I Heard That Song Before: A Novel

Book Description

In a riveting psychological thriller, Mary Higgins Clark takes the reader deep into the mysteries of the human mind, where memories may be the most dangerous things of all.

At the center of her novel is Kay Lansing, who has grown up in Englewood, New Jersey, daughter of the landscaper to the wealthy and powerful Carrington family. Their mansion -- a historic seventeenth-century manor house transported stone by stone from Wales in 1848 -- has a hidden chapel. One day, accompanying her father to work, six-year-old Kay succumbs to curiosity and sneaks into the chapel. There, she overhears a quarrel between a man and a woman who is demanding money from him. When she says that this will be the last time, his caustic response is: "I heard that song before."

That same evening, the Carringtons hold a formal dinner dance after which Peter Carrington, a student at Princeton, drives home Susan Althorp, the eighteen-year-old daughter of neighbors. While her parents hear her come in, she is not in her room the next morning and is never seen or heard from again.

Throughout the years, a cloud of suspicion hangs over Peter Carrington. At age forty-two, head of the family business empire, he is still "a person of interest" in the eyes of the police, not only for Susan Althorp's disappearance but also for the subsequent drowning death of his own pregnant wife in their swimming pool.

Kay Lansing, now living in New York and working as a librarian in Englewood, goes to see Peter Carrington to ask for permission to hold a cocktail party on his estate to benefit a literacy program, which he later grants. Kay comes to see Peter as maligned and misunderstood, and when he begins to court her after the cocktail party, she falls in love with him. Over the objections of her beloved grandmother Margaret O'Neil, who raised her after her parents' early deaths, she marries him. To her dismay, she soon finds that he is a sleepwalker whose nocturnal wanderings draw him to the spot at the pool where his wife met her end.

Susan Althorp's mother, Gladys, has always been convinced that Peter Carrington is responsible for her daughter's disappearance, a belief shared by many in the community. Disregarding her husband's protests about reopening the case, Gladys, now terminally ill, has hired a retired New York City detective to try to find out what happened to her daughter. Gladys wants to know before she dies.

Kay, too, has developed gnawing doubts about her husband. She believes that the key to the truth about his guilt or innocence lies in the scene she witnessed as a child in the chapel and knows she must learn the identity of the man and woman who quarreled there that day. Yet, she plunges into this pursuit realizing that "that knowledge may not be enough to save my husband's life, if indeed it deserves to be saved." What Kay does not even remotely suspect is that uncovering what lies behind these memories may cost her her own life.

I Heard That Song Before once again dramatically reconfirms Mary Higgins Clark's worldwide reputation as a master storyteller.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointed Long Time Fan ..........2007-10-06

I've been a huge Mary Higgins Clark fan since day one. Her books are always dependable - page turners with likeable characters and good twists and turns. Her past few books have shown growth as an author, as well. This book, though, almost felt as though it were written to fulfill a contract ... the characters didn't really come to life, it was hard to feel any kind of caring for Peter or Kay, and it was fairly ridden with cliches. Despite occasional modern touches (one character refers to their mapquest directions), there are many dated instances in this book, such as when one character refers to another character's marriages not "lasting long enough to wash the tea towels." Say what? I adore this lady - her memoir, Kitchen Privileges, is a treat! - but this one didn't fit the bill.

I Heard that song Before.......2007-09-28

It's time for MHC to pack up her computer. She has lost the knack of writing good novels. The killer is obvious from the beginning; the motive is so obvious I wonder why I bothered to read it. Read instead, Karin Slaughter, Brian Freeman, Harlan Coben, Joy Fielding.

Comes with a quality guarantee!.......2007-09-14

Librarian Kay Lansing marries Peter Carrington, head of the wealthy Carrington family.

Peter Carrington has long been under suspicion for murdering his childhood sweetheart, and as after 22 years her body is discovered on the Carrington estate in Englewood, New Jersey, Peter is charged with her murder.

The fact tht Peter Carrington is a sleepwalker, adds an interesting twist to the story, and I got urged to read more about sleepwalking by reading this book.

I'll not reveal more details about the murder investigation - in fact, the investigation of several connected murders - but leave it to the readers.

"The queen of suspense" has a unique talent for intricate plots as well as phsycological insight into the human mind.

As all her books, "I Heard That Song Before" is a real page-turner. I brought it with me on holiday. Thought it would last me a few days but finished it overnight!

Mary Higgins Clark's books come with a quality guarantee. Her fans can always trust her to deliver the best.

Enjoy!

I am a fan!!!!.......2007-09-12

I am a big fan of Mary Higgins Clark. The first section that I visit in the library is where her books are shelved. I am always looking for a new one. I think I have read them all. The nice thing about MHC is that her books are never smutty or improper and she doesn't use strong language, but the stories are still gripping and wonderful. I appreciate that!!! This was a page turner. I was hoping for a happy ending and it didn't disappoint! I am not a big fan of 'first person' dialog though. I prefer to read the novel from a third person point of view, but the story was still good. Different angles of the story really kept you guessing.....yeah, he's guilty...no he's not, yeah, he's guilty, no he's not!!! Kept me on the edge and up reading until I fell asleep with the book in my lap!

Suspenseful.......2007-09-11

I always enjoy reading her books. She always has more than one story going on keeping you guessing. I highly recommend her. There is nothing offensive or vulgar in her books.

Average customer rating:

Great Book
Pull-up! Pull-Up!
What was the point?
6th target
Patterson doesn't deliver with The 6th Target

The 6th Target
James Patterson , and Maxine Paetro
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0316014796
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Book Description

When a horrifying attack leaves one of the four members of the Women's Murder Club struggling for her life, the others fight to keep a madman behind bars before anyone else is hurt. And Lindsay Boxer and her new partner in the San Francisco police department run flat-out to stop a series of kidnappings that has electrified the city: children are being plucked off the streets together with their nannies-- but the kidnappers aren't demanding ransom. Amid uncertainty and rising panic, Lindsay juggles the possibility of a new love with an unsolvable investigation, and the knowledge that one member of the club could be on the brink of death. And just when everything appears momentarily under control, the case takes a terrifying turn, putting an entire city in lethal danger. Lindsay must make a choice she never dreamed she'd face--with no certainty that either outcome has more than a prayer of success.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2007-10-06

You must read this book, it is one of Patterson's finest. I personally prefer the books he writes alone to the ones he cowrites, they aren't near as fine. This one is though and you won't be able to put it down.

Pull-up! Pull-Up!.......2007-10-02

While a huge Patterson fan, this book was disappointing. We get three half-formed antagonists and a shiftless plot. More alarming, the ratio of mystery to melodrama is starting to head in the same direction that Patricia Cornwell did--not a positive development.

1st to Die was a taut, well-paced, page-turner. Sadly, this one seemed kinda tired and formulaic.

What was the point?.......2007-09-15

I kept waiting for the 3 storylines to somehow come together and they never did. Usually I read Patterson in 2 days and this one took me 2 months! Let's start writing alone again James!

6th target.......2007-09-15

I agree with the other reviews. I was eagerly waiting for the next instalment of the murder club and I wanted to throw the book across the room in disgust. Where was the excitement, the suspense - the feeling that you can't put the book down until you know. James Patterson re-read the first 4 books and give us something the rivals those books or don't bother.

