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5
Great book!
Sigh....I just finished this book and I'm so sad it's over... Found this series after reading the last Brother Athelstan book. Mowed through those and was desperate for more so I started on the Hugh Corbett series just as a side thing until the next Brother Athelstan. Totally convinced that no-one could take the place ...
[]
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5
VERY Enjoying...
Such a good read. I wish the story could go on and on.....I look forward to Mark Lawrence's next book....
[]
B009RYKVOA
B009RYKVOA
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5
Dating ? Not dating? That is the question.
Love, love, love this story. Hazel is the crazy friend we all wish we had. Josh fits so well with her. This book has so many laugh out loud moments it'll bring years to your eyes.
[]
B07BS45W99
B07BS45W99
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1,536,374,925,908
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4
Different but still a great story
No this isn't like the other books they have written. It doesn't have lots and lots of sex in it. What it does have are strong characters, a good story line and funny laugh out loud moments. I liked being in Carter & Evie's world for a while. What would they do to each other next ? Would they get together or be apart?...
[]
150116581X
150116581X
AGUVWI4XDTFOVM3B4MNTCYJ3GAVQ
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2
Not a Mystery--Narration by Damaged, Self-Absorbed Psychotherapist
What a disappointment! The first-person narrator in THE SILENT PATIENT is a damaged, self-absorbed psychotherapist who should never have been allowed to treat patients. He is not quite an "unreliable narrator", but is very, very close to one. The much-admired plot twist is contrived and unbelievable. The ending is ...
[]
B07D2C6J4K
B07D2C6J4K
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1,676,987,618,045
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3
Cookie-Cutter Version of Previous Jane Whitefield Novels
THE LEFT-HANDED TWIN gives readers of the Jane Whitefield series a refresher course in what needs to be done to make someone disappear. It's a cookie-cutter version of the previous books, except that this time Jane and her runner (Sara) are fleeing from the Russian mafia.<br /><br />I've read all of the previous Jane ...
[]
B092KJQCXM
B092KJQCXM
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,637,349,900,337
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2
Orphan X Tries to Get in Touch With Human Feelings, Should Have Stayed Retired
If the cliffhanger ending in PRODIGAL SON actually means the end of Evan Smoak, then all I can say is, “Orphan X deserved better”. (Just like Sofia, the daughter of Evan’s half brother Andre.) In the book, Evan learns who his mother and father were, finds and protects his previously unknown half sibling, and gets in ...
[]
B087ZXKG72
B087ZXKG72
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1,612,332,714,447
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5
Provides Technical Guidance for Placement of Embroidery on Flexible Knitted Fabric
It’s fiddly and time-consuming to add embroidery to knitting, but this book, EMBROIDERY ON KNITTING: INSPIRATIONAL MODERN DESIGNS FOR STITCHING ONTO KNITTING, gives you the technical guidance you need to get the very best results. When you embroider on knitting, you must consider the structure of the knitted fabric (b...
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1782217649
1782217649
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Basic Family Recipes for Air Fryers
Air fryers provide fried-food flavor, but the cooking method is healthier than deep fat frying or pan frying. The reason is that air fryers require a very small amount of cooking oil or fat. If you love your air fryer, this cookbook, EVERYDAY FAVORITES AIR FRYER COOKBOOK: 115 RECIPES MADE EASIER AND HEALTHIER, will e...
[]
1647392934
1647392934
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,608,658,844,855
2
false
3
Simple Unexciting Recipes Take Time to Prepare
THE ELECTRIC PRESSURE COOKER SOUP COOKBOOK: 100 FAST AND FLAVORFUL RECIPES lives up to its title--it contains many simple recipes for soups that can be easily prepared in an Instant Pot. The recipes follow a standard pattern: (1) saute ingredients like onions, garlic, ground beef; (2) add broth, veggies, spices; (3) p...
[]
164739659X
164739659X
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,608,656,881,952
1
false
5
Amazing Spiral Drawings Are Easy for Anyone to Replicate
Anyone with a steady hand and a good eye can easily replicate the amazing drawings in THE ART OF SPIRAL DRAWING: LEARN TO CREATE SPIRAL ART AND GEOMETRIC DRAWINGS USING PENCIL, PEN, AND MORE. The only tools required are a pencil, a pen, and colored markers (if color is desired).<br /><br />Most of the book’s drawings u...
[]
1633228223
1633228223
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,602,880,400,966
0
false
5
Lovely Flower Photographs; Succinct Growing Information
MASTERING THE ART OF FLOWER GARDENING: A GARDENER’S GUIDE TO GROWING FROM TODAY’S FAVORITES TO UNUSUAL VARIETIES should be a welcome gift for any gardener, thanks to the lovely flower photographs and the succinct growing information about many popular garden flowers. It is a very handy, easy-to-use gardener’s referenc...
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0760366276
0760366276
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,596,935,425,700
2
false
2
Rather Silly Interactive Book That May Amuse Child for Short Time
THE WAND CHOOSES THE WIZARD (Harry Potter) is a rather silly interactive book that may amuse a child for a little while. The book is battery-operated, and it comes with a battery-operated plastic wand. (Fortunately, the appropriate disc batteries are included and already installed.) The child needs to be old enough ...
[]
133827600X
133827600X
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,593,122,487,076
1
false
2
Fairly Ordinary Recipes for Non-Dairy Desserts
INCREDIBLE PLANT-BASED DESSERTS: COLORFUL VEGAN CAKES, COOKIES, TARTS, AND OTHER EPIC DELIGHTS offers a fairly wide variety of fairly ordinary recipes for “plant-based” desserts (e.g., cakes, tarts, jam, bars, muffins, cookies). What sets the recipes apart, is that they call for ingredients like “plant-based milk (suc...
