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5 | One of the best of 2016! | One of the best books I've read in 2016! Lush descriptions of settings, characters who completely involve the reader, and a story with the twists and turns that keep interest high and pages turning. It is impossible not to feel the despair of 15-year-old Clare, whose life has left her alone and without any parental s... | [] | 0345547896 | 0345547896 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,469,214,356,000 | 1 | false |
4 | A great romp with Lizzie Borden, et al! | My first Walter Satterwaite - so I entered his realm with no background knowledge of the famous Lizzie Borden and how she is resurrected to become a solver of mysteries in both "Miss Lizzie" and in "New York Nocturne". I thought she was found guilty of murdering her parents - so had to google to set my... | [] | 1504028120 | 1504028120 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,468,854,526,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Glory days of Houston Society - y'all come! | Being a Texan, I came to reading this book with more than just an interest in the story summary - I had endured some of the slings and arrows of growing up Texan. I think there's a River Oaks society in every Texas city of size - a culture of being more and having more than everyone else - but they only flaunt it wit... | [] | 1594633169 | 1594633169 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,468,252,048,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Totally engrossing - a great read! | What could be more intriguing than an insane asylum, housed in an old estate on the Yorkshire moors - circa 1911? The author makes it so easy to gain a strong vision of the vast acreage, farmed and maintained by the inmates (only the males). The administration takes great pride in the self-sufficiency of the asylum -... | [] | 0812995155 | 0812995155 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,467,902,804,000 | 1 | false |
5 | A five-star read - I couldn't put it down! | Author Balson is destined to be the king of putting all the complicated pieces together, seemingly effortlessly, to create a read that is fascinating to the last page. This is a book I carried with me, grabbing every opportunity to read - I got really irritated in the doctor's office when my usual twenty minute wait w... | [] | 1250065852 | 1250065852 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,467,566,164,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Tough subject: some disappointments, some satisfactions. | This is a tough novel to review, aside from the fact that it deals with the tough subject of molestation of a young teenager by a mother's boyfriend, Craig. We're not talking about several groping incidents or a rape - we're dealing with an obsessive relationship between a very young girl and a power-hungry, manipulati... | [] | 0385540876 | 0385540876 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,467,054,934,000 | 4 | false |
4 | The devil is in the details! | There's something especially intriguing about a murder in the American Library in Paris, just as a new collection is about to be unveiled. A famous actress, rumored to have been a spy for the Resistance during WWII has turned over her papers to the library - which draws interest from many who would like to explore the... | [] | 1633881776 | 1633881776 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,466,742,096,000 | 1 | false |
4 | Had to read it straight through - one day! | Marrow Island, a fictional island in the San Juan Islands in Washington State, suffered irreversable devastation from a severe earthquake, which blanketed it's total eco-system with toxins. Because an oil refinery blew up in the process, the water is undrinkable and the soil is unfit for growing, forcing the inhabitan... | [] | 0544373413 | 0544373413 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,465,964,418,000 | 0 | false |
3 | Somewhat disappointing... | I've become accustomed to this new trend in novels - the bouncing back and forth between the past and the present - but I have to admit that, personally, I have never thought of 1952 as "way back then" - the past, olden days. Could it be that I had just gradiuated from high school 'way back then, and could ver... | [] | 1101984996 | 1101984996 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,465,846,995,000 | 4 | false |
2 | Disappointing read... | I love historical fiction, so had great hopes when I chose to read The House of Dreams. I'm even getting comfortable with the present/past back and forth that seems to be the trend in literature these days. I love novels that are set in France at the time the Germans were occupying during World War II. In short, fro... | [] | 1250084539 | 1250084539 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,465,575,232,000 | 0 | false |
4 | An unforgettable and unique read! | For eight years, Julie's mother, Anna, and father, Tom, have maintained hope that their daughter, kidnapped from her bedroom in the middle of the night, would be found. Anna and Julie's sister, Jane, remain certain that she will be found alive. Tom, who has spearheaded a drive to circulate flyers, and post billboards,... | [] | 0544920953 | 0544920953 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,465,410,369,000 | 4 | false |
4 | Great mystery - great read! | A great mystery - really well-written in a comfortable style, characters whom you'll feel you know, and a plot that keeps you guessing. In the beginning, I wondered why an affluent lake community in upstate NY was chosen for a Latino community. Having grown up on the border with Mexico, I grew up thinking that Latino... | [] | 161773635X | 161773635X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,464,449,695,000 | 1 | false |