Patterson doesn't deliver with The 6th Target.......2007-09-03

This was, in my opinion, the worst Patterson book I've read...and I've read almost all of them. He is putting out so many books with so many co-authors lately, I doubt he has time to read or edit them thoroughly. He's too busy counting his money. Jokes aside, The 6th Target is not worth the time or money!

Average customer rating:

ENTERTAINING
Could't even finish it!
A waste of a great talent!
"I'm gonna let you buy your way out"
too much AND too little

Step on a Crack
James Patterson , and Michael Ledwidge
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0316013943
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Book Description

Detective Michael Bennett is about to take on the most sinister challenge of his career. The nation has fallen into mourning after the unexpected death of a beloved former first lady, and the most powerful people in the world gather in New York for her funeral. Then the inconceivable occurs. Billionaires, politicians, and superstars of every kind are suddenly trapped within one man's brilliant and ruthless scenario. Bennett--father of ten--is pulled into the fray. As the danger escalates, Michael is hit with devastating news. After fighting for many years, his wife has succumbed to a terrible disease. As New York descends into chaos, he has lost the great love of his life and faces raising his ten devastated children alone--and rescuing 34 hostages. Day after day, Bennett confronts the most ruthless man he has ever dealt with, a man who kills without hesitation and counters everything the NYPD and FBI throw at him with impunity. As the entire world watches and the tension boils to a searing heat, Bennett has to find a way out--or face responsibility for the greatest debacle in history.

Customer Reviews:

ENTERTAINING .......2007-10-06

I never review books online, but after reading a few reviews on this book, I had to write. Reading fiction is suppose to be entertaining. Some readers might think the author MUST stay in the tone they want him to. I liked the fact that Mr. Patterson used a father, a husband of a sick wife, and the blend of family and friends that made this man human. 10 children, yes there are people who still choose to have alot of children, get over it!
I also think with all the drama in our everyday lives of hollywood, and stardom, we know if someone held all these folks we follow on the TV, & we love, hostage, we would be tuned in daily to find out their fate. This book just takes the every day and brings us closer to a man,& what makes him human. I think it is the everyday things in his life that keeps him balanced, his family, & friends. But his job, a world that is often ugly and evil is the edge that keeps us reading. Every day the news reveal people who are evil, greedy, insane, but not the people who have to catch them. Think a little more about this book, it gives a look into what it could be like for these NYPD and/or FBI agents. I enjoyed the soft side of hero and his human side.
Good job Mr. Patterson. Let the readers who cannot move from Alex Cross, though I love him,just read Alex Cross. Please continue to create new and diverse characters in your books. You still will have me, who is on a mission to collect all your past novels in hardcover.

Could't even finish it!.......2007-09-16

I usually devour James Patterson books and I particularly like his collaborations with other authors. Tried as I might, I could not finish this book. I can usually finish his books in a day or two...I would read three pages and have to stop. I got to somewhere in the 200s and decided it's just not worth it. Huge disappointment...but I do recommend The Quickie and You've Been Warned.

A waste of a great talent!.......2007-09-14

For the first time since "Fourth of July", I have read a James Patterson book. I have tried a couple of others but did not even finish them, since I found them so bad.

"Step on a Crack" together with co-writer Michael Ledwidge is fast-paced, witty and rather entertaining. In spite of the seriousness of the content of the book, the authors manage to give readers quite a few laughs with their sarcastic revellation of celebrity vanity. (A funeral IS a sad event, but oh boy, all those cameras sure are hard to resist!)

The story in this book is not really far-fetched in this time of terrorism. But still. Isn't it all a little bit too smooth? Too racy? Too fantastic? The distance between the private life of NYPD Detective Michael Bennett and his ten children, and his job, is big. It's got to be. However, even the NYPD and the FBI are human. As are the celebrities behind their well groomed facades.

To me, the weakness of this book is the feeling it gives of being a cleverly constructed shell which lacks the depth and insight to make both the people and the story credible. All, except Detective Bennett and his brood.

Although this book was passable, to me James Patterson has turned into an author of streamlined superman/science fiction-like/plastic coated "best sellers" which do not manage to capture my full attention nor creep into my heart.

I know many disagree with me, but in his earlier authorship there was a James Patterson who managed to enthrall, make it all come alive. Made me want his books never to end. The James Patterson I loved and badly miss.

James Patterson has a rare and unique talent. It's sad that these days he seems to have chosen to manufacture books instead of writing them. What a waste of a great talent!

"I'm gonna let you buy your way out".......2007-09-08

With this book, Patterson adds another author to his list of collaborators, and the result is pretty encouraging. Ledwige's influence on the novel results in a plot that even though not overly realistic, keeps us engaged in the story until the last page. On top of this, certain elements, like the busy family life of the main characters, give the story a nice balance between the police case at hand and the everyday problems that each of us face.

Everything starts when the Neat Man participates in the murder of former first lady Catherine Hawkins. The key to this event is that everyone assumes it was an accident, since she died from an allergic reaction to peanuts. The fact that no one suspects foul play is crucial for the next step of the plan, which is so craftily and precisely laid out that the police will be constantly on their toes.

Catherine's funeral attracts a variety of wealthy an influential people to St. Patrick's. When a group of men take control of the church, and keep a select number of hostages, the police and FBI are thrown into one of the most difficult sieges in history. The fact that the ringleader of the kidnappers, the obnoxious Jack, seems to always be a step ahead, does not simplify things. Mike Bennett is an NYPD detective that works as a negotiator and is involved in the situation from the start. But this is only part of Mike's problems, since his wife has terminal cancer, and he has to take care of his ten kids. Yes, you read right, it is not a typo; ten kids. Imagine that!

Even though the plot has some portions that are unrealistic, this novel does not have the problems other Patterson's books have had in the recent past. The story is cohesive and flows well, keeping us entertained throughout its duration. I admit that the idea of the ten kids may be a little over the top, but I enjoyed how this worked together with the rest of the story. Also, in this novel I found something that I thought Patterson had lost and that I remembered from the early Alex Cross books: clever, ruthless and believable villains. Finally, the hostage situation, allowed the authors to spend some time on character development, which in my opinion has been one of the main faults in some of Patterson et al latest works, like "The 6th Target".

This is not a literary masterpiece, but if you have read Patterson before you know that this is not something the author is shooting for. What this novel delivers is a fun and enjoyable experience, and that is enough to make it worth reading.

too much AND too little.......2007-08-22

As a life-long fan of James Bond flics, I don't require perfect credibility in my light entertainment, but this is too much - or too little -- even for me.

Here's our newest Patterson super-hero, Mike and his 10 kids and his dying wife. Obviously he needs 10 kids. With the Alex Cross books, Patterson learned that you can never have too many family members around to waste in times of crisis. (And, BTW, the Bennetts would never, ever have gotten 10 infants, each with 10 fingers and 10 toes, out the NY social services system, no matter how angelic Maeve might be. Nor do they seem to have the income to purchase infants. So I guess the Adoption Stork just loves the Irish.)

Oh, speaking of the Irish, there's Mike - super-trained superhero - losing it, totally, when a priest gets shot. But no, we can't be too critical. After all, his grandfather - his Irish grandfather -- is a priest.

Of course he is. Don't you hate when that happens?

