A Blue And Gray Christmas
Joan Medlicott
Pocket, Nov 10 2009, $19.99
ISBN: 9781416597353
At Covington, Max brings in a box containing letters and journals that had been buried until Frank Hays’ backhoe dug it up. He gives the box to the ladies (his wife Hannah Parrish Maxwell, Grace Singleton and Amelia Declose) believing they might enjoy the contents.
The authors were Tom a Confederate soldier and John a Union soldier left to die in a pit in 1864. One from he South and one from Connecticut, but elderly angel Miss Ella Mae nurses both of them and conceals them from bounty hunters seeking deserters. Feeling an affinity, to the past, the three Covington women try to bring together descendents of Tom and John.
Although refreshing and entertaining, the story line is too sugary especially in the present, but even in the last year of the Civil War, the sweetening feels out of place. Still the cast is solid especially the three Covington women and the three heroes of 1864 who come alive through their writings. With a strong refreshing premise, fans of the series will relish A Blue and Grey Christmas; others might find the glucose too high.
Harriet Klausner
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Wyatt's Revenge-H. Terrell Griffin
Wyatt's Revenge
H. Terrell Griffin
Oceanview, Nov 16 2009, $24.95
ISBN: 9781933515533
Retired lawyer Matt Royal enjoys mellowing at his home in Longboat Key, Florida. The Vietnam vet prefers doing nothing of consequence and believes he earned it after years of trial by fire.
However, his idyllic life is interrupted when someone assassinates his friend Professor Laurence Wyatt, who like Royal was a trained killer, but became a gentle soul once he left the military. Their mutual friend Debbie the bartender and hacker does some data base mining for Royal who got a tip from the cops, but finds nothing of interest except Michael Ruperts who turns out to be a one trick ghost. Soon after Royal begins his inquiry, someone fire bombs his car and shoots at him. However, the persistent beach bum learns another Floridian professor working with Wyatt on a Vichy France study was also murdered. With his friends Jock Algren and Logan Hamilton as back up, Matt goes after the assailant trying to prevent him from learning the truth now and in WW II France; unaware the answers lie in Frankfort.
Although somewhat linear with no major twists, the foruth Royal thriller (see Blood Island, Murder key and Longboat Blues) is an entertaining tale as the hero gets shot at on two continents. The story line is fast-paced from the opening moment when a stunned Royal cannot believe someone splattered the brains of Wyatt and never slows down as Matt follows clues and dodges murder attempts. Fans will enjoy the lay back retiree proving he remains a trained killer.
Harriet Klausner
.
H. Terrell Griffin
Oceanview, Nov 16 2009, $24.95
ISBN: 9781933515533
Retired lawyer Matt Royal enjoys mellowing at his home in Longboat Key, Florida. The Vietnam vet prefers doing nothing of consequence and believes he earned it after years of trial by fire.
However, his idyllic life is interrupted when someone assassinates his friend Professor Laurence Wyatt, who like Royal was a trained killer, but became a gentle soul once he left the military. Their mutual friend Debbie the bartender and hacker does some data base mining for Royal who got a tip from the cops, but finds nothing of interest except Michael Ruperts who turns out to be a one trick ghost. Soon after Royal begins his inquiry, someone fire bombs his car and shoots at him. However, the persistent beach bum learns another Floridian professor working with Wyatt on a Vichy France study was also murdered. With his friends Jock Algren and Logan Hamilton as back up, Matt goes after the assailant trying to prevent him from learning the truth now and in WW II France; unaware the answers lie in Frankfort.
Although somewhat linear with no major twists, the foruth Royal thriller (see Blood Island, Murder key and Longboat Blues) is an entertaining tale as the hero gets shot at on two continents. The story line is fast-paced from the opening moment when a stunned Royal cannot believe someone splattered the brains of Wyatt and never slows down as Matt follows clues and dodges murder attempts. Fans will enjoy the lay back retiree proving he remains a trained killer.
Harriet Klausner
.
Predators-Frederick Ramsay
Predators
Frederick Ramsay
Poisoned Pen, Dec 1 2009, $24.95
ISBN: 9781590586846
The American State Department permits Earth Global CEO Leo Painter, his wife, stepson and other executives to travel to Botswana to negotiate with officials to allow his firm to extract minerals. He believes the mineral rich African country will prove profitable for his energy, mining and realty company. However several of his companions believe Leo is too old and ethical sot hey want to push him aside at the firm along with his spouse. He would like to rest but knows a respite means death from the human hyenas stalking him.
