Customer Reviews:
the best.......2007-10-18
This is the best book I have ever read it is dramatic with lots of action. Each chapter make you wonder and is hard to stop reading. If you like action and a tiny bit of love that will make you cry from happieness then get this book!!!!
Wonderful Conclusion.......2007-07-10
This book wrapped up many things in the Underland and ended this fantastic series adequately. With the warrior's death prophesized and an impending doom on gregor and all of the underland this book captured emotion through suspence, action, and saying goodbye, whilling to sacrifice for the ones you love. To be honest every time gregor said goodbye to one of his friends I cried, just knowing he'd accepted that he was going to die made tears come to my eyes. The only reason I gave this book four stars was because of the ending, how he just decided to leave, what about Luxa?? HELLO??
But other than that I thought it was a great book that wrapped up the story with style. I am going to miss this series.
Another outstanding, riveting Gregor fantasy........2007-07-10
Suzanne Collins' GREGOR AND THE CODE OF CLAW presents the fifth in the Underland Chronicles': prior familiarity with the other adventures will lend a satisfying uniformity to this story of Gregor, who finds out the prophecy fortells his death - and the time is coming to face off an army of rats. Somehow Gregor must defend his home and get his family home safely; and key to this and his survival is a code which must be cracked and a war which will change his world. Another outstanding, riveting Gregor fantasy.
The last Gregor.......2007-06-08
I've read all the books in the series and read through this one in 2 days. It does a great job of wrapping everything up. The battle scenes were quite a bit more graphic than in the other books, which disturbed me a little, and a few events were not what I "wanted" for the characters, but overall it was a very logical and good way to end the series. I especially liked how Suzanne Collins addressed all the characters introduced throughout the other 4 books. This is a definite "must read" for any fan of the series.
THE MOST IMPORTANT REVIEW.......2007-05-25
Look people I'm nopt here to ruin the book but you can ovbiously tell what happens at the end. When gregor defeats the bane he goes back thinking he is dead but NO WAY. He is very alive very sore but alive many things happen between that time and the time he has to leave. Everyone who has read the 4th book knows that gregor has the hots for luxa. And when it is parting time they are both very sad. Gregor family flys off with luxa and she sees her first glimpse of the overland. Gregor kisses her goodbye and say farwell forever. He goes home depressed that the people he love are gone. He then talks to himself he convinces himsself that he does not belong in the overland he says he does not belong anywhere. So he has a nightmere the night before about how Henry died exept gregor was in Henries situation and he hit the bottom and died. He woke up frightend expecting someone to be there comforting him but knowone was there. The next day he goes the the museum to see the thing that had helped him exept the fact that he was going to die and wanted it to comfort him now. He arrives and sees the stone soldier could not comfort him anymore the soldier had tought him how to die now he needed someone to teach him how to live. Surprisingly he does not find anyone to teach him how to live unless you look really closely and read the last chapter like 10 times. Its everyone he knows is the people that have to teach him how to live boots lizzie his mom, dad mrs.cormaci anyone who has helped in the journeis through the underland do read this unless you can handle the suspense of needing another book and there not being one. When the tragic book ended i wished i hadnt even started the series if i had known how bad it was going to end adn I am 13 not like 9 i feel very sad from what happend and i think we should like beg her to write new ones so whoever is reading this come to this page and find her email or her address and we will email her until she writes another book it left me heartbroken do not read it unlkess you can handle the suspense and the sadness.
Amazon.com
One of the most acclaimed "science fantasies" ever, Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun is a long, magical novel in four volumes. Shadow & Claw contains the first two: The Shadow of the Torturer and The Claw of the Conciliator, which respectively won the World Fantasy and Nebula Awards.