And just how super is this super-hero??? Not only is he the hostage negotiator (even with FBI pros on-site), and not only is he the only one with the balls to shoot back at crunch-time (this time with Men in Black on site -- and why doesn't the loving father of 10-children-about-to-lose-their-mother behave with a bit of caution?), BUT he's also the only one who can address the media. In all of Manhattan, all of NYC, the eastern seaboard, a post-9/11 America, there's only Mike. What a guy.

And the setting! Last year Robert Tanenbaum - the empty name on the good Karp books/the guilty name on the bad ones - gave us a hostage stand-off in St Patrick's, and in 2000, Nelson Demille did it before either of them. I know it's big and in NYC, but geez, folks, how about a little variety, if there's no veracity on offer? Clearly Patterson, et al., is way too busy cranking them out to read the competition.

But, credibility aside, it is a zippy read, yes it is.

Average customer rating:

Bad luck for the reader
An Open Letter To Lee Child
My First Reacher Novel, Probably My Last
disappointing
Best Yet

Bad Luck and Trouble
Lee Child
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385340559
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Amazon.com

Ex-military cop Jack Reacher is the perfect antihero--tough as nails, but with a brain and a conscience to match. He's able to see what most miss and is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Each book in Lee Child's smart, addictive series (The New York Times has referred to it as "pure escapist gold") follows the wandering warrior on a new adventure, making it easy to start with any book, including his latest gem, Bad Luck and Trouble. However, be forewarned...once you meet Jack Reacher, you'll be hooked, so be prepared to stock up on the series. --Daphne Durham

Who Is Jack Reacher? A Video from Lee Child

Watch the video

A Note from Lee Child

Two years ago I was on a book tour, promoting that year's new Jack Reacher novel, One Shot. One particular night, the event was held in a small town outside of Chicago. The date was June 21st. As I was giving my talk and answering questions and signing books, that date was nagging away at the back of my mind. I knew it had some significance. I started panicking--had I forgotten my anniversary? No, that's in August. My wife's birthday? No, that's in January. My own birthday? No, that's in October.

Then suddenly I remembered--it was ten years to the day since I had been fired from my previous job. That was why and how I had become a writer. That night in Illinois was a ten-year anniversary of a different sort, somewhat bittersweet.

And ten is a nice round number. So I started thinking about my old colleagues. My workmates, my buddies. We had been through a lot together. I started to wonder where they all were now. What were they doing? Were they doing well, or struggling? Were they happy? What did they look like now? Pretty soon I was into full-on nostalgia mode. Ten-year anniversaries can do that to a person. I think we all share those kind of feelings, about high school, or college, or old jobs we've quit, or old towns we've moved away from.

So I decided to make this year's Jack Reacher book about a reunion. I decided to throw him back among a bunch of old colleagues that he hadn't seen for ten years, people that he loved fiercely and respected deeply. Regular Reacher readers will know that he's a pretty self-confident guy, but I wanted him to wobble just a little this time, to compare his choices with theirs, to measure himself against them.

The renewed get-together isn't Reacher's own choice, though. And it's not a standard-issue reunion, either. Something very bad has happened, and one of his old team-members from the army contacts him, by an ingenious method (it's hard to track Reacher down). She gives him the bad news, and asks him to do something about it. He says, "Of course I'll do something about it."

"No," his friend says. "I mean, I want you to put the old unit back together."

It's an irresistible invitation. Wouldn't we all like to do that, sometimes? --Lee Child

Secrets of the Series: A Q&A with Lee Child

Q: Why do you think readers keep coming back to your novels?
A: Two words: Jack Reacher. Reacher is a drifter and a loner with a strong sense of justice. He shows up, he acts, he moves on. He's the type of hero who has a long literary history. Robin Hood, the Lone Ranger, Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings, Jack Reacher--they're all part of the same heroic family. Reacher just ratchets it up a notch. Maybe more than a notch. Why is he so appealing? Most often people say to me it's his sense of justice; he will do the right thing. Even though there is no reward in it for him, even though there is often a high cost to be paid by him, he will always try to do the right thing and people find that reassuring in today's world when not too many people are doing the right thing.

Q: Jack Reacher gets compared to James Bond, Jack Bauer and Jason Bourne, each of whom now has a "face." In a movie, which actor do you think could fill Reacher's shoes?
A: That's the toughest question. The thing about Reacher is he's huge; he's 6'5" tall and about 250 pounds. There aren't any actors that size--actors tend to be small. So we aren't going to find a physical facsimile for Reacher because there aren't any. We have to find someone who is capable of looking big on the screen. Many people have said to me a young Clint Eastwood would have been perfect--we need someone like that who has the vibe of a big intimidating man. Hopefully there will be somebody available like that. It's also a question of finding somebody ready to sign up for more than one movie. They want to make a franchise, minimum of three, and that makes it a little bit harder.

Q: What research is involved in writing one of your stories?
A: My research is all kind of backwards. I don't go to the public library for three months and take notes in advance; instead my best research is by remembering and adapting. I read, travel, and talk to people just for the fun of it, filing away these interesting little snippets to the back of my mind and eventually they float to the surface and get used. The problem is, I approach writing the book with the same excitement and impatience that I hope the reader is going to feel about reading it. But even so, I need a certain measure of technical intrigue in the story. There is specific research I have to do as I go along, anything that's a small detail; a car, a gun, a type of bullet. I will check that out at the time. But, that's what I call the detail--the broad stuff is the stuff I already know.

Meet Jack Reacher

The Killing Floor

Die Trying

Tripwire

Running Blind

Echo Burning

Without Fail

Persuader

The Enemy

One Shot

The Hard Way

Book Description

From a helicopter high above the empty California desert, a man is sent free-falling into the night…. In Chicago, a woman learns that an elite team of ex–army investigators is being hunted down one by one.... And on the streets of Portland, Jack Reacher—soldier, cop, hero—is pulled out of his wandering life by a code that few other people could understand. From the first shocking scenes in Lee Child’s explosive new novel, Jack Reacher is plunged like a knife into the heart of a conspiracy that is killing old friends…and is on its way to something even worse.

A decade postmilitary, Reacher has an ATM card and the clothes on his back—no phone, no ties, and no address. But now a woman from his old unit has done the impossible. From Chicago, Frances Neagley finds Reacher, using a signal only the eight members of their elite team of army investigators would know. She tells him a terrifying story—about the brutal death of a man they both served with. Soon Reacher is reuniting with the survivors of his old team, scrambling to raise the living, bury the dead, and connect the dots in a mystery that is growing darker by the day. The deeper they dig, the more they don’t know: about two other comrades who have suddenly gone missing—and a trail that leads into the neon of Vegas and the darkness of international terrorism.

For now, Reacher can only react. To every sound. Every suspicion. Every scent and every moment. Then Reacher will trust the people he once trusted with his life—and take this thing all the way to the end. Because in a world of bad luck and trouble, when someone targets Jack Reacher and his team, they’d better be ready for what comes right back at them…

Customer Reviews:

Bad luck for the reader.......2007-10-16

This was my first (and last) Jack Reacher story. The guy is an arrested adolescent, with 1960's ideas about living a life unencumbered by possessions, taking idiotic chances in implausible situations. He leads a band of cohorts who are said to be the best and brightest, but who show total devotion to their leader, the dimmest of losers.