At the same time, Sekeo the elderly lion once ruled his pride with a strong alpha paw or two. However, he is not only turning weak with age, but suffers from HIV/AID, which compounds his health issues. The younger males want to replace him and challenges are coming all the time. He would like to rest but knows a respite means death from the lion hyenas (or the game ranger) stalking him.
With a darker look at human nature than Alexander McCall Smith's genteel "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" and Michael Stanley's Detective Kubu police procedural, Frederick Ramsay provides a super parable thriller as the king of the jungle rules fleetingly. The story line is fast-paced but it is the cast especially the parallel Leos who meet their respective Snows of Kilimanjaro Hemingway moments that makes for one of the year’s best glimpses at what drives the living.
Harriet Klausner
Frederick Ramsay
Poisoned Pen, Dec 1 2009, $24.95
ISBN: 9781590586846
The American State Department permits Earth Global CEO Leo Painter, his wife, stepson and other executives to travel to Botswana to negotiate with officials to allow his firm to extract minerals. He believes the mineral rich African country will prove profitable for his energy, mining and realty company. However several of his companions believe Leo is too old and ethical sot hey want to push him aside at the firm along with his spouse. He would like to rest but knows a respite means death from the human hyenas stalking him.
At the same time, Sekeo the elderly lion once ruled his pride with a strong alpha paw or two. However, he is not only turning weak with age, but suffers from HIV/AID, which compounds his health issues. The younger males want to replace him and challenges are coming all the time. He would like to rest but knows a respite means death from the lion hyenas (or the game ranger) stalking him.
With a darker look at human nature than Alexander McCall Smith's genteel "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" and Michael Stanley's Detective Kubu police procedural, Frederick Ramsay provides a super parable thriller as the king of the jungle rules fleetingly. The story line is fast-paced but it is the cast especially the parallel Leos who meet their respective Snows of Kilimanjaro Hemingway moments that makes for one of the year’s best glimpses at what drives the living.
Harriet Klausner
Desert Lost-Betty Webb
Desert Lost
Betty Webb
Poisoned Pen, Dec 1 2009, $24.95
ISBN: 9781590586815
In Scottsdale, Arizona private investigator Lena Jones works a night shift surveillance of a storage yard in order to catch vandals. She hears some odd noises outside of the facility so she goes to investigate. Lena finds the warm corpse of a woman wearing a calico dress that symbolizes she must be a “sister-wife” married to a polygamist.
Lena who dealt with the issue in the past (see Desert Wives) wonders why kill and dump the body here as the nearest known polygamist encampment is several hours to the north on the Utah line. Lena is unable to resist an inquiry as she has her own troubled past to urge her to investigate. She soon meets up with the Desert Los male teens kicked out of the various polygamist cults by the male elders who have no room for the young men. Lena keeps up her search for who and why in complex convoluted cult compounds.
This is a strong profound desert mystery that provides a deep look at the underbelly of polygamist incestuous lifestyles as the forgotten exiled are angry and bewildered lost boys who have not found a place in the greater society yet have not other place to go. The whodunit is well written enhanced by two personal subplots, but mostly serves as a vehicle as the author warns society of the lost boys dumped when they turn fourteen as surplus because “if a man can have ten wives, nine men will have no wives.”
Harriet Klausner
Betty Webb
Poisoned Pen, Dec 1 2009, $24.95
ISBN: 9781590586815
In Scottsdale, Arizona private investigator Lena Jones works a night shift surveillance of a storage yard in order to catch vandals. She hears some odd noises outside of the facility so she goes to investigate. Lena finds the warm corpse of a woman wearing a calico dress that symbolizes she must be a “sister-wife” married to a polygamist.
Lena who dealt with the issue in the past (see Desert Wives) wonders why kill and dump the body here as the nearest known polygamist encampment is several hours to the north on the Utah line. Lena is unable to resist an inquiry as she has her own troubled past to urge her to investigate. She soon meets up with the Desert Los male teens kicked out of the various polygamist cults by the male elders who have no room for the young men. Lena keeps up her search for who and why in complex convoluted cult compounds.
This is a strong profound desert mystery that provides a deep look at the underbelly of polygamist incestuous lifestyles as the forgotten exiled are angry and bewildered lost boys who have not found a place in the greater society yet have not other place to go. The whodunit is well written enhanced by two personal subplots, but mostly serves as a vehicle as the author warns society of the lost boys dumped when they turn fourteen as surplus because “if a man can have ten wives, nine men will have no wives.”