This is the first-person narrative of Severian, a lowly apprentice torturer blessed and cursed with a photographic memory, whose travels lead him through the marvels of far-future Urth, and who--as revealed near the beginning--eventually becomes his land's sole ruler or Autarch. On the surface it's a colorful story with all the classic ingredients: growing up, adventure, sex, betrayal, murder, exile, battle, monsters, and mysteries to be solved. (Only well into book 2 do we realize what saved Severian's life in chapter 1.) For lovers of literary allusions, they are plenty here: a Dickensian cemetery scene, a torture-engine from Kafka, a wonderful library out of Borges, and familiar fables changed by eons of retelling. Wolfe evokes a chilly sense of time's vastness, with an age-old, much-restored painting of a golden-visored "knight," really an astronaut standing on the moon, and an ancient citadel of metal towers, actually grounded spacecraft. Even the sun is senile and dying, and so Urth needs a new sun.
The Book of the New Sun is almost heartbreakingly good, full of riches and subtleties that improve with each rereading. It is Gene Wolfe's masterpiece. --David Langford, Amazon.co.uk
Book Description
The Book of the New Sun is unanimously acclaimed as Gene Wolfe's most remarkable work, hailed as "a masterpiece of science fantasy comparable in importance to the major works of Tolkien and Lewis" by Publishers Weekly, and "one of the most ambitious works of speculative fiction in the twentieth century" by The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Shadow amp; Claw brings together the first two books of the tetralogy in one volume:The Shadow of the Torturer is the tale of young Severian, an apprentice in the Guild of Torturers on the world called Urth, exiled for committing the ultimate sin of his profession -- showing mercy toward his victim.Ursula K. Le Guin said, "Magic stuff . . . a masterpiece . . . the best science fiction I've read in years!"The Claw of the Conciliator continues the saga of Severian, banished from his home, as he undertakes a mythic quest to discover the awesome power of an ancient relic, and learn the truth about his hidden destiny."Arguably the finest piece of literature American science fiction has yet produced [is] the four-volume Book of the New Sun."-Chicago Sun-Times"The Book of the New Sun establishes his preeminence, pure and simple. . . . The Book of the New Sun contains elements of Spenserian allegory, Swiftian satire, Dickensian social consciousness and Wagnerian mythology. Wolfe creates a truly alien social order that the reader comes to experience from within . . . once into it, there is no stopping."-The New York Times Book Review
Customer Reviews:
Literary masterpiece?.......2007-10-09
I bought both of the books of the New Sun at once. What a shame. After laboriously reading the first volume, I'm not going to waste my time reading the second one. I think one way that academics and so-called literary types make themselves feel superior is to take confusing, meandering pointless books like this, proclaim them masterpieces and then put themselves on a pedestal and say if you didn't get it, you just don't have the capacity to understand a great literary work.
I see no point to this story. The adventures that Severian has meander all over the place, having no flow, no theme, no plot, and I had to really force myself to finish this book. I read over a hundred books a week, and I have read some "literary classics" that I enjoyed. Some of them were difficult to read, but the story made sense, the character motives could be understood, and eventually I would get drawn in to the story. Not so with this.
Best of genre.......2007-10-09
My first edition paperback came with an encomium by Ursula K. LeGuin on the cover. LeGuin and Wolfe are among the few sci-fi/fantasy writers I feel compelled to re-read every few years. LeGuin once said (in effect) that she wrote not as a prophet of the future, but to explore the human condition by placing her narratives in an alien setting, and Wolfe's work may be viewed best in this context.
Those who find too many loose ends and ambiguities in Wolfe seem to want a neat fantasy adventure, and that is not what Wolfe offers here. Though in form an (anti?) hero's journey, with deep roots back to Homer's Odyssey, it is narrated in the first person. Thus we hear the story from a protagonist who may not feel we require all the background information on his world, and is in any case not omniscient. (Here readers may question the intent of Wolfe's constant iteration of Severian's claim to total memory recall.) The question of personal identity and the "self" is a major theme, which Wolfe handles in a unique fashion from several different aspects. One may note the importance of masks, disguise, play-acting and storytelling in the narrative, though I won't mention Wolfe's more original metaphors, so as not to spoil this for the reader. In the end Severian become the Autarch of the Commonwealth - obviously a metaphorical referent, as Wolfe for once clearly implies, shortly before glossing "autarch" as "the thing itself - the self-ruler". But does he really? (Not to spoil the plot, but this end is revealed early on...)
