose between transferring the curse to her and giving up on her beloved. Without love, she feels she has nothing at all (hopefully Tom Jones the singer will not mind my paraphrasing).

The Perils of Pursuing the Prince
Julia London
Pocket
1416516166 $6.99

In 1820, London aristocrat Greer Fairchild learns of an inheritance that might not exist at all in Llanmair, Wales so since she desperately needs the money and wants to avoid selling out to the highest bidder in unholy matrimony, she leaves town to collect what she prays is legally hers. On her trek into the wilderness, another passenger Owen Percy tells her horrifying tales about the murderous Lord Rhodrick "Prince of Prowys" Glendower, who apparently controls her maybe inheritance.

Upon arrive at the Welsh Earl's estate Radnor, Greer finds much of what Owen told her seems true as the rude Rhodrick not only demands proof from her, he incarcerates her while she sends back to her solicitor in London for the corroboration of her story. Worried for his traveling companion Owen tries to get help. However, in the meantime, as she gets to know her host better and he his guest, Rhodrick and Greer in between battles fall in love. However, a new mystery occupies her thoughts as much as he does; she needs to know about the portrait of her mother in his castle while he needs to uncover the identity of the true killer who ravaged his reputation.

The second Desperate Debutante Regency romance (see HAZARDS OF HUNTING A DUKE) is a refreshing tale due to the location, an amateur sleuth murder investigation, and a ghost with two missions. Although the lead couple comes out of the sub-genre handbook with he being arrogant and she being obstinately courageous, readers will take immense delight with the gender war between the daring deb and the pugnacious prince.

Are You Scared Yet?
Hunter Morgan
Zebra
0821779451 $6.99

In southern Delaware, the small town of Stephen Kill is usually a quiet place and very little crime occurs there. It is mostly from domestics or drunk and disorderly conducts. There was a serial killer who worked her trade in the town last year but she was found in large part due to detective Delilah Swift. She comes from the south and has a relationship with Chief Snowden Calloway although there are two problems working against it: his biracial background that he family would condemn and he is her superior which is against the rules.

When a young man disappears, his parents are frantic because he is a good person who would never do anything to worry them. His car with the cell phone and wallet on the seat is found; a few days later his body is found in the same pond where last year's serial killer drowned. Several other women disappear. Their cars and bodies found in the same way. Snowden and Delilah know they have another serial killing on their hands. The culprit believes in providing a service to people by killing these sinners and hopes one day to obtain Delilah's approval.

Hunter Morgan has written another exciting thriller that sends chills up and down the readers' spines because almost anyone could be kidnapped and killed. The heroine is a multi-dimensional character who deals with several problems at once and like normal people, not all of them she handles successfully. Though the probability of two serial killers working Stephen Kill seems overwhelmingly unlikely, readers will believe in the validity of these murders. ARE YOU SCARED YET is a must read for reader who love romantic suspense police procedurals with the accent on the investigation.

Highland Savage
Hannah Howell
Zebra
0821779990 $6.99

In 1481 Scotland Lucas Murray knows he is fortunate to be alive as the beating and subsequent fall off the cliff should have killed him. As he slowly mends his body, his mind remains focused on one thing: killing Katerina of Dunlochan, who he believes arranged to have him dead.

After months of physically recovering, Lucas is ready to destroy Kat. However, he is stunned to learn she is dead until he learns she died from falling off the same cliff that nearly took his life. He knows something is amiss so he searches for Kat who saw him die. When he finds her in exile, she explains that her half-sister Agnes and her lover Ranald control Dunlochan. They are devastating everything and everyone and plan to finish it off by murdering Kat and Lucas.

The latest Murray historical romantic suspense (see Lucas' twin in HIGHLAND BARBARIAN) is an exhilarating thriller that grips the audience once Lucas and Kat realize the reported death of the other was a Twain exaggeration. The story line is action-packed as Kat and Lucas plot to defeat their adversaries while also falling in love with one another although the romance seems a bit intrusive on the prime theme of the heroes defeating the stereotypical odious nasty usurpers. Still fifteenth century Scottish romance fans will enjoy Hannah Howell's Highland historical.