The narrative is divided into short chapters, each meant to leave the reader panting to find out what happens next. What does happen next is another tedious description of Los Angeles traffic and highways: much of it has all the excitement of your car's GPS guidance system.

When we get to the action parts, we descend to cartoon adventure. For example, a secure, fortress-like installation is built with fences low enough and close enough that the hero can assault it with homemade Molotov cocktails.

This is the sort of book we end up reading while waiting for Nelson DeMille to produce more of the real thing.

An Open Letter To Lee Child.......2007-10-16

First of all, presuming of course that you are reading this Mr. Child, let me start by saying that I loved this book more than any other Reacher novel yet, which is saying a lot. Something about the build up, the foot work, the set up for the final few chapters---it really and truly worked. But want to know why I really liked it?

Because FINALLY, the punishment fit the crime.

And this is a lament I've had with a few of your other novels (most notably Die Trying and The Hard Way). When the bad guy finally goes down, it's not nearly satisfying enough. The villains you create are so truly despicable, so awful and vile, that the reader WANTS to see them pay. We WANT repercussion to be SIGNIFICANT. Yet too many times the punishment passes by in the blink of an eye, when it should be the crowning point of the book instead. It's something we want to SAVOR!

And that's why this book is different. The ending was stupendous! All that pent up anger and frustration I felt was appropriately relieved. Please keep this up. I've almost put your books away for good, several times, after being let down by your endings (especially after such FABULOUS beginnings and middles!). This, however, was a much needed step in the right direction.

Thank you!

My First Reacher Novel, Probably My Last.......2007-10-06

I picked up Bad Luck and Trouble because it sounded like an interesting book. I must say, though, that it was not my cup of tea. I, on the whole, enjoy crime novels and spy thrillers in the vein of Vince Flynn and David Baldacci. Lee Child most likely fits here nicely.

The story is about Jack Reacher, a former military policeman. He receives a call for help from one of his former teammates. It seems that several members of the unit have disappeared and Reacher needs to find out why. Interesting premise, but it quickly devolves into a revenge novel with a little bit of "let's stop the terrorist" thrown in to make the story timely.

I have no problem with the writing of the book. Mr. Child is a very talented writer. I just did not enjoy the story. Revenge for the sake of revenge is not my idea of a good time.

disappointing.......2007-09-27

Unfortunately, in my opinion, this book cannot be compared the The Hard Way. That one was taut, thrilling and extremely gripping. This one was drowning in minutiae, far too many 'filler' details. It took 250 pages to even know what the characters were trying to stop. From then on, you just knew Reacher would get the bad guys and the climax was pretty standard 'shoot 'em up', no surprises or twists at all. I expected so much more. Pass this one by.

Best Yet.......2007-09-25

I have enjoyed the seris, and liked this one the best, because of the former team members, they give some real balance to Jack...

Average customer rating:

A Terrible Book
Poor writing,characters and storyline=bad book
Baldacci comes through again
Another good one.....
Simple Genius is Simply Great

Simple Genius
David Baldacci
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0446580341
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Book Description

In a world of secrets, human genius is power.And sometimes it is simply deadly...A three-hour drive from Washington, D.C., two clandestine institutions face each other across a heavily guarded river. One is the world's most unusual laboratory, whose goals and funding are a mystery. The other is an elite CIA training camp shrouded in secrecy. Now a man and a woman are about to run a gauntlet between these two puzzle factories, straight into a furious struggle to exploit a potentially world-shattering discovery--and keep some other secrets underwraps forever...Former secret service agents turned private investigators Sean King and Michelle Maxwell have seen their lives splinter around them. Michelle lies unconscious ina hospital bed after a night of suicidal violence. And Sean is forced to take on a thankless investigation into the mutder of a scientist just inside the CIA's razor-wire fence near Williamsburg, Virginia.Soon he is uncovering layer after layer of disinformation that shields a stunning world filled with elite mathematics, physicists, war heroes, spies, and deadly field agents. Amid more murder, a seemingly autistic girl's extraordinary genius, and a powerful breakthrough in the realm of classified codes, Sean soon learns enough to put his life at risk. Now more than ever, he needs Michelle--at her best--to help stop a conspiracy of traitors operating in the shadow of the White House itself.From Michelle's courageous struggle to defeat her long-buried personal demons to a centuries-old secret that surfaces in the heat of action, SIMPLE GENIUS pulses with stunning, high-intensity suspense. The heroes of Split Second and Hour Game, David Baldacci's #1 New York Times bestsellers, are back--as you've never seen them before.

Customer Reviews:

A Terrible Book.......2007-10-05

As a long-standing fan it pains me to write a negative review for Mr. Baldacci's latest novel, but it seems as if he phoned this one into his publisher. Flat characters, over-plotted, silly dialogue...and those are the book's good points. Don't waste your time or money.

Poor writing,characters and storyline=bad book.......2007-09-24

A member of our book group chose this book for us. We had read Camel Club and found the characters amusing and the story OK, but Simple Genius is embarrassingly boring. The characters lack any depth, the storyline is ridiculous and not even marginally believable;and the dialogue could have been written by a first grader. Do yourself a favor and don't buy this one.

Baldacci comes through again.......2007-09-17

Briefly, an enjoyable "page-turner." It was hard to put down, both for the action and for the 3-dimensional main characters. Not a criticism, but the author in his credits should have given a nod to Clive Cussler.
Thanks, David. I'm awaiting your next one.

Another good one............2007-09-15

I will never forgive Baldacci !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He got us started with these audio cd's with The Winner back in 1997- 98 ?

and found the perfect match for our love of driving trips !

As soon as he comes out with one, we get it... and have been enthralled every time !!!

I highly recommend Simple Genius!

Simple Genius is Simply Great.......2007-09-13

Simple Genius, like all of David Baldacci's novels, is "simply great". This novel mixes suspence, a spy thriller, and detective mystery all into one speel-binding "edge of your chair" masterpiece. I couldn't stop listening to the un-abridged audio CD set. Great audio book. Recommended to all that enjoy this type of novel or this author.

Average customer rating:

boring, slow, and contrived
still the best writer today!!!
John Sandford's sense of humour grows
This is a fine novel
Great Book - Thoroughly Enjoyed It

Invisible Prey
John Sandford
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0399154213
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Book Description

In the richest neighborhood of Minneapolis, two elderly women lie murdered in their home, killed with a pipe, the rooms tossed, only small items stolen. It is clearly the random work of someone looking for money to buy drugs. But as Davenport looks more closely, he begins to wonder whether the items are actually so small and the victims so random-if there might not be some invisible agenda at work here. Gradually, a pattern begins to emerge, and it leads him to . . . certainly nothing he ever expected. Which is too bad, because the killers-and, yes, there is more than one of them-the killers are expecting him. Brilliantly suspenseful, filled with rich characterization and exciting drama, Invisible Prey is further proof that Sandford is in a class of his own.

Customer Reviews:

boring, slow, and contrived.......2007-10-07

Invisible Prey was a major disappointment in my eyes. Only a couple of months ago I read what I felt was Sandford's best book 'Dead Watch' and was looking forwards to more of his work. However I feel that the constraints of this series have tied Sandford's hands to such an extent that he is almost incapable of pushing any new life into it.