[]
1631597183
1631597183
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,593,025,127,296
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false
3
Recipes for Baking Bread the Old-Fashioned Way
EVERYDAY BREAD BAKING: FROM SIMPLE SANDWICH LOAVES TO CELEBRATORY HOLIDAY BREADS is misnamed. It is NOT about “everyday” bread baking. Instead, it is about baking bread “from scratch”, using all of the classic time-honored--and time-consuming--steps (mixing, kneading, rising, folding, baking).<br /><br />The book con...
[]
1641527749
1641527749
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1,592,847,365,546
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false
5
Excellent Reference Book Assists in Making Your Own Repairs
If you’re working from home, being able to repair your computers, laptops, and tablets is an extremely worthwhile skill. When something goes wrong with your hardware, you’d really rather not take the offending device to a repair shop. Not only does the device contain your confidential data, you probably don’t want to...
[]
1260455025
1260455025
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,591,142,137,882
2
false
2
Travel Writer’s Tedious Maui Mystery
THE FIRE THIEF (A DARK PARADISE MYSTERY) gets so caught up in wordy descriptions of (1) Maui’s beautiful settings, and (2) Hawaii’s spiritual traditions, it is a very tedious novel to read. The barely-there mystery plot isn’t capable of sustaining the novel. The author has great credentials as a travel writer--so the...
[]
149672772X
149672772X
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,590,968,484,476
3
false
2
Stilted Prose, Slow-Moving Plot Based on International Internet Scam
I’ve read and enjoyed two of the author’s “Darko Dawson” mysteries, but THE MISSING AMERICAN (AN EMMA DJAN INVESTIGATION) left me cold. The language is so stilted that it kept me from ever getting immersed in the story. The characters and their actions are reported on--always described in neutral prose (e.g., “After ...
[]
1641290706
1641290706
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,589,833,309,196
1
false
3
Hard-to-Follow Cozy Mystery Includes Suspenseful Hurricane Scenes
DEATH ON TUCKERNUCK is hard to follow, and was not a particularly enjoyable read for this cozy mystery lover. The novel has a cast of thousands--Merry’s incoming wedding guests; assorted Nantucket police and support staff; two different US Coast Guard rescue crews (one helicopter, one cutter); two caretakers for Tucke...
[]
1616959932
1616959932
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,589,605,079,812
1
false
3
Mildly Amusing Historical Cozy Featuring Bored Housewife in 1893 Poland
MRS. MOHR GOES MISSING (A ZOFIA TURBOTYNSKA MYSTERY) is an historical cozy mystery set in 1893 in Poland--specifically in provincial Cracow during the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Thus the novel abounds with aristocrats (countesses, baronesses, etc.), professors, and peasants, and the story describes a society...
[]
0358161460
0358161460
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,588,978,382,570
0
false
3
Dissatisfying Ending Ruins Otherwise Excellent Mystery Novel
TRACE ELEMENTS: A COMMISSARIO GUIDO BRUNETTI MYSTERY is the 29th entry in this immensely popular mystery series, but it works fine as a standalone. (The first “Guido Brunetti” mystery is [[ASIN:0330337726 Death at la Fenice]]). I loved the Brunetti character, the wonderful descriptions of Venice, and the leisurely pl...
[]
0802148670
0802148670
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,588,284,697,137
3
false
5
Supernatural Thriller With Literary Qualities Fills in Details of Charlie Parker’s Life
The thing that immediately struck me about THE DIRTY SOUTH, the 18th “Charlie Parker” supernatural thriller, is the literary quality of the writing. It’s done in a run-on sentence style--which usually indicates bad writing--but the long sentences actually provide rich background and character details in an economical ...
[]
1982127546
1982127546
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,588,016,902,559
8
false
2
“Treasure Hunt” Novel That Reads Like Young Adult Fiction
Given the easy-to-read writing style and the introspective heroine, THE BOOK OF SECOND CHANCES would appear to be aimed at a young adult audience--but that can’t be right, because the heroine (Emily) is 28 years old. When the novel opens, Emily is living alone in a home that she shared with her recently deceased grand...
[]
1538701650
1538701650
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,587,002,980,313
1
false
2
Disappointing Choice of Projects; Confusing Instructions; Strange “Science”
3D PRINTING AND MAKER LAB FOR KIDS: CREATE AMAZING PROJECTS WITH CAD DESIGN AND STEAM IDEAS has a series of “lab projects” that anyone can work through in order to learn how to design 3D printed objects. The lab projects are based on the free Tinkercad design program, and the book also includes some instructions at th...
[]
163159799X
163159799X
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,585,876,642,159
0
false
4
Biography of Chanel, Organized Around Her War Years
The introduction to CHANEL’S RIVIERA: GLAMOUR, DECADENCE, AND SURVIVAL IN PEACE AND WAR, 1930-1944 states: “This book is neither a biography of Chanel nor a history of the Riviera . . . but the story of the years during which Chanel spent her summers in that part of France.” That statement isn’t true--the book actuall...
[]
1250177073
1250177073
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,584,288,491,898
0
false
5
Pike Logan Takes on Russian Assassins in South America
As the introductory quote from General James Martin says, “There are hunters and there are victims. By your cunning, you will decide whether you’re a hunter or<br /> a victim.” In the “Pike Logan” series, there is no question which of these Pike Logan is. The 14th series book, HUNTER KILLER: A PIKE LOGAN NOVEL, deli...