One may compare Wolfe with Frank Herbert, to name a more well-known and more popular author, but Wolfe is more elusive and open to more varied interpretation.
Though Wolfe's protagonist is a member of the professional guild of torturers, this is not a gratuitously violent book, though set in a rather dark world (as is our own, viewed from a certain perspective.) The few clinical descriptions of torture by Severian are clearly a necessary foil to the other aspects of his character; he is, after all, twice driven from a comfortable position into exile and wandering by acts of mercy, first by granting a merciful death to a "client", then by refusing to perform an execution.
A plot summary of this complex work would be difficult and perhaps futile. In a sense the overall plot is subordinate to the individual episodes of the story. Many elements can be best seen as metaphors, and the referents of those metaphors may be different for different readers, or indeed for the same reader re-reading the book a second time. We are not dealing with relatively simple alegory (as in Swift, for example), which is perhaps why some readers find such difficulties here. Highest recommendation.
Do you like "dense, allusion-rich" prose?.......2007-09-30
I can't recall where I read that description of Wolfe's prose, but it's apt. The writing in this book is dense and full of allusions. Dense like cornbread that's too dry, and murky allusions to things you don't know. If you like your writing foggy and unnecessarily complex, this may be the book for you. Also if you like torture scenes, which I am no fan of.
I hate to be so negative, but that was the case for me with this book. I tried Wolfe because F&SF magazine so highly recommended him, because a number of authors I like (including Gaiman) recommend him, and because I liked his story in F&SF magazine's tribute issue. First I started the Wizard Knight series, and I liked the first book of that fairly well. Then I tried this torturer series, but I found it unpleasant and virtually unreadable. It's just not my cup of tea.
Gaiman likes it; his fans will too........2007-07-26
I felt compelled to renew the idea that readers of Wolfe's work encountering this book for the first time on Gaiman's recommendation should forge ahead--this is good. Incredibly dense, complex and multi-layered, its themes and proto-Victorian style resonate for the Gen-X-influenced-by-the-tail-end-of-New-Wave, Goth-admiring crowd. * Eerily prescient in its anti-big government stance, I would wager Wolfe was working out his own ambivalence towards independence and maturity, using his main character, the Torturer, as a metaphor for the difficulty of a responsible adulthood. (In your thirties, your job isn't to kill people: it just sometimes feels that way.)
* An amusing aside--Wolfe's editor didn't think to take out the word 'delimits', which is generally the province of engineers and math nerds. Apparently that was Wolfe's day job.
A great work of "serious" literature and therein lies the problem..........2007-06-05
I first read the Book of the New Sun as a teenager back in the early 1980s and I must say I understood very little of it except for the basic story. I've now finished reading the series for the 3rd time and my understanding is vastly greater- not due to my greater discernment or maturity, but mainly because I've since read "Solar Labyrinth" by Robert Borski.
The Book of the New Sun is highly literate puzzle which requires much thought to understand (the real key is to recognize that many of the characters are actually relatives of the protagonist). So why only 3 stars? There are great works of literature that are still highly entertaining and readable-unfortunately, the New Sun isn't one of them. Rather, I'd compare it to something like Moby Dick which I admire but also didn't enjoy reading. I'm glad I've read the book several times (and I've been enriched by the experience), but frankly, it's a book with limited appeal...even many highly-literate readers will be put-off by it- I think the main problem is the story isn't grand or epic enough. Also, the puzzles in it require too much thought- reading "Solar Labyrinth" shocked me in a way because I would never have figured out even half of it on my own. Reading should be entertaining first and foremost- it shouldn't require so much thought with so little pay-off (in the sense that ultimately, the story, a religious parable, doesn't justify all of the complexity-complexity for the sake of complexity?)
Average customer rating:
- Good book on the unit, but Haney's is better...