My main beef with this story is that everyone knows the Twin Cities are pretty calm when compared to places such as the inner corridors of Baltimore, New Orleans, or Detroit. This is the 17th time Davenport has confronted a mastermind criminal. He is so smart, so handsome, so wealthy, so comfortable in himself, that it is hard to find any sympathy for the guy. Why is it that only Davenport can take care of the Twin Cities problems. Time and time again in this story, the 'evil doers' talk about how Davenport is someone to watch out for and how only he can thwart them. What about the rest of the police force? Are they just chopped liver?

Lastly, this is just such a tedious plot. Sandford sets up a sort of Agatha Christie plot. Only he gives away the who-done-it aspect in the first few pages and we are left watching someone who can do no wrong stumble across one clue after another. Ohhhh how clever Sandford is to have the murderous couple end up on the inside of the investigation. Ohhh, how clever Sandford is in setting up a second plot that so perfectly co-insides with the murders and Davenport. Give me a break, and give me back the time I spent reading this drivel.

still the best writer today!!!.......2007-10-05

John Sandford remains the best writer in his genre today with the latest Prey novel. Even though the great Lucas Davenport is "mellowing" with age, Sandfor still weaves an intricate, interesting plot that keeps his novels moving at a brisk pace that you can't put down. Sandford's strengths are his great characters and intelligent plots that let you in on the thoughts of both lawbreaker and lawman, a good technique to keep the reader clued in. I highly recommend this work and all of the Prey novels. I have been a fan since I picked up the first Prey novel years ago and eagerly await the next offering. Thanks John.

John Sandford's sense of humour grows .......2007-09-28

John Sandford is a true craftsman. His "Invisible" works are consistent, intriguing, and growing in fun. As his charecter, Lucas Davenport, grows older an emerging note of humour (expressed through sarcasm and irony) is making these reads even more enjoyable. Invisible Prey is a fast paced, enjoyable read made all the more "fun" by the charecters as they emerge and Daveport's reactions to them and his contnuing family and friends. I look forward to what becomes "visible" next in the "Invisible" series.

This is a fine novel.......2007-09-21

John Sandford does it again with Invisible Prey. Lucas Davenport, who is one of the most believable characters in modern crime fiction, continues his career in breaking a case that is deliciously complex, involves wonderfully convoluted and perverse characters and carries you from connection to connection until suddenly it will all make sense. This is a fine novel about interesting people, some of whom are doing violent and destructive things and others whom simply want to lead nice, decent lives and catches both the way in which the innocent can without cause be destroyed by evil, and the way in which good can in the end triumph. As an optimist, I find it always comforting to read John Sandford's novels and in particular I enjoy his Lucas Davenport pursuit of justice.

Great Book - Thoroughly Enjoyed It.......2007-09-15

Lucas Davenport is my favorite - and he was up to par with this new book.
Your attention is grabbed at the very beginning of the story and keeps up the pace until the conclusion. This Prey book is different from the others but overall, it was very entertaining, a fast read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Watchman: A Joe Pike Novel (Joe Pike Novels)

Average customer rating:

Pretty good
I'll keep reading him because he's great but . . .
The Watchman
Righteous Thriller
DIVING INTO ADVENTURE IN THE PIKE POSITION

The Watchman: A Joe Pike Novel (Joe Pike Novels)
Robert Crais
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743281632

Book Description

The city was hers for a single hour, just the one magic hour, only hers.

Larkin Conner Barkley lives like the City of Angels is hers for the taking. Young and staggeringly rich, she speeds through the city during its loneliest hours, blowing through red after red in her Aston Martin as if running for her life. Until out of nowhere a car appears, and with it the metal-on-metal explosion of a terrible accident. Dazed, Larkin attempts to help the other victims. And finds herself the sole witness in a secret federal investigation.

For maybe the first time in her life, Larkin wants to do the right thing. But by agreeing to cooperate with the authorities, she becomes the target for a relentless team of killers. And when the U.S. Marshals and the finest security money can buy can't protect her, Larkin's wealthy family turns to the one man money can't buy -- Joe Pike.

Pike lives a world away from the palaces of Beverly Hills. He's an ex-cop, ex-Marine, ex-mercenary who owes a bad man a favor, and that favor is to keep Larkin alive. The one upside of the job is reuniting with Bud Flynn, Pike's LAPD training officer, and a man Pike reveres as a father. The downside is Larkin Barkley, who is the uncontrollable cover girl for self-destruction -- and as deeply alone as Pike.

Pike commits himself to protecting the girl, but when they immediately come under fire, he realizes someone is selling them out. In defiance of Bud and the authorities, Pike drops off the grid with the girl and follows his own rules of survival: strike fast, hit hard, hunt down the hunters. With the help of private investigator Elvis Cole, Pike uncovers a web of lies and betrayals, and the stunning revelation that even the cops are not who they seem. As the body count rises, Pike's biggest threat might come from the girl herself, a lost soul in the City of Angels, determined to destroy herself unless Joe Pike can teach her the value of life...and love.

Customer Reviews:

Pretty good.......2007-10-17

I like Pike, but prefer Elvis as the protagonist. But all in all, this was an enjoyable read.

I'll keep reading him because he's great but . . ........2007-10-15

but THE WATCHMAN is so over the top I found myself smirking at every new twist. I just can't get away from the image of Paris Hilton, to whom Robert Crais has sworn the kind of devotion Sir Walter Raleigh gave to Queen Elizabeth I. Here disguised as "Larkin Conner Barkley" (always with the three names, as if she were Ivy Compton Burnett) and topped with a sultry mane of Lindsay Lohan's red hair, Paris Hilton has Joe Pike under her thumb from page one. At first she's devil may care and puffed up with paparazzi attitude, but as the pages go on and she's forced to live "The Simple Life" on the run with Joe and, to a lesser extent, Elvis Cole, she gets to appreciate the big guy's Marine Force Recon experience and even to love Elvis' quirky sense of humor same as we all do.

Joe opens up his heart to her--they begin to touch covertly--never anything erotic--just a pat here, a hand slithering down a knee there. All in the background of a truly confusing case I couldn't make any sense of.

I like Paris Hilton too but I don't write books about her claiming that she has the immortal romanric depths of Cathy in WUTHERING HEIGHTS. Robert Crais, you are whipped boy!

And worse, you have made John Chen into a total laughing stock. We always thought his "I'm in it for the tang" complex was amusing but he is now a total Pike slave and will do anything for the man. C'mon, Crais, read some post-colonial theory! Why is John Chen the total Kato to Joe Pike's Green Hornet? Get your houseboy somewhere else,

I like Joe's back story, the part in italics, these flashbacks help build up the picture we have heard in previous novels of Joe being abused by a stern dad and that's why he's now "the Watchman."

Will Paris Hilton--I mean "Larkin Conner Barkley" return in future novels? Maybe she'll bring Nicole Richie with her this time so that Elvis can have a new love affair. I'll keep reading Robert Crais because he's so great but this book is a gigantic celebrity love letter.

The Watchman.......2007-10-12

One of Robert Crais best. I couldn't stop once I started listening. Joe Pike really did his job this time.