[]
0062886029
0062886029
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1,582,248,787,418
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false
5
Gem of a Cookbook Deepens Understanding of Classic Children’s Story
The newly revised edition of THE SECRET GARDEN COOKBOOK: INSPIRING RECIPES FROM THE MAGICAL WORLD OF FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT’S THE SECRET GARDEN is a little gem of a cookbook--and a wonderful gift for anyone who loves or is currently reading Burnett’s great children’s classic.<br /><br />The book has easy-to-follow rec...
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1558329935
1558329935
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1,581,891,350,085
0
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5
Page-Turner Thriller Set Mostly in San Francisco Bay Area
BLOOD RELATIONS is an entertaining, page-turner mystery/thriller that features a likeable, mildly unscrupulous, danger-magnet private investigator (Leland Crowe). It’s set, more or less, in the San Francisco Bay Area, and it’s accurate in the descriptive details.<br /><br />In the novel, Crowe discovers a dead girl (C...
[]
1328987817
1328987817
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,581,388,308,025
0
false
4
Excellent Continuation of “Children’s House” Series
THE RECKONING: A THRILLER is the second novel in the “Children’s House” series by Scandinavian author Yrsa Sigurdardottir. The translation is excellent, though I found the plot slightly hard to follow on account of the unfamiliar Scandinavian names of the various characters. (There is a list of the characters by nam...
[]
1250136288
1250136288
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,581,304,905,139
0
false
5
Excellent Collection of Recipes for “Good Bacteria” Foods
Chances are, if you’re interested in this cookbook, you already know what probiotics and prebiotics are--strains of bacteria, living in your GI system, that aid digestion. Many people get their “good bacteria” in supplements, but the best probiotic supplements (e.g., [[ASIN:B06XDBD9T9 Visbiome]]) are expensive.<br /><...
[]
1558329897
1558329897
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,581,277,432,785
0
false
1
Unreadable Novel About Revenge of Community Drowned by Water Project
The plot of THE CHILL: A NOVEL sounds promising--it’s about a huge reservoir that is haunted by the remnants of Galesburg, a community that was drowned when the reservoir’s dam was built to deliver water to downstate New York. Unfortunately, the novel is almost unreadable. Whatever story exists is buried under the sh...
[]
1982104597
1982104597
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,581,267,303,309
86
false
4
Cotton Follows Dangerous Trail of Missing Letters, Church Document
THE MALTA EXCHANGE: A NOVEL (Cotton Malone Book 14) follows the usual “Cotton Malone” formula. In the novel, Cotton’s freelance assignment to recover a politically explosive WWII exchange of letters between Winston Churchill and Benito Mussolini becomes the starting point for Cotton to follow a series of clues and pre...
[]
1250140269
1250140269
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,580,949,036,414
0
false
2
Monkeewrench Team Solves Another Crime With Computer Magic
For some reason, I can never warm to the Monkeewrench gang. They’re the sorta-genius misfits who’ve formed Monkeewrench Software, and apparently you need to start with the early books to appreciate the personalities. The three series novels that I’ve read are all police procedurals involving crimes that get solved wi...
[]
1643851322
1643851322
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,577,854,856,287
0
false
5
Coffee-Table Cookbook for Serious Cooks (Beginner to Expert)
This big coffee-table cookbook, COOK'S ILLUSTRATED REVOLUTIONARY RECIPES: GROUNDBREAKING TECHNIQUES, COMPELLING VOICES, ONE-OF-A-KIND RECIPES will delight any serious cook (beginner to expert). It’s filled with full-color, mouth-watering illustrations, so it’s wonderful to browse through. The recipes are excellent in...
[]
1945256478
1945256478
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,577,498,274,092
0
false
5
Recipes That Even Non-Vegetarians Will Love
You don’t have to be a vegetarian to appreciate THE SUPER EASY VEGETARIAN SLOW COOKER COOKBOOK: EASY, HEALTHY RECIPES THAT ARE READY WHEN YOU ARE. It’s a cookbook with a wide variety of easy-to-assemble, everyday slow cooker recipes that make tasty soups, side dishes, or main dishes. There are “bonus” recipes for cer...
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1641527153
1641527153
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,577,399,450,720
11
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4
Fresh, Intriguing Concept--Investigating Murder Victim Who’s Been Living “Off the Grid”
THE WEDDING GUEST: AN ALEX DELAWARE NOVEL is one of the best of the “Alex Delaware” series. The premise is quite fresh and intriguing--how do you solve a crime when the hard-to-identify victim turns out to have been living entirely “off the grid”? How do you find a killer with a motive for murder, when the victim has...
[]
052561849X
052561849X
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,577,395,010,213
0
false
3
Disillusioned Maggie Becomes Bomb Defuser
THE KING’S JUSTICE: A MAGGIE HOPE MYSTERY is the 9th “Maggie Hope”, but it works fine as a standalone. Maggie is a likeable, reasonably believable character, even though she’s recently become somewhat self-destructive, and a heavy drinker. Presumably it’s her disillusionment with the British Special Operations Execut...
[]
0399593845
0399593845
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,577,061,562,245
1
false
4
Best to Start “Gunnie Rose” Series With First Book
A LONGER FALL is the second “Gunnie Rose” novel; it works as a standalone, but just barely. Readers new to the series, like myself, are surely better off starting with the first novel, [[ASIN:1481494937 An Easy Death]], which sets out the fantasy background. In Gunnie Rose’s world, the United States is a failed count...