5 | One of the best of 2016! | I grabbed this novel as soon as it arrived, and plunged in - so interesting were the comments of early readers. Definitely a departure from the repetitious plots of so many of today's bestsellers, All is Not Forgotten, is a deep, gripping page-turner that will leave you with much to think about. For starters, you wil... | [] | 1250097916 | 1250097916 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,463,936,873,000 | 52 | false |
4 | Put this novel on your summer reading shelf! | I enjoyed my first Eleanor Brown novel and will be eager to read The Weird Sisters, The Light in Paris was aptly named, as, in the case of both protagonists, Margie in 1920, and Madelaine in 1999, Paris played a significant role in changing their lives. And in both cases, Paris caused the "light" to dawn!<br ... | [] | 039915891X | 039915891X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,463,505,419,000 | 1 | false |
2 | 700 pages in small paperback with tiny print... | I was disappointed to find that this 700 page book was printed in mass market paperback size - the print is so small, that my eyes will never make it through. I'm keeping it for some younger friends, and ordering another copy - a more recent reprint in trade paperback size. | [] | 0449215571 | 0449215571 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,463,284,054,000 | 0 | true |
3 | I was disappointed. | This is a stand-alone novel, even though it is the third book in Kerrigan's trilogy. What makes it a good read, without reading the prior two novels is the authors' characters' re-living things of the past. Although the background is appreciated, there are instances of repetition that are distracting.<br /><br />Also... | [] | 0062340522 | 0062340522 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,462,741,301,000 | 1 | false |
4 | Just a darn good mystery! | If you, like me, have been reading some pretty heavy stuff lately, you'll welcome this clever, skillfully-crafted cozy mystery. Tish Ballad, a property manager with a great job in a beautiful setting, runs into all kinds of people as she leases her rentals, fixes plumbing leaks and mends fences. When Hollywood decide... | [] | 1504028732 | 1504028732 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,462,464,168,000 | 0 | false |
5 | An unforgettable saga of fact and fiction... | A powerful blend of fact and fiction, Belfer has meticulously researched her subject to provide authenticity that captivates the reader from beginning to end. This novel will be of special interest to classical music devotees - and, in particular, to aficionados of Johann Sebastian Bach. When Susanna's uncle, in Buf... | [] | 0062428519 | 0062428519 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,462,204,385,000 | 25 | false |
3 | Disappointing... | Untethered is well-written, with characters well-defined and a plot that may leave you scratching your head from time to time. The protagonist, Char, is recently widowed, with a step-daughter she has mothered for five years. They have developed a close bond, in contrast with the superficial relationship the daughter ... | [] | 0399176276 | 0399176276 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,461,613,601,000 | 2 | false |
4 | Another hit for a gifted writer! | I enjoyed BITTERSWEET, so was anxious to read this new novel - which did not disappoint! The author almost lost me in the first couple of chapters, as it appeared that the inherited house and it's "dream people" we're additional characters. Fortunately, they only chimed in when appropriate and as the story un... | [] | 0553447688 | 0553447688 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,461,258,370,000 | 2 | false |
4 | Looking back - it was much ado about nothing! | In terms of the present day, it's amazing to think that someone would expend so much energy and expense for a party - or that New York's and DC's finest would spend so much time thinking about it. Just goes to show that it was a very different world in the 60's. What Truman's people found important in that day and a... | [] | 047009821X | 047009821X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,460,593,071,000 | 3 | true |
5 | A 5 star British mystery! | I am a fan of the British mystery, and Missing, Presumed, described as a "literary mystery" got my attention. What makes a mystery "literary"? When the writer has an unbelievable way with words, analogies that make you chuckle, character descriptions that leave no doubt about "knowing" the pe... | [] | 0812998324 | 0812998324 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,460,592,365,000 | 34 | false |
4 | Not your usual "girl inherits mansion" story! | This is not your usual "young girl inherits old, fantastic family mansion, but has to move back to hometown to live in it, meets the brawny landscape gardener and finds love" type novel. There's much more - enough to make you put life aside and read straight through to the end!<br /><br />The author does a gre... | [] | 0812996399 | 0812996399 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,460,390,892,000 | 3 | false |
3 | Am I missing something? | You may want to blame the three stars on the fact that this is my first Joe Sandilands novel, and maybe I was not able to get "in the groove". There's no doubt that the settings transported, and that the characters were well-developed, but the plot lagged, and spent time on things not relevent to the main them... | [] | 161695664X | 161695664X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,460,132,623,000 | 5 | false |
5 | A great read! | Our book club had this as the April book - and, frankly, as a mystery-thriller-lover I was steeling myself for some kind of drippy, syrupy romantic light-weight story. Wow, was I wrong! Once I got into it, this novel grabbed me and didn't let go until the last page! I took every opportunity to read, and finished it ... | [] | 0345525558 | 0345525558 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,459,440,046,000 | 6 | true |