Righteous Thriller.......2007-10-01

The Watchman is a superior thriller that kicks off as if you're in the middle of a tension-filled scene, and doesn't let up on the thrills and suspense until the very last pages. Crais knows how to keep the dialogue light, the action lean, and still sprinkle the whole book with healthy doses of humor.

Read the other reviewers' plot summaries if you want. I'm keeping this review lean, mean, and to the point. Like Joe Pike.

Recommended.

Highly.

DIVING INTO ADVENTURE IN THE PIKE POSITION.......2007-09-22

Joe Pike, silent partner in the Elvis Cole Detective Agency, takes center stage in this well orchestrated offering from Robert Crais, with Elvis Cole stepping into an important albeit "supporting role". For those who have followed the "strong, silent, mysterious Pike" through various Elvis Cole books.....we are finally offered a glimpse at Joe's military experiences, his time as an L.A.P.D. cop, and his relationship with his father. Joe may not be a guy brimming with emotion, but his quiet nature is perfectly fitted for this compelling character.

Recommended by his old police force partner Bud Flynn, Joe is hired to protect Larkin Barkley, the beautiful, spoiled and largely ignored daughter of a real estate tycoon. Joe must utilize all of his accumulated training and experience (as well as his Colt Python and Kimber) to keep both he and Larkin out of the reaches of assassins as well as government agents.

During the first few chapters of the book, I was so aggravated with the shallowness of the Larkin character, that I could have killed her myself.....or at least slapped the daylights out of her. (Crais must have used the antics of Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan and Brittany Spears for inspiration when developing this character). As the book progresses, Larkins behaviour is modified and the reader, like Pike and Cole, begins to relate to her. Larkin aside, I loved the pace, plot structure and language of this novel. It's an edgy thriller filled with enough action, plot twists, and body count to satisfy all lovers of suspense and daring exploits. Pike's appeal is his uncanny ability to anticipate the actions of his foes, and then out-plan and out-maneuver them.

Fact of the matter is that Crais talent with the written word creates vivid pictures in your mind that would translate beautifully onto the silver screen. I can see any number of actors as Joe Pike. Bruce, Harrison and Arnold are getting a little "long in the tooth" for this sort of action, but how about Daniel Craig, Gerard Butler, or Clive Owen? Check out The Watchman and see if you don't agree? If not, do your own casting......it's a free country and your entitled to your opinion too.

Average customer rating:

Holy Cow, Harlan...
A waste of time to read this
Stay out of the Woods...
Another Fast Paced Coben Book
The Woods by Harlan Coben

The Woods
Harlan Coben
Manufacturer: Dutton Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0525950125
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Book Description

Twenty years ago, four teenagers at summer camp walked into the woods at night. Two were found murdered, and the others were never seen again. Four families had their lives changed forever. Now, two decades later, they are about to change again.

For Paul Copeland, the county prosecutor of Essex, New Jersey, mourning the loss of his sister has only recently begun to subside. Cope, as he is known, is now dealing with raising his six- year-old daughter as a single father after his wife has died of cancer. Balancing family life and a rapidly ascending career as a prosecutor distracts him from his past traumas, but only for so long. When a homicide victim is found with evidence linking him to Cope, the well-buried secrets of the prosecutorÂ's family are threatened.

Is this homicide victim one of the campers who disappeared with his sister? Could his sister be alive? Cope has to confront so much he left behind that summer twenty years ago: his first love, Lucy; his mother, who abandoned the family; and the secrets that his Russian parents might have been hiding even from their own children. Cope must decide what is better left hidden in the dark and what truths can be brought to the light.

Customer Reviews:

Holy Cow, Harlan..........2007-10-07

I have no idea what process Harlan Coben may have been working through on a personal level when he wrote this book - for his sake, I hope it was cathartic. Unfortunately for me, it also used up many bedtime hours of normally pleasurable reading. In fact, it is such a disappointing departure that I'm secretly convinced that someone else (an intern, perhaps?) wrote this book while Coben was vacationing: in the real woods of northern Montana.
The very things that make Coben's Myron Bolatar series such fun reading - the quirky characters, wise-guy dialog, flawed heroes and wacky plots - were sadly missing from The Woods.
Add to that a plot line that can only be described as ludicrous. When I'm reading a mystery, trying to follow along and deduce the killer's identity, it's never a nice feeling to discover that the reason the killer was so elusive is that no one in their right mind could have thought up the explanation.

(Following are similes - not spoilers) - How well would To Kill A Mockingbird have turned out, I wonder, had we learned that the actual murderer was a local neighborhood boy who was in reality a trained CIA operative no longer working with the Khmer Rouge, but now living a secret identity in Hohokus, New Jersey and an active member of the remnants of the Bahder-Meinhof gang?
Like an idiot, I blindly followed this trail all the way to its miserable ending. My reluctance to wake the family is the only reason I didn't shout out "You have GOT to be kidding me!" and fling open a window and chuck this book out into where it should never have been milled from in the first place: The Woods.
Harlan, let us know when you're back on track, or when you've fired whoever wrote this book and paid you to use your name on it. It's not that we want to pigeon-hole you into only Myron Bolitar novels. But next time you venture afield of that formula, I'm going to need to say a BEVY of killer reviews before I'll pick it up. I didn't donate this book to our local library - I recycled it.

A waste of time to read this.......2007-10-05

Where to start on what annoyed me about this book?? The characters are highly unrealistic...he writes them like he's in junior high. All the women are stop traffic beautiful with bodies that no man can resist. All husbands are cheaters and men are so full of lust they can't complete a sentence when a beautiful woman is in the room. It was so juvenile you just had to laugh. And he wrote such obvious clues about where the plot was going next. I love a good suprise and a few twists and turns, but this was just loaded with them. And the trial, how good of a fiction author can you claim to be when you steal all of the details out of a real trial (Duke). Flat out of creativity there? And finally, the ending. Completely lame. If it had been included earlier with more development behind it, that's one thing, but to drop it on the last page...lame.
If you insist on reading this book, make sure you get it cheap at a used book store or better yet at the library, don't waste your money on it.

Stay out of the Woods... .......2007-10-03

This was on my summer reading list. It was a quick and easy read. Very predictable and sophmoric in writing style. Coben is heavily into dialogue that adds nothing to the story except extra words. He tries to be hip and cool, and can't pull it off. A total waste of my time.

Another Fast Paced Coben Book.......2007-10-03

You pick this book up and you won't put it down---from the very first page. That's what I love about Harlan Coben. Does it make sense or is it realistic? Who cares? It is pure enjoyment, a fun read by an excellent writer.

The Woods by Harlan Coben.......2007-10-02

Don't get me wrong, this was a good book. I just find that since I have read so many of his books already, I knew how it was going to end. It wasn't his best work, in my opinion.

The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town

Average customer rating:

Unbelievable In This Day and Age
Real Life Horror
No good ending here
Lack of remorse in Oklahoma
Had it been a work of fiction I would have given it 1 star...