[]
1481494953
1481494953
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,577,054,604,937
4
false
2
Unappealing Female Detective; Interesting Small-Town-Alaska Setting
THIN ICE: A MYSTERY features Beth Rivers, a thriller writer and amateur sleuth, who is about the most unappealing female investigator that I’ve ever encountered. She’s hiding from a kidnapper in a backwater Alaskan town, and her paranoia knows no bounds. Absolutely everything that she encounters—starting with a man’s...
[]
1250295211
1250295211
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,575,777,283,315
3
false
3
Of Interest to “Magic Men” Series Fans; Not a Standalone Novel
NOW YOU SEE THEM (Magic Men Mysteries) is definitely NOT a standalone mystery. The story is almost entirely about the relationships among the established series characters (Max, Edgar, Emma, Sam, Ruby), and you probably won’t find the characters at all interesting unless you know their backgrounds as developed in the ...
[]
1328971597
1328971597
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,575,604,264,394
3
false
2
Too Much Flashback; Unsatisfying Conclusion
ANYTHING FOR YOU: A NOVEL (Valerie Hart) is professionally written, but it’s annoying to read. The story unfolds in two parallel plots. One plot details the detective’s murder investigation; the other (printed in italics because it’s all in flashback) describes the murderer’s background, careful planning, and motives...
[]
1250199913
1250199913
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,575,259,020,531
2
false
2
Fans of Conspiracy Thrillers May Like This Novel
There are three things that I disliked about THE EXTINCTION AGENDA. First, the plot idea isn’t particularly original. Second, the viewpoint character (Mason) is not only immortal (surviving dangerous missions despite truly impossible odds), but also unlikeable (extremely self-centered and full of himself). Third, the...
[]
1250158486
1250158486
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,574,217,866,155
0
false
4
Fictional Exploration of “Killer Couple” Phenomenon
THEIR LITTLE SECRET: A TOM THORNE NOVEL is a depressing book. It sort of explores the “killer couple” phenomenon, where two relatively normal people meet and spark something in each other that transforms them into co-murderers. I’m new to the “Tom Thorne” series, so I don’t know whether this one is typical; I rather s...
[]
0802147364
0802147364
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,573,604,574,935
0
false
2
Hard-Boiled Female Detective Defeats Human-Trafficking Operation
THE JANES: AN ALICE VEGA NOVEL is just too long. Too many words and pages are devoted to developing (and admiring?) the “Alice Vega” character, who sounds like a sociopath. She barely speaks to her investigative partner (the hopelessly enamoured Max Caplan aka Cap); she engages in criminal behavior (e.g., breaking an...
[]
0385545517
0385545517
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,573,597,358,446
10
false
5
Page-Turner Reverses Concept of Author’s Popular “Jane Whitefield” Series
A SMALL TOWN reverses the basic concept of author Thomas Perry’s popular “Jane Whitefield” series (e.g., [[ASIN:B0013ALNMK Vanishing Act]]). Instead of hiding good people from vicious killers, the main character (Leah Hawkins) hunts down and murders vicious escaped convicts. The 12 men on her “hit list” are the escape...
[]
0802148069
0802148069
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,572,217,597,452
11
false
4
Technical Cookbook for Moderately Advanced Pie-Makers
If you’ve mastered pie crust, then pie really is “easy as pie”. This book, THE PERFECT PIE: YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CLASSIC AND MODERN PIES, TARTS, GALLETTES, AND MORE will guide you to pie crust mastery--or you can take the easy way out (as I do) and use commercial pie crust from your grocery store’s cold case (e.g., ...
[]
1945256915
1945256915
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,571,683,245,368
11
false
5
Lovely New Cookbook for Busy Bakers
Limited-ingredient cookbooks are usually gimmicky, and often cheat on the number of ingredients, but THE 3-INGREDIENT BAKING BOOK: 101 SIMPLE, SWEET AND STRESS-FREE RECIPES is the real deal! I like it a lot, because it has a gazillion useful tips for speeding up your baking, in addition to a lot of good, simple, 3-ing...
[]
0778806340
0778806340
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,571,420,283,424
4
false
5
Treat for Fans of LEGO Vehicles
Like so many independently-authored LEGO building books, HOW TO BUILD BRICK TV AND MOVIE CARS: DETAILED LEGO DESIGNS has beautiful, easy-to-follow building instructions. The book is a delight to page through, if you’re a LEGO fan--especially if you love building LEGO vehicles.<br /><br />However, to actually build any...
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0760365881
0760365881
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,571,373,647,626
0
false
5
Maryellen “Saves the Day” in Historical Doll Character Book 2
MARYELLEN: TAKING OFF is the second book written for the American Girl [[ASIN:B01IAQ320U Maryellen Larkin doll]]. Maryellen is one of the historical character dolls (year 1954), so the book is about activities that a 10-year-old girl might have enjoyed in 1954. The first series book, [[ASIN:1683371364 Maryellen: The ...
[]
1683371372
1683371372
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,568,825,508,832
4
false
2
Detective Novel With Literary Pretensions, Lots of Coarse Language
From the book jacket notes, you’d never guess that GALWAY GIRL: A JACK TAYLOR NOVEL is written in a quasi-Joycean style--with cryptic literary quotes separating chapters, frequently-changing stream-of-consciousness viewpoints, unexpected flashbacks that mix up the plot’s chronology, and many references to Irish culture...
[]
0802147933
0802147933
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,568,564,157,288
6
false
3
Boring Police Procedural Is Deservedly Optioned for TV Series
TIN BADGES: A NOVEL has been optioned for TV by the producer of “NYPD Blue”, and it should make a terrific TV series. In the novel, a retired detective (“Tank” Rizzo), his disabled former partner (Pearl), an off-duty NYPD Chief of Detectives (Ray Connors), Tank’s computer-whiz teenage nephew (Chris), and a squad of st...