- Not quite as good as Haney's book, but still good
- Delta Force: the Army's Elite Counterterrorist Unit
- High Level Overview
- Delta Force: The Army's Elite Counterterrorist Unit
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Delta Force: The Army's Elite Counterterrorist Unit
Charlie A. Beckwith , and
Donald Knox
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Inside Delta Force: The Story of America's Elite Counterterrorist Unit
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Inside Delta Force
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Special Forces: A Guided Tour of U.S. Army Special Forces
ASIN: 0380809397
Release Date: 2003-08-26 |
Book Description
The only insider's account ever written on America's most powerful weapon in the war against terrorism
Customer Reviews:
Good book on the unit, but Haney's is better..........2007-06-27
I really enjoyed this book. It gives a great history of the formation of Delta Force, but if you are only going to read one book on the subject; INSIDE DELTA FORCE by Eric Haney is much better. That said, this book is a page-turner and well written. There's a bit of self-congratulation; but Beckwith was an impressive individual.
Not quite as good as Haney's book, but still good.......2007-05-19
If I had not read Eric Haney's book "Inside Delta Force" before I read this one, I probably would have loved it. The inherent problem is that both books cover roughly the same time frame, with Beckwith's book beginning earlier (going back to Vietnam inspirations) and ending while Haney was still in Delta. Both books provide detailed coverage of Operation Eagle Claw, which can be a little redundant, but that's no one's fault really. What I liked about Beckwith's book was the understanding it gave about where the idea for Delta came from, what his operational credibility was, and the intense opposition he faced in birthing this elite unit. Some folks will be bored with the various political machinations at work, but I found it interesting to see how something like this comes to be. Less interesting to me was Beckwith's account of Selection and the like because he didn't have to go through it like Haney did. I'd definitely recommend this book, but if you only want to read ONE book on Delta, I'd recommend Haney's first. And while there is certainly some overlap in information between the two works, I read them back to back and still enjoyed them.
Delta Force: the Army's Elite Counterterrorist Unit.......2007-05-12
The book was in excellant condition, arrived on time.
High Level Overview.......2007-03-10
A great story about the birth of Delta Force from the founder himself. Beckwith takes you from the original idea, based on his experience with the British Special Air Service (SAS), through their first mission (to free the hostages in Iran).
Because of his rank and the role he played in this story, you get a high level overview instead of the view from an operator on the ground (as in Eric Haney's book - Inside Delta Force). One item that was particularly interesting to me was the test (based on the SAS) they ran prior to their first real mission to determine if their operators would actually engage the terrorist. Although it was successful, they later decided to not use this test again and surmised that the British needed to determine if their operators would fire their weapons but the US needed to create rules on when to not fire their weapons. Not sure what that says about the two cultures, but it was interesting none the less.
Beckwith is definitely a strong personality who does not compromise. You learn much about the man and the government bureaucracy he fought for so many years. In the end, he was successful and we are a safer nation because of his efforts
Delta Force: The Army's Elite Counterterrorist Unit.......2007-03-08
I read this book years ago and just had to read it again.
Average customer rating:
- Haddock is introduced in the Golden Claws
- A little disappointing
- Tintin on his adventures!
- A rich part of this bilingual Canadian's heritage
- The Adventures of Tintin: The Crab With the Golden Claws / The Shooting Star / The Secret of the Unicorn (3 Complete Adventures
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The Adventures of Tintin: The Crab With the Golden Claws / The Shooting Star / The Secret of the Unicorn (3 Complete Adventures in 1 Volume, Vol. 3)
Herge
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The Adventures of Tintin: Tintin in America / Cigars of the Pharaoh / The Blue Lotus (3 Complete Adventures in One Volume, Vol. 1)
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The Adventures of Tintin: The Calculus Affair / The Red Sea Sharks / Tintin in Tibet (3 Complete Adventures in 1 Volume, Vol. 6)
ASIN: 0316359440 |
Customer Reviews:
Haddock is introduced in the Golden Claws.......2007-08-23
Thundering Typhoons!! Had been trying to get my hands on this issue as it introduces my fave. character!! It compliments the package well because the issues are in a sequence and one ends up getting more of blistering barnacles! I would recommend this to Haddock's admiration club and otherwise as well!