The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Legal System | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0385517238
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Amazon.com

John Grisham tackles nonfiction for the first time with The Innocent Man, a true tale about murder and injustice in a small town (that reads like one of his own bestselling novels). The Innocent Man chronicles the story of Ron Williamson, how he was arrested and charged with a crime he did not commit, how his case was (mis)handled and how an innocent man was sent to death row. Grisham's first work of nonfiction is shocking, disturbing, and enthralling--a must read for fiction and nonfiction fans. We had the opportunity to talk with John Grisham about the case and the book, read his responses below. --Daphne Durham

20 Second Interview: A Few Words with John Grisham

Q: After almost two decades of writing fiction, what compelled you to write non-fiction, particularly investigative journalism?
A: I was never tempted to write non-fiction, primarily because it's too much work. However, obviously, I love a good legal thriller, and the story of Ron Williamson has all the elements of a great suspenseful story.

Q: Why this case?
A: Ron Williamson and I are about the same age and we both grew up in small towns in the south. We both dreamed of being major league baseball players. Ron had the talent, I did not. When he left a small town in 1971 to pursue his dreams of major league glory, many thought he would be the next Mickey Mantle, the next great one from the state of Oklahoma. The story of Ron ending up on Death Row and almost being executed for a murder he did not commit was simply too good to pass up.

Q: How did you go about your research?
A: I started with his family. Ron is survived by two sisters who took care of him for most of his life. They gave me complete access to the family records, photographs, Ron's mental health records, and so on. There was also a truckload of trial transcripts, depositions, appeals, etc., that took about 18 months to organize and review. Many of the characters in the story are still alive and I traveled to Oklahoma countless times to interview them.

Q: Did your training as a lawyer help you?
A: Very much so. It enabled me to understand the legal issues involved in Ron's trial and his appeals. It also allowed me, as it always does, to be able to speak the language with lawyers and judges.

Q: Throughout your book you mention, The Dreams of Ada: A True Story of Murder, Obsession, and a Small Town. How did you come across that book, and how did it impact your writing The Innocent Man?
A: Several of the people in Oklahoma I met mentioned The Dreams of Ada to me, and I read it early on in the process. It is an astounding book, a great example of true crime writing, and I relied upon it heavily during my research. Robert Mayer, the author, was completely cooperative, and kept meticulous notes from his research 20 years earlier. Many of the same characters are involved in his story and mine.

Q: You take on some pretty controversial and heated topics in your book--the death penalty, prisoner's rights, DNA analysis, police conduct, and more--were any of your own beliefs challenged by this story and its outcome?
A: None were challenged, but my eyes were open to the world of wrongful convictions. Even as a former criminal defense attorney, I had never spent much time worrying about wrongful convictions. But, unfortunately, they happen all the time in this country, and with increasing frequency.

Q: So many of the key players in this case are either still in office or practicing attorneys. Many family members and friends still live in the same small town. How do you think The Innocent Man will impact this community and other small rural towns as they struggle with the realities of the justice system?
A: Exonerations seem to be happening weekly. And with each one of them, the question is asked--how can an innocent man be convicted and kept in prison for 20 years? My book is the story of only one man, but it is a good example of how things can go terribly wrong with our judicial system. I have no idea how the book will be received in the small town of Ada, Oklahoma, or any other town.

Q: What do you hope your readers will take away from The Innocent Man?
A: A better understanding of how innocent people can be convicted, and a greater concern for the need to reimburse and rehabilitate innocent men after they have been released.

Book Description

John Grisham’s first work of nonfiction, an exploration of small town justice gone terribly awry, is his most extraordinary legal thriller yet.

In the major league draft of 1971, the first player chosen from the State of Oklahoma was Ron Williamson. When he signed with the Oakland A’s, he said goodbye to his hometown of Ada and left to pursue his dreams of big league glory.

Six years later he was back, his dreams broken by a bad arm and bad habits—drinking, drugs, and women. He began to show signs of mental illness. Unable to keep a job, he moved in with his mother and slept twenty hours a day on her sofa.

In 1982, a 21-year-old cocktail waitress in Ada named Debra Sue Carter was raped and murdered, and for five years the police could not solve the crime. For reasons that were never clear, they suspected Ron Williamson and his friend Dennis Fritz. The two were finally arrested in 1987 and charged with capital murder.

With no physical evidence, the prosecution’s case was built on junk science and the testimony of jailhouse snitches and convicts. Dennis Fritz was found guilty and given a life sentence. Ron Williamson was sent to death row.

If you believe that in America you are innocent until proven guilty, this book will shock you. If you believe in the death penalty, this book will disturb you. If you believe the criminal justice system is fair, this book will infuriate you.

Customer Reviews:

Unbelievable In This Day and Age.......2007-09-30

I read this book thinking it had to be another Grisham work of fiction because if the story were true, America is in trouble.
This story is riveting, fast-paced and shows how truly horrible our justice system can be for those who can't afford a "Johnny Cochran".
I couldn't put this book down. The more you read the more you can't believe it really happened. Thank goodness for the pictures of the people in this story, it really brought home the fact that it's a true story.
Excellent job by Mr. Grisham.

Real Life Horror.......2007-09-29

"The Innocent Man" is a chronicle of Ron Williamson (former minor league baseball star), his life and ordeal as he was wrongly accused of murder and sentenced to death row as a result. He was forced to suffer this horror for 11 years until finally the system began to work for him, but only through the diligence and persistence of attorneys assigned to him years later, Mark Barrett and Barry Scheck, his loving mother and persistent sisters, in particular, his sister Annette. The cruelties and disrespect by the officers and District Attorney Bill Peterson that were inflected on him were horrifying. The shabby police work and "junk science," as well as the district attorney's expert witnesses (a majority of them picked from men and women serving time for horrendous crimes themselves) and brought to the stand to testify against Ron, was not only incomprehensible in itself but the fact that the Judge allowed their testimony to stand and control a man's life sentence is abominable. Ron's hometown of Ada, Oklahoma completely turned on him and he was proven guilty without a shred of hard evidence as was his friend, a respected 7th grade Science teacher, Dennis Fritz, merely by association. The book goes on to tell Ron's sad story as only it can be told by such an esteemed author/attorney as John Grisham. I would highly recommend everyone read this true story; it is a real eye opener as to how our justice system can go astray with the wrong people serving in our trusted government positions.

No good ending here.......2007-09-27

I seldom read Grisham but found his first non-fiction work hard to put down. The story of Ron Williamson has no happy ending. Not for Ron nor the young woman who was so brutually murdered.

Grisham does an excellent job of drawing us into the story. If you have never experienced justice (or lack of) in a small town you need to read this book. Had Ron lived in New York City or even Dallas he may have gone unnoticed wandering the streets and babbling like a mad man. But not in Ada, OK.

Lack of remorse in Oklahoma.......2007-09-26

This story had a tremendous impact on me. I support the death penalty but was abhorred to see how flippantly it was applied in Ada Oklahoma. Read this book first and then log onto District Attorney Peterson's web site to read his defense of his actions that were the subject of the book. The first thing he displays on his website is the American flag. Then he has a lengthy and tedious defense of all the minor points in Grisham's novel. He provides statistics on the probability of innocent people being convicted of felonies as if this excuses him for almost sending an innocent person to his death. Peterson tries to blow off Grisham as an anti-death penalty advocate. I truly fear for the soul of Mr. Peterson and the good people of Ada Oklahoma - a bit of remorse and repentance for what they almost did to an innocent man would help them when they meet their Maker. Hiding behind the American flag might help now but certainly not later!

Had it been a work of fiction I would have given it 1 star..........2007-09-18

... but it's not. It only looks like fiction in bad taste. Instead, this truly happened as described.