[]
0345483928
0345483928
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,568,401,903,485
2
false
5
Billy Boyle Sees Action at Falaise Gap, Liberation of Paris
WHEN HELL STRUCK TWELVE is the 14th entry in the “Billy Boyle” series. It’s not my favorite, and it has an annoying cliffhanger ending, but it’s an exciting, entertaining page-turner all the same.<br /><br />The novel works less well than most of the others as a standalone, because Billy’s close friendship with Kaz of...
[]
1616959630
1616959630
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,567,999,650,055
1
false
5
Plenty of Room for Entire Family’s Important Appointments
This ANSEL ADAMS 2020 WALL CALENDAR is the same as the annual Ansel Adams calendar sold in retail bookstores at year's end. I buy this calendar year after year, because of the large size. The wide calendar pages have extra-large boxes for each day, so there is more space than you will normally find on a wall calendar...
[]
0316411957
0316411957
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,566,579,334,959
21
true
5
Initially Comic Plot Soon Turns to Bloody Carnage
In the beginning, BLUE MOON: A JACK REACHER NOVEL is comical (like a Donald Westlake novel), as Reacher inadvertently sets off a Ukrainian/Albanian gang war by killing two Albanian quick-loan enforcers. The rival gangs’ misinformed leaders (Dino, Gregory) start knocking off each other’s men, two by two, as they try to...
[]
0399593543
0399593543
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,565,644,909,189
111
false
5
Uncomfortable Reading for Captain Wyndham Fans
Fans of the excellent “Wyndham & Banerjee” series may find SMOKE AND ASHES somewhat uncomfortable to read, because Captain Wyndham has become seriously addicted to opium. The addiction is so bad, he can barely hide it from his superiors. Wyndham’s trusted junior officer Banerjee is furious with him about it. And Wyn...
[]
1643130145
1643130145
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,565,035,505,851
0
false
5
Final Entry in Long-Running “Sheriff Dan Rhodes” Series
Sadly, THAT OLD SCOUNDREL DEATH is the 26th and last of the “Sheriff Dan Rhodes” mysteries: the author passed away in February of 2018. This novel constituted my first meeting with the rural Texas sheriff, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s sort of a cozy mystery, filled with oddball characters and low-key humor. The...
[]
1250165628
1250165628
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,565,026,548,269
0
false
5
Prequel Is Worthy Addition to Charles Lenox Series
All too often, prequels are thinly-plotted novels that appear in long-running mystery/thriller series after the author has run out of new ideas. Happily this is NOT true of THE VANISHING MAN: A PREQUEL TO THE CHARLES LENOX SERIES, which is not only a worthy addition to the series, but even works as a standalone. Bas...
[]
1250311365
1250311365
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,564,358,666,620
1
false
4
Starter Book for Building LEGO Microscale Architecture Models
Although I love LEGO and miniatures, I’ve never been particularly interested in building microscale LEGO models--there is too much loss of detail in the end. This book, LEGO MICRO CITIES: BUILD YOUR OWN MINI METROPOLIS!, illustrates the “problem”: although the colorful endpapers show four different city models (Brid...
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1593279426
1593279426
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,564,352,471,851
0
false
2
Disappointing to Fan of “Ruth Galloway”, “Magic Men” Series
As a fan of author Elly Griffiths’ “Ruth Galloway” series (see, e.g., [[ASIN:B003UV90G6 The Crossing Places]]) and “Magic Men” series (see, e.g., [[ASIN:B00QPIGTOM The Zig Zag Girl]], I expected to like THE STRANGER DIARIES. Unfortunately, it was a big disappointment--the story is told from multiple viewpoints (centra...
[]
1328577856
1328577856
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,564,345,927,240
1
false
3
Rex Stout Might Think He’d Written This “Nero Wolfe” Mystery
Rex Stout himself might be unsure whether he had written DEATH OF AN ART COLLECTOR: A NERO WOLFE MYSTERY--Robert Goldsborough is that good at emulating Stout’s style and getting into Archie Goodwin’s viewpoint character. However, this new “Nero Wolfe” series entry has an extremely thin plot. The one thing that sets ...
[]
1504057546
1504057546
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,564,103,889,353
1
false
5
Includes Excellent Explanations of How, Why Toy Models Work
The best thing about this book, GENIUS LEGO INVENTIONS WITH BRICKS YOU ALREADY HAVE, isn’t that the toys and games use fairly common LEGO elements (including basic Technic gears, beams, and connectors). The best thing about it is the concise explanations of how and why the animated toys (various robots, an animated dr...
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1624146783
1624146783
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,562,809,653,297
4
false
2
Intricate Plot Utilizes Shifting Viewpoints, Time Periods to Dribble Out Clues to Serial Murders
SOME CHOOSE DARKNESS is a professionally written novel, but it’s just not my cup of tea. It’s kind of a cross between a police procedural and a cosy mystery, in that: (1) the main investigator (Rory Moore) is an expert doll restorer (!), in addition to being a terrific forensic reconstructionist (an independent contr...
[]
1496713818
1496713818
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,562,804,886,947
10
false
4
Game Warden Bowditch Investigates Prison Corruption, Crossbow Attack on Dog/Wolf
ALMOST MIDNIGHT (MIKE BOWDITCH MYSTERIES) is the tenth entry in this entertaining series featuring Maine game warden Mike Bowditch (the first is [[ASIN:1250161657 The Poacher’s Son]]); it works fine as a standalone. The author does a marvelous job of immersing the reader in the remote Maine woods scene. The plot invo...