4 | Thrilling, unpredictable - a gripping read! | Wow, what a wild ride! This is the read for the person who is looking for a fresh, thrilling, unpredictable thriller. Chris Pavone delivers a well-written saga, with characters who are easy to love or hate, if, first you can figure for whom they're working and what their motives are. In the middle of it all is our s... | [] | 0385348487 | 0385348487 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,459,206,038,000 | 0 | false |
5 | Great book for generating discussion. | Wonderful, big, colorful book, filled with interesting and fun facts about marine animals. Particularly like the pages showing which ones are found at which depths. Amazing how many we might encounter close to the surface. This is definitely a book that is ideal for grandmother-grandson reading and discussing togeth... | [] | 1618931628 | 1618931628 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,458,661,134,000 | 1 | false |
4 | There's so much more to Jean Harlow's story.... | Platinum Doll was well-written, and held my interest throughout. The characters were skillfully defined - particularly Jean's mother - whom she loved regardless of how the mother manipulated her life. Jean's mother was not easy to like - and how Harlow was able to continue to love and support her and her ridiculous h... | [] | 0778318664 | 0778318664 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,458,328,371,000 | 0 | false |
3 | A Lifetime movie without the pictures... | There is no doubt that this is a fast read - the pages turn rapidly to keep up with the action. And, the premise is interesting, as it is rare that we are given a "fly on the wall" spectator position to witness what happens to an abductee, family and extended family when they return. Like the proverbial stone ... | [] | 0316268712 | 0316268712 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,457,978,131,000 | 4 | false |
4 | A surprisingly good debut! | This is a fascinating debut novel - and a masterful handling of a difficult plot as a first venture into the literary world. It takes a bit to get into the theme of it, but, it's worth the effort to stay with it, as, little by little, everything falls into place. I always take a deep breath when encountering a novel ... | [] | 006240749X | 006240749X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,457,812,734,000 | 1 | false |
4 | A superb action-thriller! | This was my first Jericho Quinn novel, and although the blurb on the back said that our country was suffering in the aftermath of a biological warfare attack, there wasn't enough background on that to set me up for what came. I wish I had read the book that preceded this one. That said, I picked up things as I went a... | [] | 0786035293 | 0786035293 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,457,285,615,000 | 1 | false |
5 | Absolutely fascinating! | Seldom are we given entree into the lives of the rich and famous and given all the details, warts and all - by the people who lived with them. It's not a matter of whether we like these people or not, or abhor the way they lived - they were just who they were, living the lives they and their admirers expected them to l... | [] | 0812998405 | 0812998405 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,456,423,246,000 | 1 | false |
3 | Interesting - but not gripping! | Interesting account of how the Oxford Dictionary came to be. The detail gets a bit tedious at times, but the book is well-written. The madman is a particularly unique person, and it is amazing how he came to work on the project - while he was in prison! | [] | 0060839783 | 0060839783 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,456,012,336,000 | 0 | true |
5 | The best book I've read in years... | A fabulous book - and one every woman under the age of fifty (or any age, actually) should read. We've all been told that the French gave in too easily when the Germans took over their country in WWII. To balance that, we've seen movies portraying the brave French Resistance fighters. But, I cannot recall a more expl... | [] | 0312577222 | 0312577222 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,455,641,642,000 | 0 | true |
3 | Well-written, but plot-less and blah. | Undoubtedly a beautifully-written novel, and one that captures your interest, it also becomes one of the most frustrating reading experiences I've had in a long time. The first frustration is adjusting to Hadley's writing style, which uses no quotation marks to delineate dialogue. Her dialogue can suddenly sprout in ... | [] | 0062270419 | 0062270419 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,455,322,386,000 | 2 | false |
4 | Sean Duffy solves another unsolvable murder! | I was really intrigued by a novel detailing a murder in an impenetrable castle - only one way in, one way out - with a live-in caretaker who opens and closes the gate and portcullis (fortunately, there's a good explanation of what this is). Detective Sean Duffy, suffering from the heartbreak of his live-in love movin... | [] | 163388130X | 163388130X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,454,630,205,000 | 1 | false |
4 | Get out the tea cups, allow yourself to be transported! | An interesting account of what the summer was like in the tiny town of Rye, in Sussex, England, before the country was swept into WW I. When Belgium was invaded, with Britain sworn to be her protector, England's involvement in the war quickly escalated. Several protagonists tell the story - Beatrice Nash, the new-to-... | [] | 0812993101 | 0812993101 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,454,085,291,000 | 7 | false |