Gideon: The Nightwalkers
Jacquelyn Frank
Zebra
0821780662 $6.99

Most humans are unaware that the Nightwalker races co-exist. One of these species is Demons, but they are not minions of Satan; instead they are beautiful people who live for ages. The only times they are transformed into looking like the demons described by humans are when Necromancers, practitioners of dark magic, Summon them into a magical pentagon to bind and use them at will.

The demons are currently worried about the necromancers because for the first time in over a century a successful Summoning occurred. The Demon King's sister Magdalena is staying with the half druid half human Bella, who is about to give birth to a demon child with Jacob whom she recently saved. Lena has her romantic notions targeting the millennium old healer Gideon as she wants the same relationship that Belle and Jacob have. Someone tries to kill Bella and her unborn. The Demons with some allies fight to the death to save the half-druid who was kidnapped.

What Anne Rice has done for vampires, Jacquelyn Frank is doing for demons as she combines plenty of supernatural action with steamy supernatural sex scenes. Romantic fantasy readers will enjoy Gideon, a demon in denial about his feelings. However, the key to this tale and the demon saga is the structural society with customs and rules that enable the audience to frankly believe Demons exist as envisioned by the author. With a strong secondary cast enhancing the exciting plot that focuses on Gideon and Magdalena, fans will root for the latter to gain her heart's desire.

Wolf River
Jill Gregory
Bantam Dell Publishing Group
1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036
0440243041 $6.99 www.randomhouse.com 1-800-726-0600

When she was eighteen Erinn Winters fled her home to escape her abusive father. She became a renowned children's author, but the fame cannot erase the guilt of leaving her younger half sister Devon behind in that monster's household. When she learns her dad is dead, Erinn leaves New York City to begin a quest to reconnect with Devon.

She hires Wayne Cordovan of Cordovan-Smith Securities and Investigations. He succeeds in locating her sibling in Wolf River, Montana. Erinn goes west to see her younger sibling, but Devon rejects her older sister's offer to care for her in New York; having not forgiven her for leaving her behind with their brutal father. However, Erinn refuses to walk away this time as she sees the fear in her sister's eyes that she remembers from when she lived at home. She worries that Devon has moved into an abusive relationship with Hank Wheeler so she rents a cabin from rancher Jace Fortune. Although he vowed never to marry again after a horrendous marriage, Jace is falling in love with his renter and her with him. However, someone is trying to destroy the Fortune Ranch and is willing to commit murder to succeed; Erinn believes it is Hank and his older brother Mick who both work at another ranch although she admits to herself she may be accusing the duo out of her fears for Devon.

WOLF RIVER is an enjoyable Big Sky ranch romantic suspense that sub-genre fans will appreciate. The story line is driven by a strong cast especially Erinn who desperately wants to do the right thing for his sister that she could not have done in the past. Although her paranormal visions add depth, they feel somewhat out of place inside a fabulous family drama starring two strong lead characters and full blooded secondary players adding depth to the tale.

BSI Starside: Death Sentence
Roger MacBride Allen
Bantam
0553587277 $6.99

The Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) located on the planet Center has just recovered their spaceship The Adler and the body of their missing twenty-five year old agent Trevor Wilcox after having been missing for six months. Wilcox died of old age and nobody has an explanation for that. He was on a courier mission to Metran to collect a document to bring back to the BSI diplomatic office.

The powers that be have found the file but it is encrypted and they don't know where Trevor hid the key to decrypt it. The document is designated Won-Starter which means something catastrophic could happen to humans or another race. Agents Jamie Mendez and Hannah Wolfson are sent to Metran to search for the key, but the planet is on the verge of revolution. It has one of the shortest lived species in the universe but one of its citizens had found a way to extend their life span. The file, which is only the one in existence, tells how to do it but the leaders fear change and the general population has started rioting to make the research available so their lives could be extended. The two agents also have to deal with a psychotic member of the Xenoatrics, the Unseen Race who is working against the Metran race and the humans to protect their planetary side Enclave, which means killing anyone who can decrypt the file.

BSI STARSIDE: DEATH SENTENCE is space opera at its finest especially the futuristic space chases where it looks like the human agents and their ship will be destroyed. Readers will empathize with the Metran people who want to live longer than their forty years but their leaders fear change so much that they will risk a collapse of their civilization rather than help the agents find the key. Jamie and Hannah get a deep look at the Metran culture when they are on the planet and so does the reader.