[]
1250102413
1250102413
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,562,778,305,035
1
false
1
Not Nearly as Interesting as Walker’s “Bruno” Series
THE MISSING CORPSE: A BRITTANY MYSTERY lost me after only 22 pages, as those were mostly filled with fact-filled passages about (1) zoo penguin behavior, (2) the dying out of the lighthouse keeper’s profession, (3) the varieties of rain in Brittany, (4) the emergence of life from Brittany’s seawater, (5) the geography ...
[]
1250173361
1250173361
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,559,101,352,900
1
false
3
Disappointing, Thinly Plotted Addition to Series; Advances Bruno’s Romantic Relationships
THE BODY IN THE CASTLE WELL (Bruno, Chief of Police Series) is disappointing addition to this generally entertaining series. The “Bruno” novels are always about French cuisine and wines, the lovingly described Perigord region, and WWII history, but there is little else to be found in this one. The mystery plot is ext...
[]
052551998X
052551998X
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,556,818,149,676
8
false
3
Duplicates Prior Series Novels; Develops Ruth/Nelson, Judy/Cathbad Relationships
Until now, I’ve enjoyed each new entry in the “Ruth Galloway” series. The novels are pleasant “cozy police procedural” mysteries about an archaeologist, now a single mother, who consults with local police whenever bones are discovered in henge sites in England’s North Norfolk salt marshes. However, most of this 11th ...
[]
1328974642
1328974642
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,556,553,879,239
4
false
2
Factoids About Computers, Programmers; Generalities About Programming
DKFINDOUT! CODING is mostly a collection of factoids about early computers (e.g., Babbage’s Difference Engine), programmers and inventors (e.g., Steve Jobs, Bill Gates), elementary coding programs (e.g., Scratch), apps (e.g., smartphones in action), gaming (e.g., virtual reality), and the like. It’s so elementary in s...
[]
1465462333
1465462333
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,556,507,006,138
0
false
5
Imaginative, Page-Turner Thriller, Filled With Nail-Biting Action
Patrick Lee is the absolute master of the imaginative, page-turner thriller--and DARK SITE: A SAM DRYDEN NOVEL proves this once again. As usual, I read this Patrick Lee novel straight through, putting it down only to sleep. This is the third series novel, but it works fine as a standalone. The Sam Dryden series begi...
[]
125003079X
125003079X
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,556,493,309,327
2
false
5
Weird, Dark Horror Fantasy Is Unforgettable
BREAK THE BODIES, HAUNT THE BONES is the weirdest horror story I’ve ever encountered. The prose is a bit difficult (intricate sentences, as you might expect from a creative writing professor), but the unfolding story and imaginative detail makes the novel hard to put down, and well worth the reading effort.<br /><br /...
[]
1328566455
1328566455
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,553,553,117,495
0
false
5
Cute Animals Built From Simple, Basic Elements
THE LEGO ZOO: 50 EASY-TO-BUILD ANIMALS doesn’t disappoint--it delivers step-by-step instructions for building 50 different animals, using simple, easy-to-obtain LEGO elements. The animals are all cute, but my personal favorite is the Peacock. The bird has elaborate tail feathers, with the colors created by careful pl...
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1593279221
1593279221
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,549,854,590,099
0
false
3
Farcical Mystery With Unpleasant Darkness Underneath
I ordered A SHOT IN THE DARK: A CONSTABLE TWITTEN MYSTERY because a national newspaper reviewer labeled it “the funniest mystery of the year 2018”. Well, it’s written as a farce, and funny at times, but it has an unpleasant darkness underneath that destroys the humor and fun. I shouldn’t have ignored my personal rule...
[]
B07FLCLGC6
B07FLCLGC6
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,545,161,495,661
15
true
5
Covers 50 Mobile Games
This book, MOBILE GAMING -TIPS, TRICKS, AND STRATEGIES FOR TODAY’S HOTTEST MOBILE GAMES: GO PLAY!, may not be the only mobile gaming guide that you’ll ever need, but it does cover some 50 games (see my photo of the Table of Contents).<br /><br />I wanted it for the Minecraft tips, and it's pretty good. It seems to hav...
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0744019583
0744019583
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,541,288,549,836
0
false
2
Disappointing Knitting Reference With Mediocre-to-Poor Definitions
What a disappointment--from Interweave Press, of all publishers! THE KNITTER’S DICTIONARY: KNITTING KNOW-HOW FROM A TO Z is a small, handbook-sized dictionary of knitting terms that has mediocre-to-poor definitions. It's spottily illustrated with line drawings, but all it really does is define specialized terms that ...
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1632506386
1632506386
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,541,177,052,227
66
false
4
Valuable for General Ideas for Illuminated Clothing
MAKE IT, WEAR IT: WEARABLE ELECTRONICS FOR MAKERS, CRAFTERS, AND COSPLAYERS is more valuable for the general ideas than for the specific clothing design projects. You have to download a lot of cutting patterns (e.g., for T-shirt, skirt), 3D printer files (e.g, battery holder from Thingiverse), and how-to videos (e.g.,...
[]
1260116158
1260116158
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,540,867,691,531
3
false
3
Quality Wall Calendar; Ice Cream Cone Photos Are So-So
This ICE CREAM 2019 WALL CALENDAR is decorative, and has date boxes with enough space for recording your most important events (e.g., medical appointments, birthdays, etc.). However, there isn't enough space for recording an entire family's important events. Major U.S. holidays are shown on the calendar; mainly it's ...