4 | Another winner with Jason and the Kid! | Another great adventure with Jason and the Kid. This time we learn much more about what life is like with an autistic child, and the precarious path the parent takes in trying to get everything right. In this tale, Jason is working with Becker Financial Group and his friend at the helm, Virgil, to determine the root ... | [] | 0399166726 | 0399166726 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,453,482,438,000 | 0 | false |
5 | A must read, stand-alone sequel. | I give five stars only when the writing and the story add up to a superior reading experience. The novel is written beautifully, with characters so well-described that they are easy to know - it is easy to feel what they feel; settings that invite, and situations that make the mind join with the characters in searc... | [] | 1476748446 | 1476748446 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,452,980,065,000 | 5 | false |
3 | Not up to Lady Julia's high standards! | I guess I'm a Lady Julia fan - and I can't get that excited about Veronica Speedwell. This was an okay story, and I can understand that a writer would want to change characters and situations from time to time - but, I'll just re-read all my Lady Julia's and hold out for the writer's next attempt. Maybe she can grab ... | [] | 0451476018 | 0451476018 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,452,201,745,000 | 2 | true |
4 | A most intriguing story! | I had no idea the story of the Duchess of Marlborough could be so captivating! This tale drawn from the life of a real person sent me to the internet more than once, fact-checking. Could she really have lived a life like this? Yes, she could. The author has had to fill in some blanks, which she acknowledges, but, la... | [] | 1250070635 | 1250070635 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,452,201,114,000 | 1 | false |
5 | A gripping page-turner... | I read Tightrope with no fore-knowledge of a previous book which made this a sequel. Tightrope stands well on it's own, and is not a run-of-the-mill spy thriller. If you are a lover of twists aand turns, characters in abundance who are in doubt as to their truthfulness, loyalties and abilities to betray - this is the... | [] | 1590517237 | 1590517237 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,451,417,629,000 | 0 | false |
2 | Not a good read for me ... | Not my cup of tea - I don't like short stories that leave you hanging. | [] | B000P3E184 | B000P3E184 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,450,998,414,000 | 0 | true |
5 | A five-star read! | This novel is a total delight - spending time in the English countryside at one of the old estates, is always a joy for me. Facing the high costs of maintaining the stately home after WWII, the family - the aging General and his three sons, are desperate to find ways to preserve what is a precious family treasure. Th... | [] | 0147517591 | 0147517591 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,450,998,335,000 | 2 | false |
4 | Life in Paris in the 1920's - an artist's tale. | The perfect read when the weather turns gloomy, the fire is crackling and a cozy throw is keeping the drafts at bay. This is the story of Helena, who at age twenty-eight, still occupies an unhappy position securely under the family thumb, Due to a broken engagement that would have led to an unhappy marriage, she is ... | [] | 0062389823 | 0062389823 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,449,764,416,000 | 5 | false |
4 | A treat for confirmed Tudor-ites... | I chose to read this tome of 400+ pages, based on a review that said it "read like a novel". Uh,uh. It is an unbelievably well-researched account of the life and times of Lady Margaret Douglas and it reads like a reference book. Perhaps I would have had an easier time of it if my publisher's galley had inclu... | [] | 0345521390 | 0345521390 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,449,426,491,000 | 0 | false |
4 | A must-have! | No writer should be without this reference book! | [] | 1599639408 | 1599639408 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,448,473,413,000 | 0 | true |
5 | I couldn't put it down! | I can't remember when I've enjoyed a book more. There were loads of reasons beside the great writing, the well-defined characters and the authentic settings - all of which became so genuine and believable - and provided a comfortable and engaging read. I tended to smile and say "yes" when the story turned to ... | [] | 0393346773 | 0393346773 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,448,473,374,000 | 2 | true |
5 | A novel to savor! | The story of Olive in 1892, Lucy in 1920 and Kate in 1944 - and how their lives all lead to the Pratt Mansion in Manhattan. Each tale is absolutely fascinating - the twining and inter-twining with twists and turns that keep those pages turning at a great rate! I'm hopeful that my fellow reveiwers won't attempt to outl... | [] | 0451474627 | 0451474627 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,448,297,693,000 | 0 | false |
2 | Sorely disappointed ... | Although I persevered and read on to the predictable end, hoping to find something to make the reading experience worthwhile, I was sorely disappointed. I found Mary Handley just barely witty, over-the-top unconventional, and totally forgettable. Clever and resourceful, she is all that, but finding humor in this myst... | [] | 0553418947 | 0553418947 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,447,692,831,000 | 2 | false |
4 | A wild ride that never stops! | Evan Smoak, as a young orphan, was chosen to be trained for a government program of covert assassins, and, in the program, was known only as Orphan X. With all of the skills of a James Bond on steroids, he answered the call of his special phone, and carried out his duties. He and his trainer, Jack, despite it being a... | [] | 1250067847 | 1250067847 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,446,932,721,000 | 27 | false |