Harriet Klausner
Flight of the Renshai-Mickey Zucker Reichert
Flight of the Renshai
Mickey Zucker Reichert
DAW, Oct 2009, $25.95
ISBN 9780756402730
King Griff of Bearn has no time to mourn the loss of his son Prince Arturo from a pirate assault as the menace on the Southern Sea has gown out of control. Likewise the Renshai who lost loved ones protecting the prince have no time to grieve as they are under assault too.
The Northmen have persuaded many in Erthyame that the Renshai stole their land from them. Pressure mounts on King Griff to make reparations starting with exiling the Renshai from the Westlands to the Eastlands at a time he needs their warrior skills to complement his Erthyane Knights. As the Northmen mounts attacks abetted by the organized pirates and Giants on the retreating Renshai, the sons of heroic Kevral Tainharsdatter try to bring leadership to the trek, but Saviar and Calistin Ra-khirsson and Subikahn Taesson have personal demons and issues to overcome as well.
This opening act of another Renshai chronicle is a terrific entry into the wonderful swashbuckling fantasy world of Mickey Zucker Reichert. The story line occurs about two decades after the last trilogy (see The Children of the Wrath)) ends and starst the next generation of heroes. Readers of the saga will fully relish the return to the Westlands and beyond as this is a fresh beginning to the third saga yet it contains all the sword and fantasy play fans expect.
Harriet Klausner
Mickey Zucker Reichert
DAW, Oct 2009, $25.95
ISBN 9780756402730
King Griff of Bearn has no time to mourn the loss of his son Prince Arturo from a pirate assault as the menace on the Southern Sea has gown out of control. Likewise the Renshai who lost loved ones protecting the prince have no time to grieve as they are under assault too.
The Northmen have persuaded many in Erthyame that the Renshai stole their land from them. Pressure mounts on King Griff to make reparations starting with exiling the Renshai from the Westlands to the Eastlands at a time he needs their warrior skills to complement his Erthyane Knights. As the Northmen mounts attacks abetted by the organized pirates and Giants on the retreating Renshai, the sons of heroic Kevral Tainharsdatter try to bring leadership to the trek, but Saviar and Calistin Ra-khirsson and Subikahn Taesson have personal demons and issues to overcome as well.
This opening act of another Renshai chronicle is a terrific entry into the wonderful swashbuckling fantasy world of Mickey Zucker Reichert. The story line occurs about two decades after the last trilogy (see The Children of the Wrath)) ends and starst the next generation of heroes. Readers of the saga will fully relish the return to the Westlands and beyond as this is a fresh beginning to the third saga yet it contains all the sword and fantasy play fans expect.
Harriet Klausner
The Time of Jacob’s Trouble-Chris Hambleton
The Time of Jacob’s Trouble
Chris Hambleton
Outskirts Press, Aug 2009, $19.95
www.outskirstpress.com
ISBN: 9781432724696
When the Israelis reveal they have a rich reserve of oil in their land, the Russians are furious as that means other countries no longer need depend on them for supplies. They sponsor covertly Arab terrorists to sneak into Israel with nuclear bombs. The plans works as the nukes are launched from within the country, but Israel retaliates in kind. The world asks both sides to disarm and disengage, but Israel refuses. A coalition invades, but God intervenes and destroys the enemy of Israel.
Several months later, the so called aliens the Anshar arrive on earth to help mankind rise to the next step in evolution. People want this, but believers in the Christ know they are being conned by demons working for Lucifer. He raises up David Medine as the world ruler. Medine signs a treaty with Israel guaranteeing them the rebuilding of the Temple and seven years of peace. The Rapture occurs and Christian believers are brought up to Heaven. On earth Medine shows his true colors and the people of Israel flee to Petra for three and a half years. For Jesus to appear to take care of Medine and his allies the Sanhedrin that rejected Jesus as their savior two millennia must ask him to come to the world’s aid and accept Jesus as their Savior.
This fantastic yet chilling tale focuses on the Rosenberg family as their daughter Ruth vanishes in the Rapture, their son Saul is one the 144,000 who is given the gift of oration to preach the Word. Their other son took the mark and will never reach Heaven and their parents Jacob and Naomi gradually, after seeing the miracles, convert to Christianity. Comparisons are going to be made to the Left Behind saga as both adhere to the bible’s prophecy, but the details are described are sometimes radically different There is plenty of action with a potent message that avoids preaching as if readers are the choir, but instead uses Jacob’s problems during the end of days.