[]
0789335018
0789335018
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,540,689,799,905
0
false
3
Llewelyn Heads Investigation Into Bombing That Seriously Injures Barker
BLOOD IS BLOOD: A BARKER & LLEWELYN NOVEL is the 10th novel in the “Barker & Llewelyn” series, but the first one that I’ve read. It works fine as a standalone, but it didn't hold my interest--I just couldn't warm to the priggish, self-important, unimaginative Thomas Llewelyn (Cyrus Barker’s associate). This time out,...
[]
1250170389
1250170389
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,540,162,289,854
0
false
5
George and Ernie Investigate Murder at MDL in 1970s Korea
THE LINE (A SERGEANTS SUEÑO AND BASCOM NOVEL) is the 13th novel in this addictive series about two 8th Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) agents stationed in Korea in the 1970s. Like the doctors in the movie [[ASIN:B008IGAITQ M*A*S*H]], the agents (George and Ernie) follow a basic rule--never ask permission, b...
[]
1616959665
1616959665
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,540,157,447,235
0
false
5
Resourceful Burglar Elle Stowell Stumbles Into Major Trouble
THE BURGLAR introduces another of author Thomas Perry's strong, resourceful, almost fearless female characters. Elle Stowell is a petite, athletic, 24-year-old cat burglar who takes crazy risks, though the risks usually seem reasonable at the time. The novel is a taut, edge-of-your-seat page-turner--Elle is in almost...
[]
0802129005
0802129005
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,539,715,221,395
5
false
5
Professional Burglar Lives to Regret Taking Job That Pays Too Much Money
NIGHTTOWN (A JUNIOR BENDER MYSTERY) is the 7th novel in the amusing “Junior Bender” series, and it works as a standalone. Junior (that's his given name) is a professional burglar--and a very good one, because he was mentored in “the art of the steal” by master burglar Herbie Mott. Thanks to Herbie, Junior lives by an...
[]
1616957484
1616957484
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,539,368,988,723
0
false
2
Disconnected Novel Reads Like Collection of Creative Writing Class Assignments
RUBIK doesn't’ read like a novel, but like a collection of “experimental” short stories--or, more accurately, like a collection of vignettes prepared for creative writing class assignments. The stories make little sense to me, and leave me feeling sad and mildly depressed, so I didn't enjoy them.<br /><br />I’m baffle...
[]
1944700579
1944700579
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,539,305,807,329
0
false
3
Well-Written, Engaging Novel
CIRCE is a well-written novel, and the story engaged me as a reader from the very beginning. However, I still prefer to read the classical versions of the Greek myths, which can hardly be improved upon.
[]
0316556343
0316556343
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,539,296,875,766
0
false
2
Middling Translation of First Entry in Swedish Authors’ Best-Selling Series
THE HYPNOTIST: A NOVEL (JOONA LINNA) is a new translation of the first novel in Lars Kepler’s internationally best-selling Joona Linna series. (Lars Kepler is the pseudonym of a Swedish husband-and-wife writing team.) Unfortunately, it isn’t a very good translation--the grammar is correct, but the sentences are short...
[]
0525433120
0525433120
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,539,222,898,088
0
false
5
Entertaining Police Procedural Set in India During British Raj
If not exactly a page-turner, A NECESSARY EVIL: A NOVEL is an interesting, entertaining historical police procedural. It’s the second “Wyndham and Bannerjee” novel (the first is [[ASIN:B01MYNQPMW A Rising Man]]), and it works as a standalone. The novel’s depiction of India during the British Raj rings true to me (tho...
[]
1681776715
1681776715
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,539,199,789,801
0
false
1
Uninteresting “Mystery/Thriller” With Jumbled Timelines
When I order a book marketed as a mystery/thriller, I expect a relatively easy-to-read, entertaining book--a novel to be read for the story, and then given away or recycled. What I do NOT want is a book with a plot that dribbles out information about what actually happened or is happening to the characters, or that ma...
[]
1635570522
1635570522
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,539,190,362,829
1
false
3
Well-Written, Divided-Plot Novel About Cold War CIA Operations
SAFE HOUSES: A NOVEL is another one of those mystery/thrillers that tells a story via a divided plot with two timelines. There’s a present-day (August 2014) mystery: Why did gentle, developmentally-disabled Willard murder his parents? And there’s a long-ago (Berlin 1979) mystery: What is the meaning of the coded me...
[]
0525520198
0525520198
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,539,108,315,929
0
false
3
Slow-Moving Cozy Mystery Featuring Drab British Ex-Pat
DEATH IN PROVENCE: A NOVEL (PENELOPE KITE) is a slow-moving cozy mystery with a drab, boring amateur detective (Penelope) and an uninteresting plot. Especially at the beginning, the narrative is weighed down by many untranslated French phrases that are presumably inserted to establish the Provence setting. I guess th...
[]
006286985X
006286985X
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,539,104,729,776
11
false
1
Slow-Moving Plot With Too Much Brutality, Descriptive Detail
EXIT STRATEGY is full of brutality and torture. One main character (Jordan) suffers so many knockout head butts, you wonder how his skull, let alone his brain, manages to remain functional. There are also several extremely graphic descriptions of burned, bloodied, tortured-to-death or tortured-and-shot-to-death bodie...
[]
1335016929
1335016929
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,539,032,139,496
2
false
2
Complicated Mystery/Thriller With Large Sections Printed in Italics
DON’T BELIEVE IT is a complicated mystery/thriller with a lot of “chapters” printed entirely in italics--which gives you some idea of what you as the reader are in for. The basic storyline is that a woman (Grace), who was convicted of murdering her lover on Gros Piton in St. Lucia, Eastern Caribbean, contacts an old f...