4 | A good one for teenage girls... | My 15 year-old granddaughter gobbled this one up right away. There was enough intrique to keep the pages turning. She identified with the heroine, Josie, and really enjoyed getting the feeling of coastal Scotland. The author seems to have a very clear knowledge of what young readers want. | [] | 054439092X | 054439092X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,446,663,420,000 | 1 | false |
4 | A warm, romantic read ... | Great setting for a warm, romantic read - sweet southern town where the wisteria is in full bloom. Henry comes up with a new twist on the usual romance - here, we've got two characters who tell each other harmless, but relevant lies until they start getting in the way of some real feelings. Henry tells the story wit... | [] | 1250040329 | 1250040329 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,445,961,919,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Great crime fiction - with a Mike Hammer-ish private dick! | I enjoyed this novel - it was definitely a departure from the usual suspense/thriller type tales I've been reading. It was touted to be "modern noir" - and it was - and reviewers compared it to the private-eye fiction of Chandler and Hammett. For those who like their PIs a bit raw, Gus<br />Murphy, fills the ... | [] | 039917303X | 039917303X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,445,550,450,000 | 6 | false |
4 | A comfortable mystery laced with historical detail | This was my first Maggie Hope mystery and I was definitely impressed with the skills of Ms. MacNeal in setting a scene. Most of the action takes place in WA DC, and primarily the White House - but there is a sojourn by Maggie's boyfriend to Hollywood - and the author captures the flavor of both. Unlike most mysteries... | [] | 0804178704 | 0804178704 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,444,683,154,000 | 2 | false |
5 | A five star read - unforgettable! | I give five stars sparingly - and almost never for a debut. I broke all my rules for Hover - which I found to be well-written (as if she has been writing forever!) - with characters reeking with authenticity - so easy to love or hate or be suspicious of, and a plot that kept my pages turning to the end. I was particu... | [] | 0765378493 | 0765378493 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,444,071,921,000 | 1 | false |
4 | Refreshingly different medical thriller! | This was my first Gussin novel, so I was getting to know Laura Nelson for the first time. This was defintely a stand-alone novel - I didn't feel like I had missed any needed background. I wasn't blown away by the beginning - I feared that I would be treading territory I had visited many times before in other books.... | [] | 1608091279 | 1608091279 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,443,149,068,000 | 0 | false |
4 | "What a tangled web we weave..." | I'm a fan of The Paris Architect, so was anxious to read Belfoure's new book. It didn't disappoint - the settings are made so much more interesting by a writer who is also an architect. The streets, buildings and mansions of Manhatten come alive in the telling of this family crime drama. I love a refreshing plot, an... | [] | 149261789X | 149261789X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,442,944,481,000 | 0 | false |
4 | A good crime drama with twists and turns... | This was my first Neville - so I had not read the other Belfast novels. This was a stand-alone novel - I didn't lack for any background or information. Neville is a good writer - keeps the action and suspense moving along, picks up the pace mid-way through, and keeps the pages turning right to the end. The characters... | [] | 1616956364 | 1616956364 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,442,589,849,000 | 1 | false |
4 | Refreshingly original - you'll remember this one! | One of the most interesting books I've read. Essentially, there are only two characters - Katherine and Danny. The author provides a vivid picture of each, and by the time you're halfway, you'll feel you know them. That knowledge won't enable you to predict their reactions and behaviors, however, as they are full of... | [] | 0804176957 | 0804176957 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,442,020,570,000 | 0 | false |
4 | A difficult dilemma...what would you do? | I loved the setting - what is more intriguing than reading about life in a lighthouse? The story, though, is wrenching, and makes you wonder what you would do if confronted by the same dilemma. I found myself wondering why characters didn't do other things that were available to them, and that was a bit distracting. ... | [] | 1451681755 | 1451681755 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,441,729,588,000 | 2 | true |
5 | Impossible to put down! | This is a novel that is impossible to put down. The situations bounce back and forth to the point that you must stay up late or get up early to find out where the next turn will take you. It isn't all happy - it's difficult, and it makes you wonder what you would do, given a similar circumstance. The characters are ... | [] | 0143124544 | 0143124544 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,441,729,221,000 | 0 | true |
4 | Carly got a bum deal! | Despite what Carly says, the firing by HP did leave a big mark in her life, and she does tend to go over and over it. I think those who aspire to work and succeed with a large coporation will learn a great deal from this book. It's not only one woman's tough climb that's informative, it's also how the corporation, HP... | [] | 159184181X | 159184181X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,439,840,508,000 | 3 | true |