I'm not summarizing the story as the editorial reviews and most reviewers before me are quite descriptive.
May I just say that I think that every judicial system has its share of faults and flaws, but what's revealed in this book is simply astonishing and unbelievable from beginning to end. I can only hope that it rattles a few consciences whilst increasing awareness to prevent disastrous consequences for those involved.

As it always happens when I read J. Grisham's books, I've appreciated and enjoyed the clear and well structured narrative, even more so on this occasion. Being a real-life story, I'm sure it must have been quite a task to extrapolate all the relevant facts from all the interviews and paperwork generated by this case during the years, in order to present them clearly to the readers.

Unless you already know the epilogue, try not to peek at the photographs published right in the middle of the book. Some are quite revealing for the yet-to-be-read rest of the story. They don't actually "spoil everything" -in fact, whatever unfolded after turning those pages kept me on the alert and as incredulous as ever- but I still think it would have been preferable to print them at the very end of the book.

A part from that, "The Innocent Man" is highly recommendable.

Average customer rating:

Another page turner from Hoag
Nice Detective story
Tami Hoag created a terrific story
Elena Estes should def. have a series!
Elena Estes is back!

The Alibi Man
Tami Hoag
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0553802011
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Book Description

She was a vision. She was a siren. She was a nightmare. She was dead. Now he needed her to disappear. And he knew just how to make it happen. The Palm Beach elite go to great lengths to protect their own—and their own no longer includes Elena Estes. Once upon a time a child of wealth and privilege, Elena turned her back on that life. Betrayed and disillusioned by those closest to her, she chose the life of an undercover cop, the hunt for justice her own personal passion. Then a tragic, haunting mistake ended her career. Now Elena exists on the fringes of her old life, training horses for a living. But a shocking event is about to draw her back into the painful vortex she’s fought so hard to leave behind.

First she finds the body—a young woman used, murdered, and dumped in a canal. Not just a victim, but a friend. As Elena delves into her dead friend’s secret life, she discovers ties not only to the Russian mob but also to a group of powerful and wealthy Palm Beach bad boys known for giving each other alibis to cover a multitude of sins. A group that includes a man Elena once knew very well—her former fiancé, Bennett Walker, a man she knows has already escaped justice at least once in his life.

Finding her friend’s killer will put Elena at odds with her old life, with her new lover, and with herself. But she is determined to reveal the truth—a truth that will shock Palm Beach society to its core, and could very well get her killed.

Customer Reviews:

Another page turner from Hoag.......2007-09-08

Alibi Man became my alibi to read this book instead of doing something else. This book speeds you through twists and turns like a highway begging for you to reach the climax. Tami knows how to hold your interest and build to that climax and along the way some of the scenes she describes are so vived they are grotesque. Will not reveal plot as that is the story. A fat book with many pages that I finished in less than four days and read at night only for one hour each.

Nice Detective story.......2007-08-21

I had read Dark Horse, the precursor book with the same leading characters and setting as Alibi Man, and found that I just couldn't get into the heroine Elena. I happen to like Tami Hoag's books mainly for her character developments and even though I didn't really like Elena Estes as a character, I still decided to read Alibi man to see if she's developed as a person.

I liked Alibi Man much more than Dark Horse. Elena is still rash but in Alibi Man she is more self reflective and less rash with the general boldness still present. Still set in the Equestrian world, which I find interesting as I know nothing about it, Elena and her "former" on again off again lover Det. Landry work to find out who killed the groom whom Elena works with. Not as hard nosed in Alibi Man as in Dark Horse, Elena helps Det. Landry behind the scenes to find this killer, while at the same time being forced to deal with painful family relationships with her parents and her relationship with Det. Landry, although, he is on the back burner in this book as in the last. I enjoyed that she seemed a lot more vulnerable in this book, which made her seem more real to me. The plot itself was very well done and interesting and it kept my interest.

Alibi Man was a quick (read in one day), easy, and much more pleasant read for me than Dark Horse was. I really love the way Ms. Hoag writes. What I really enjoyed was that Ms. Hoag's usual verbosity was not as present. Much shorter than many of her other books, only 351 pages, she makes her points without rehashing them over and over as she's wont to do in other books. I don't really mind that she usually does re-hash thoughts and feelings of her characters over and over throughout a book, but this was a pleasant change.

Tami Hoag created a terrific story.......2007-08-03

It has been awhile since I have read something by Tami Hoag and I really enjoyed The Alibi Man. I understand that I have been out of the loop with the main character Elena Estes. However, when I finished the book it didn't appear to me that I missed anything from Elena previous adventures, because I thought The Alibi Man stood on its own. Elena has her fair share of knocks and I couldn't help but root for her. The story moves along at a quick pace, with a number of unrealistic scenes that I had trouble with. But still it was an entertaining read and I thought Tami Hoag did a terrific job and I would gladly recommend it to all my friends.

Elena Estes should def. have a series!.......2007-07-30

One of the best books I've read in a long time. I received this book Friday and was finished by Sunday night. I could not put this book down, except for my Saturday night fun... Excellent Tami Hoag thriller.

Elena Estes is back!.......2007-07-13

Elena Estes (who I recognize as a character from a previous novel) is back and better than ever. Investigating the death of a co-worker and friend, Elena soon discovers that events from her past, are effecting her present and future. More than anything, Elena wants to solve Irina's death, and having recently broken up with her lover, Detective Landry, she struggles to keep him at arms length while assisting in the investigation. I will not retell the story, or tell you who killed Irina and why (enough reviewers have done that), but I will make a few simple statements. This novel contains everything that you need to make a terrific suspense novel. There were wealthy men (Brody and a host of other interesting characters) who have formed an "Alibi Club" (a bad version of a Good Ole Boy Club, who provide alibis to each other if needed); sexy polo stars (Barbaro)looking for redemption; a grieving and vicious Russian Mobster, Alexi Kulak; a person referred to as a "Freak" (who walks around looking like a circus reject); blackmailers; a victim who is more than she seemed; and a murderer. But what I found to be the most compelling was the character of Elena. You really grow to understand why she has become so jaded, so filled with guilt, and so sad. We understand why she pushes Landry away, but secretly desires what they could have, but what she is too afraid of. Anyway, Elena is a product of her past. We find out that she has left the police force, 3 years ago, because of guilt that she has about causing the death of her partner during a meth bust. The incident left her with physical (she was drug by a truck) and psychological scars (blames herself). And on top of that, her ex-lover/fiance', Bennett Walker (20 years ago), appears to be the number one suspect. Elena remembers all too well how Bennett asked her to be his alibi when he was accused of raping and assaulting a girl, and would it be unreasonable to think that someone who has everything would not kill to protect themselves. And on top of that, he is a member of the Alibi Club. Having escaped punishment for his past deeds, with the help of her estranged/defense attorney father, Elena would like to see him brought to justice if he is guilty.

As the story develops, you learn a lot about Irina, her lovers and her good friend Lizbeth, but you learn even more about Elena, and what makes her what she is....a truth seeker. How all of the injustices she has been a witness to, have shaped who she has become. I would love to read another Elena Estes story to see how her life evolves and what becomes of her relationship with Landry. So, I can tell you with no hesitation to read Alibi Man, I think you will enjoy it.

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