[]
149671380X
149671380X
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,538,875,263,380
2
false
3
Slow-Moving Psychological Thriller--NOT a Ghost Story
THE NEW NEIGHBORS is a rather slow-moving psychological thriller. In alternating chapters, two viewpoint characters (Jack and Sydney) recount the mysterious things that happen to them after they move into their new house. Some of the events are creepy (e.g., the discovery of something decomposing in the attic, a hand...
[]
0451490452
0451490452
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,538,870,021,591
0
false
5
Discreet Engagement Calendar Displays Only Sigils (NOT Scenes From HBO Series)
This hardbound, handbook-sized GAME OF THRONES 2019 16-MONTH EXECUTIVE ENGAGEMENT CALENDAR is very discreet. Except for the maps of Westeros and Essos on the cover, it has only grayed-out sigils of the major houses printed opposite the week-by-week entry pages. The sigils are: Stark (dire wolf), Lannister (lion), Gr...
[]
0789334615
0789334615
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,538,701,999,401
0
false
5
Another Excellent PI Novel From Walter Mosley
DOWN THE RIVER UNTO THE SEA is another excellent private investigator novel from Walter Mosley. The plot is extremely complicated, and there are a gazillion characters to keep straight. However, main character Joe Oliver’s love for his daughter (Aja-Denise) sustains the story as surely as that love sustains Joe and k...
[]
0316509647
0316509647
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,538,596,401,947
0
false
5
Literary Mystery That Grabs, Holds Reader’s Attention
Usually I dislike “literary” mysteries, but THE FRENCH GIRL grabbed and held my attention. It’s basically a first-person narrative, but it tells the story without dwelling too much on the personal angst of the narrator (Kate). The plot kept me guessing as to the murderer’s identity until near the end; but I never fel...
[]
0399586938
0399586938
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,538,261,958,319
0
false
5
Convincing Portrayal of Classic PI Character Marlowe
ONLY TO SLEEP: A PHILIP MARLOWE NOVEL meshes beautifully with what I remember of Raymond Chandler’s novels. It features hard-boiled private investigator Philip Marlowe, working his last case, and is a convincing portrayal of the classic character. Central to the novel is its evocation of the atmosphere of Southern Ca...
[]
1524759619
1524759619
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,538,234,939,488
0
false
2
New Police Procedural Series Featuring Hard-Boiled Female Detective
BROKEN PLACES (A CHICAGO MYSTERY) sets up an extremely hard-boiled female detective (Cass Raines) in a new series set in Chicago. Unfortunately, the prose is too wordy for the “hard-boiled” notion to come off properly. For me, Cass is just unsympathetic and unlikeable. I like the idea of a black female investigator,...
[]
1496714873
1496714873
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,538,160,763,879
4
false
1
Hide-The-Ball Novel About Kidnap-And-Ransom Negotiations
THE MISSING HOURS is a slow-moving, confusing novel about kidnap-and-ransom consultants (experts who are hired to negotiate for the safe return of kidnap victims). It’s a hide-the-ball mystery, told in chapters that shift viewpoint characters (mostly alternating between sister-and-brother detectives Leah and Finn), an...
[]
1496713710
1496713710
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,538,153,442,513
0
false
5
Easy Recipes for Traditional Italian Desserts Use Sugar With Restraint
AUTHENTIC ITALIAN DESSERTS: 75 TRADITIONAL FAVORITES MADE EASY is true to its “made easy” promise. The recipes for mouth-watering Italian desserts have short ingredients lists, and simple preparation instructions.<br /><br />The photographs are gorgeous, making this book a joy to peruse even if you never try a single...
[]
1624146430
1624146430
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,538,087,021,316
4
false
3
Snail-Paced Procedural About Hunting Incident on Maquoit Island
STAY HIDDEN: A NOVEL (MIKE BOWDITCH MYSTERIES is the 9th series novel, but my first. It works okay as a standalone, but I felt like I was missing something important because it never explains anything about Mike’s estrangement from the daughter of his father-figure/mentor (Charlie). The novel is a snail-paced police ...
[]
1250102383
1250102383
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,537,981,318,795
0
false
3
Run-of-the-Mill Cozy Mystery Lacks 1913 Greenwich Village Atmosphere
MURDER IN GREENWICH VILLAGE (A LOUISE FAULK MYSTERY) is a decent but run-of-the-mill cozy mystery. It’s supposedly set in Greenwich Village in 1913, but there isn’t much of an historical atmosphere. References to new buildings (e.g., the electrified Woolworth Building) are dropped in; and male figures (especially the...
[]
1496714245
1496714245
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,537,840,260,849
3
false
1
A Serious Attempt at Literature
When I ordered FIRST PERSON: A NOVEL, I thought that the book-publishing aspect sounded interesting, and that it was a mystery/thriller. Whatever book list I found it on, it was badly misclassified, because it appears to be a serious attempt at writing literature.<br /><br />It’s a first-person narrative, written in l...
[]
0525520023
0525520023
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,537,749,391,025
0
false
3
Second Book in Series About Investigators’ Hunt for Cult Leader Quinton Zane
PROMISE NOT TO TELL is the second novel in the “Cutler, Sutter & Salinas” mystery/thriller series about a trio of private investigators who are hunting a charismatic, manipulative cult leader (Quinton Zane). It sort of works as a standalone, but it’s hard to commit to if you don’t know the backstory. (I did not.) If...
[]
0399585273
0399585273
AEYGPUCRKH7G4VM22FM3VAKSQ23Q
1,537,740,871,997
0
false