5 | An unforgettable reading experience ... | This account of the last days of World War II was riveting. I wasn't expecting a page turner, or an account of historical events that read like a novel. There were a number of times that I WISHED I were reading fiction. The details of the machinery created by the Germans for the extermination of the Jews - and how w... | [] | 1439114080 | 1439114080 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,439,398,402,000 | 3 | false |
4 | Time well-spent with the dolphins... | I'm saying four stars because of the lack of pictures. This is a well-written book from the author's research on dolphins down through the ages and around the world. It gives the facts as to how they have been treated during all the years since 1500 BC or before. While some cultures revered the dolphins, other saw th... | [] | 0385537301 | 0385537301 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,438,471,747,000 | 21 | false |
4 | I couldn't put it down! | Make that 4.5 stars - 5 stars is reserved for a literary masterpiece! First, I know relatively nothing about the stock market or the workings of Wall Street. I know even less about Silicon Valley and taking a company public - and my impressions are of nerdy folks in garages inventing things like the computer and life... | [] | 0399174850 | 0399174850 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,437,937,659,000 | 10 | false |
3 | Not a winner, but the descriptions were beautiful! | No one writes more vivid and beautiful descriptions than Anne, but they weren't enough to carry the story and make it a page turner. The characters were, at times, really unlikable and mean. They had their problems, but I kept thinking - they knew this girls' vacation would be spent with this new, younger bride of an... | [] | 0446698318 | 0446698318 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,437,587,491,000 | 2 | false |
4 | A good, page-turning read! | Blood Red lives up to the hype: "Solid-gold suspense". Set in a small New York town, the kind that most of us covet when we're thinking of great places to raise children, beautiful historic buildings and homes, views of a river, a town square that reeks of community, Mundy's Landing also has a horrific past -... | [] | 0062349732 | 0062349732 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,436,723,594,000 | 0 | false |
4 | A tale of two warriors - a tale worth reading | I reserve five stars for a "knock my socks off" read, and four stars for a book that is well-written, keeps my interest until the last page, has characters that speak to me, has a creative storyline (not run-of-the-mill), and gives me information that I did not possess. Thus, four stars for The Hummingbird. I... | [] | 0062369547 | 0062369547 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,436,200,817,000 | 2 | false |
4 | A mind-bender...nothing is quite what it seems! | This was my first Alafair Burke and my introduction to Ellie Hatcher and her partner, Rogan. Both are very likable detectives and adept at a humorous banter. Added interest is Ellie's relationship with Matt Donovan, the local assistant district attorney, which causes some complications when they are working on the sa... | [] | 0062208381 | 0062208381 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,435,626,128,000 | 0 | false |
2 | Too long, too much, no thrills, not enough mystery or suspense. | I read everything, but if an author is going to write a book this long, it's really got to give me a reason to hang in there until the bitter end. I felt that an editor could have carved 150-200 pages out of this novel and still had a good story. Too often, the plot got bogged down in pages of information that didn't... | [] | 0345543793 | 0345543793 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,435,029,975,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Action, twists, turns and corporate espionage in Japan! | An interesting view of Japanese corporate culture through the eyes of author, Taylor Stevens. This was my first novel by this author, so I was not fully prepared for the savagery of our protagonist, Vanessa Michael Munroe. Vanessa spends most of the story as Michael, so easy it is for here to make the switch and bewi... | [] | 0385348967 | 0385348967 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,433,790,978,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Very interesting book for a Book Club! | You'll have to get used to some pretty quirky writing - which, at first, is somewhat distracting. Once in synch with it, there's an interesting story here, along with some likable and not so likable characters. The family is Jack, the artist (not paints, but metal sculpting), Deb, the ex-ballet dancer who gave it up ... | [] | 0812995228 | 0812995228 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,432,837,008,000 | 6 | false |
4 | Great writing, great story and characters, serious whiplash... | All that can be said about this novel has been said - 12,000 reviews have covered all aspects. There's no point in being repetitious about the beautiful writing, the well-described settings, the fully-developed characters and the intriquing plot. What detracted from a fabulous reading experience was the constant back... | [] | 1476746583 | 1476746583 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,432,243,708,000 | 0 | false |
2 | Not a winner... | I had a chance to read this to my four-year-old twin granddchildren (boy and girl) and they and I were disappointed. They like color pictures, and the idea of a puppy wanting to be a pirate just didn't resonate with them. It takes a really strong story to keep their interest. We'll keep it around - maybe when they'r... | [] | 055351167X | 055351167X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,431,800,837,000 | 2 | false |