White Corridor
Christopher Fowler
Bantam
0553804502 $24.00

Although Raymond Lind is technically the head of the British Peculiar Crime Unit, Arthur Bryant and John May, creators of the PCU actually run it. After decades of always being open for business, Raymond partially closes the unit down for a few days while Bryant and May head to a spiritualist's convention only to be trapped by a snowstorm in Dartmoor.

Also on the same snowbound road are Madeline Gilby and her son, who are running from Johann Bellocq traveling the same route; she met Johann in France and they made love, but afterward he confessed that he killed his mother. Madeline believes he has killed others too and stolen their identities. He also informed her that he murdered the man whose house they were in when they made love. Madeline meets the detectives who pledge to keep her and her son safe. At the same the two stranded sleuths try to assist the PCU by cell phone with a murder case. A pathologist in a locked autopsy room surrounded only by the dead was killed; only four PCU staffers had the key. If not resolved immediately, PCU could be in trouble as a VIP is coming on an inspection visit.

This is an entertaining, twisting and exciting police procedural that occurs during a terrible blizzard that has paralyzed much of England. The heroic detectives are past the age of retirement so they depend even more so on their mental acumen and experience rather than brawn as some of their younger peers might. The two cases are tied together by the stranded pair as they seek to keep a mother and child safe from a diabolical killer while also trying to solve from a distant remote site a wonderfully executed locked room case. As always rules are meant for others when Bryant and May are on the job.

Face of Death
Cody McFadyen
Bantam
0553804669 $24.00

In Canoga Park, California, sixteen year old Sarah Kingsley has blood all over herself. Inside her home is a massacre with three dead naked people lying in a bed in the master room. The distraught teen sits amongst them holding a gun to her head and insisting she will only speak to FBI Special Agent Smoky Barrett, chief of the four person violent crimes unit in Los Angeles; Sarah read that Smoky lost everything she cherishes so would understand her. If her demand is not met, she will kill herself.

Sarah tells Smoky that "The Stranger", killed her adoptive family, as he has done with anyone she has gotten close to throughout her life. With the girl sounding sincere especially in her diary and after the Jack, Jr. Ripper case (see SHADOW MAN) Smoky believes Sarah is telling the truth as she thinks the Stranger exists and is trying to manipulate Sarah into something but the cop is not sure what. As she and her team investigate, she thinks of her late child and her newly adopted daughter as the impetus to stop the Stranger from further murders.

From the moment Smoky "negotiates" with Sarah to the final confrontation five days later, this exciting thriller grips the audience who at times wonder if the Stranger exists. The action-packed story line is fast-paced, but belongs to the key trio. Smoky contemplates a job offer at Quantico that will allow her she thinks to run from her demons while everyone ponders if she lost it as the evidence of a Stranger is based solely on Sarah's belief. Sarah is a fascinating teen who has seen so much horror in her life, she knows nothing else. Finally, the Stranger takes on mythical proportions as readers see him through Sarah's frightened eyes. Though the motives for the homicides are over the top, FBI crime thriller fans will enjoy Smoky and the killing bandit.

Outrageous Fortune
Tim Scott
Bantam
0553384406 $12.00

Custom made dream designer Jonny X67 comes home from work only to find his house gone and a business card in its place. The thief apparently left him a sympathetic note: "Don't you hate it when this happens" and a phone number. The empathic cop informs Mr. X that since he had not seen a psychiatrist lately, he will wear an Odysseus Hat to insure health and safety; X knows that cannot include him as part of health and safety.

The dream architect figures nothing could get worse, but a motorcycle gang try to kill him as a test run of their strategic objective to kill God. More assaults occur with the worst being Caroline E61, a tenacious angel, using a helicopter to come from heaven demanding he buy her encyclopedia. Feeling like Job from biblical fame, X wonders why him and soon begins to postulate that his work on the Dream Virus Project to link dreams to DNA is the answer, but he needs to know how to extract himself with Big Brother watching him and the forces of good and evil ganging up on him but that remains just outside his scope.

OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE paints a zany future as Tim Scott brings humor and more darkness to Orwell's bleak future. The story line is fast-paced from the moment Mr. X deals with the bureaucracy following the theft of his house. The tale never slows down until the final delightful somewhat rushed twist. Fans of wild witty satires will appreciate this amusing futuristic spin.

The Wedding Offic

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