Harriet Klausner
Chris Hambleton
Outskirts Press, Aug 2009, $19.95
www.outskirstpress.com
ISBN: 9781432724696
When the Israelis reveal they have a rich reserve of oil in their land, the Russians are furious as that means other countries no longer need depend on them for supplies. They sponsor covertly Arab terrorists to sneak into Israel with nuclear bombs. The plans works as the nukes are launched from within the country, but Israel retaliates in kind. The world asks both sides to disarm and disengage, but Israel refuses. A coalition invades, but God intervenes and destroys the enemy of Israel.
Several months later, the so called aliens the Anshar arrive on earth to help mankind rise to the next step in evolution. People want this, but believers in the Christ know they are being conned by demons working for Lucifer. He raises up David Medine as the world ruler. Medine signs a treaty with Israel guaranteeing them the rebuilding of the Temple and seven years of peace. The Rapture occurs and Christian believers are brought up to Heaven. On earth Medine shows his true colors and the people of Israel flee to Petra for three and a half years. For Jesus to appear to take care of Medine and his allies the Sanhedrin that rejected Jesus as their savior two millennia must ask him to come to the world’s aid and accept Jesus as their Savior.
This fantastic yet chilling tale focuses on the Rosenberg family as their daughter Ruth vanishes in the Rapture, their son Saul is one the 144,000 who is given the gift of oration to preach the Word. Their other son took the mark and will never reach Heaven and their parents Jacob and Naomi gradually, after seeing the miracles, convert to Christianity. Comparisons are going to be made to the Left Behind saga as both adhere to the bible’s prophecy, but the details are described are sometimes radically different There is plenty of action with a potent message that avoids preaching as if readers are the choir, but instead uses Jacob’s problems during the end of days.
Harriet Klausner
Friday, October 23, 2009
The Museum of Innocence-Orhan Pamuk
The Museum of Innocence
Orhan Pamuk
Knopf, Oct 20 2009, $28.95
ISBN: 9780307266767
In 1975 in Istanbul, affluent thirty year old Kemal stops at a shop to buy a purse for his fiancée Sibel; also of a wealthy family. He is instantly attracted to the shop girl eighteen year old Fusun, who he knows is forbidden fruits as his family will object to her for being from the poor side of town and besides his match is made; they are also related though quite distantly.
Kemal does not break off his engagement, but maintains everything as memorabilia (in his mind) that involves his non-relationship with Fusun, as he keeps everything and looks at each item as the most precious whether it be earrings, etc in his personal museum. He feels no contentment in spite of his wife’s caring tenderness at a time when discontent rules the country. Only with his “priceless” artifact collection reminding him of what he never had enables him to fantasize about his Fusun does he feel some contentment.
This is a deep look at unrequited love using the backdrop of turmoil late 1970s Turkey to enhance the impact of the intense story line. Profound, Kemal makes the tale as he knows he obsesses over Fusun as depicted by his prizes he maintains in The Museum of Innocence. Sibel and Fusun, though differing personalities, are fully developed people who add to Kemal’s confusion by being themselves. Although the plot feels overwhelming at times with so much going on in Istanbul, readers will appreciate Orhan Pamuk’s powerful tale of a man fixated on a “Goddess” he can never obtain as truly his outside his imagination.
Harriet Klausner
Orhan Pamuk
Knopf, Oct 20 2009, $28.95
ISBN: 9780307266767
In 1975 in Istanbul, affluent thirty year old Kemal stops at a shop to buy a purse for his fiancée Sibel; also of a wealthy family. He is instantly attracted to the shop girl eighteen year old Fusun, who he knows is forbidden fruits as his family will object to her for being from the poor side of town and besides his match is made; they are also related though quite distantly.
Kemal does not break off his engagement, but maintains everything as memorabilia (in his mind) that involves his non-relationship with Fusun, as he keeps everything and looks at each item as the most precious whether it be earrings, etc in his personal museum. He feels no contentment in spite of his wife’s caring tenderness at a time when discontent rules the country. Only with his “priceless” artifact collection reminding him of what he never had enables him to fantasize about his Fusun does he feel some contentment.
This is a deep look at unrequited love using the backdrop of turmoil late 1970s Turkey to enhance the impact of the intense story line. Profound, Kemal makes the tale as he knows he obsesses over Fusun as depicted by his prizes he maintains in The Museum of Innocence. Sibel and Fusun, though differing personalities, are fully developed people who add to Kemal’s confusion by being themselves. Although the plot feels overwhelming at times with so much going on in Istanbul, readers will appreciate Orhan Pamuk’s powerful tale of a man fixated on a “Goddess” he can never obtain as truly his outside his imagination.
Harriet Klausner
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