4 | Can't wait for the Next Dupin adventure in Brittany! | Four days in the life of a coffee-drinking police inspector, to solve two murders and find a precious heretofor unknown Gaugin painting, at the core of it all. Dupin, our Commisaire, is a grouchy, grumpy guy, propelled by large ingestions of caffeine, which stir his mind to recall a thread here and there, and weave it... | [] | 1250061741 | 1250061741 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,431,446,592,000 | 1 | false |
5 | Unforgettable - one of the best novels I've read. | Five stars for a novel that is beautifully written, a plot that is refreshingly original, and characters that inspire. Rarely have I found an author who is so skilled in writing about the wide range of human emotions and particularly, a characters' introspection. After reading the description on the back of the book,... | [] | 0385529074 | 0385529074 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,429,503,763,000 | 17 | false |
5 | Even better than Natchez Burning! | Iles has hit this one out of the park! With a novel this long (800 pages) one would expect to get bogged down with repetition and lulls in the action, but not this one... This plot is so full of twists and turns that staying sharp and attentive is essential. Although I'm glad that I read book one of this trilogy, it... | [] | 0062311115 | 0062311115 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,429,225,456,000 | 0 | false |
5 | Absolutely a great read! | I was eager to read this novel after seeing Elin Hilderbrand's glowing review - and the book more than lived up to the term, "Magnificent!". The author's characters are beautifully defined and detailed, which enables the reader to live with them through their life experiences. I doubt that there is anyone who... | [] | 161773375X | 161773375X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,427,997,711,000 | 0 | false |
4 | This is a good one! | Since I wasn't crazy about Whirlwind, I faced Full Tilt with some trepidation. Full Tilt is a good one. Mofina's got a good story here about a monstrous serial killer, and the indefatigable news reporter, Kate Page, who has a personal ax to grind. That personal inspiration is what keeps Kate in perpetual motion to f... | [] | 0778317455 | 0778317455 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,427,737,244,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Page turner with many unpredictable twists | This was my first Bernie Gunther, so after reading it and finding out that Bernie, at the conclusion, was pushing 60 years of age, I am curious to know this character when he was younger. He was in his 50's during this saga of Berlin and environs during World War II. In the author's notes, I learned that many charact... | [] | 0399167641 | 0399167641 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,427,574,213,000 | 0 | false |
5 | The proudest Yankee of them all... | This is a magnificent biography of a complex sports figure, whose passion for baseball was, from beginning to end, at the core of his life. Not being the greatest baseball fan, why would I find this biography so enthralling? Well, I never realized there was so much intricate detail involved in playing a baseball game... | [] | 0544022092 | 0544022092 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,426,197,852,000 | 32 | false |
5 | A rare reading experience! | The author has immersed herself within the life and times of the controversial novelist, George Sand. What has emerged is a masterful definition of Sand's character, personality, innermost thoughts and cravings and a visual picture of the settings of when and where Sand lived and traveled, that will capture your atten... | [] | 0812993152 | 0812993152 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,425,062,210,000 | 12 | false |
4 | Set aside the time.. to read this fascinating tale | First of all, it would have been helpful to have been a student of Estonian history. I found myself reading and stopping to re-read sections to be sure I had not lost a complicated thread. The action revolves around three characters - Edgar, who changes allegiance as the leaders of Estonia change, (changes his name a... | [] | 0385350171 | 0385350171 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,424,371,493,000 | 2 | false |
3 | I had high hopes... | It's difficult to like a hard-drinking, pill-popping draft evader, Ellis, and his pal with similar proclivities, Hank, - who have hatched a plan to get back into Ellis's father's good graces (and his bank account). Maddie, our protagonist, is married to Ellis, and you will wonder why on earth until Maddie, somewhere ... | [] | 0385523238 | 0385523238 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,422,928,496,000 | 2 | false |
5 | Good for a laugh! | When my BFF had eye surgery which prevented reading for two weeks, I sent her this coloring book and some crayons, which she loved! It became quite a conversation piece. | [] | 1576876632 | 1576876632 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,422,816,564,000 | 1 | true |
5 | This book's a winner! | Want to be a hero with your grandchildren? There seem to be fewer and fewer "toys" that let us oldsters interact with our grandchildren - and hold their interest! This book is a winner! My four-year-old loves it and is always ready to sit down with Grandma to find all the stuff! | [] | 1450809219 | 1450809219 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,422,816,399,000 | 0 | true |
5 | One of the best books of any year - Morton has a winner! | Kate Morton has a new fan! This was my first novel by Morton, and it was a dilly! What a talent Morton has for character development, the descriptions of settings, and the pace she maintains throughout the novel. The Secret Keeper was a classic example of everything that is "right" in writing - and this writ... | [] | 1439152810 | 1439152810 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,421,253,563,000 | 1 | true |
5 | Start the new year with a great thriller! | Five stars and five WOWS! I was introduced to Steve Berry through THE LINCOLN MYTH, where I quickly became a fan of a writer who used fact and fiction to tell a fascinating tale. Here again, Berry takes one of our historical controversies (Is the 16th Amendment, which provides for the taxing of incomes illegal?) and ... | [] | 1250056233 | 1250056233 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,420,657,413,000 | 1 | false |
5 | Timeless! | My favorite book growing up, so now this is purchased for my grandchildren. I read through it, and it seems as interesting and captivating today as it was to me at age 4-8. We shall see what the reaction is! Good old Dr.Seuss! Timeless! | [] | 039480077X | 039480077X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,419,347,052,000 | 1 | true |
2 | I like Nancy Drews better... | I bought this book for nostalgic reasons - when I was 10-12 back in the 40's, I read every book Seaman wrote. I remembered, so decided to see what had gained my reading attention back then. Maybe it's because I'm so much older now, but I was disappointed in the writing. The story was okay and probably appropriate fo... | [] | B000IOX604 | B000IOX604 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,419,346,822,000 | 1 | true |
4 | Another great read with Jason and the Kid... | I am a Michael Sears fan, so it was a real pleasure to spend some more time with Jason Stafford and "the kid". This time, Jason, "the fixer" is hired by an old client, who has concerns that a business collegue is being unfairly accused of insider trading. The colleague is experimenting with a strain o... | [] | 0399166718 | 0399166718 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,419,290,201,000 | 0 | false |
5 | From Mawton Hall to Villa Ombrosa, a rare reading treat! | Not to be cast aside as a mere "romance", An Appetite for Violets, is historical fiction at its best - laced with mystery, intrigue, desperation, and an eye-opening look at what life was like for the noblesse oblige in England and Italy in the late 1700's. Well-researched, or fired by an industrial strength i... | [] | 1250056918 | 1250056918 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,418,746,027,000 | 1 | false |
5 | An unforgettable tale of German occupation... | After so many World War II spy novels, here's something refreshingly and educationally different. CLARA was "inspired by actual events set against a background of recorded history and documented fact". And it was a new look at the war from the standpoint of those who lived in a country which was overrun - Aust... | [] | 0771071329 | 0771071329 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,418,162,660,000 | 0 | false |
4 | A breath of fresh air - you'll enjoy the journey! | As an aficionado of mysteries and thrillers, I was amazed to find myself totally enthralled with this beautifully written story of a man seeking meaning in his life - no real mystery or thrill involved! After returning from a contractor-stint gone bad in Afghanistan, wherein his close friend, "Tender" is kille... | [] | 0143187813 | 0143187813 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,417,890,378,000 | 3 | false |
3 | And the Dark Sacred Night, and I said to myself, it's a wonderful world??? | If you revel in a novel filled to the brim with character studies, AND THE DARK SACRED NIGHT is for you. Excellent writing. A story that is easy to summarize - man's life is falling apart because he has never "known" his bio-Dad, man searches for bio-Dad, man finds bio-Dad's family, man exults in introducing ... | [] | 0307377938 | 0307377938 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,417,454,544,000 | 1 | false |
5 | One to savor... | I read Rabbit, Run when I was too young to understand or appreciate it. Unfortunately, reading the book was a labor, and left a lasting impression. I never returned to John Updike until this little book of his favorite autobiographical stories came out recently. Life growing up in a rural setting in the 1930's-40's ... | [] | 037571250X | 037571250X | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,415,898,505,000 | 4 | false |
4 | Fascinating! Couldn't put it down! | Absolutely fascinating! Haunted by his last mission wherein the "collateral damage" included a girl running for her life, Darwin Cole, ex F-16 pilot, is having a difficult time reconciling his role, and that of his superiors, who called for the kill. When he drops out of his AF career, his marriage, and life... | [] | 0385351259 | 0385351259 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,415,818,141,000 | 0 | false |
4 | Destination Paris 1909-10 - Bring a sketchpad! | This was one of the most interesting books I have read this year - unique plot, characters and setting. Reading the first hundred or so pages, I was beginning to wonder how this novel was put in the "Mystery, Suspense, Thriller" categorey, but by the end of Part One, I knew.<br /><br />The characters are a del... | [] | 1250051835 | 1250051835 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,415,399,204,000 | 1 | false |
3 | Always check references thoroughly! | The moral of this story: If you are hiring someone to work in your home with your charismatic husband or wife, dig deeply into the references to be sure they are well-recommended by real, existing past employers!<br /><br />I enjoyed this novel, despite the fact that I was rooting for Grace to do something we all woul... | [] | 1250047331 | 1250047331 | AG5FGCIM6PBJX3JNDRKQMITZTIMA | 1,414,731,807,000 | 0 | false |
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