A little disappointing.......2007-02-07
The quality of the printing is far from perfect. It smooches on several pages.Also, I read the French version first and the English one is, in my opinion, rather lame. A lot of work would need to be done to improve it.
Tintin on his adventures!.......2007-01-21
I have read many Tintin adventures and love them all. Herge can make very funny adventure stories.
In the book, The Crab with the Golden Claws, Tintin meets Captain Haddock. Captain Haddok loves whisky. Professor Calculus is not here. He comes in Red Rackham's treasure.
Reviewed by my child, C.B. Patras
A rich part of this bilingual Canadian's heritage.......2006-09-09
Volume 3: The Crab With the Golden Claws (1942), The Shooting Star (1942), The Secret of the Unicorn (1943). This is the third instalment of my reviews of each of the seven volumes.
As I mentioned in my review for Volume 1, as a child I read these stories in no particular order. So, when reading The Crab With the Golden Claws, I was surprised to see Captain Haddock in such a pitiable state, having made his acquaintance in later adventures...
But this is where he is introduced, and the friendship that develops between Haddock and Tintin not only allows the alcoholic captain to bloom, it lifts the curtain on one of the most entertaining, impulsive (Haddock = ad hoc, get it? In French, the pronunciation of the two is exactly the same...), flawed, and in essence loyal, good hearted and lovable characters in all comicdom. His irascible nature will be abundantly prodded with insufferable foils (Wagg, Abdullah, Castafiore, the Thom(p)sons, and sundry villains) throughout the series. We also meet the sinister Allan for the first time. The story takes place in Morocco, and the child sees yet more of our planet's vistas, while the adult continues to revel in Hergé's textured adventures and detailed settings, as well as a terrifying dream sequence.
Michael Farr's "Tintin: The Complete Companion" (highly recommended), gives a glimpse at why Tintin did not take in the USA as it did in the rest of the world, and that has to do with a couple of panels from The Shooting Star. Though with some brilliant sequences, such as the cinematic seasickness scene, it is not as captivating as the usual Tintin standard, but again, one does not want to miss a single adventure.
The Secret of the Unicorn has a number of threads, one of which develops into the sequel, Red Rackham's Treasure.
The Adventures of Tintin: The Crab With the Golden Claws / The Shooting Star / The Secret of the Unicorn (3 Complete Adventures .......2006-08-31
Good book for kids and aldult as well
Average customer rating:
- Hard to put down
- Willing to Suspend Disbelief, BUT......
- Jack takes a day off and relaxes... psych!
- SOLID BOOK!!! ADDS TO AN ALREADY GREAT SERIES!!!!
- Cats Claw
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24 Declassified: Cat's Claw (24 Declassified)
John Whitman
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ASIN: 006084227X
Release Date: 2006-12-26 |
Book Description
The world's most powerful leaders are gathering in Los Angeles for the G-8 summit, unaware that they have been targeted by two separate terrorist groups, each with its own lethal agenda. Uncovering and disarming one bomb would be difficult enough; eliminating both will be nearly impossible.
On the trail of a rabid Islamic assassin, rogue CTU agent Jack Bauer doesn't know that another conspiracy is brewing around him—a poisonous plot to violently dictate the future of the free world. If Bauer does nothing, in twenty-four hours the entire planet may be plunged into chaos, its primary heads of state ruthlessly destroyed. But if he acts, his daughter Kim will die instead.
Customer Reviews:
Hard to put down.......2007-05-28
Typical 24 fashion, lots of action, had to keep reading.. enjoyed the book immensely.. looking forward to reading the other Declassified books!
Willing to Suspend Disbelief, BUT.............2007-05-14
Its a little hard to swallow when, after six years of black SUV's used in the pursuit of terrorists, that Jack Bauer would borrow a Prius. But I guess this is eco-friendly-universe Jack. Yikes.....
Jack takes a day off and relaxes... psych!.......2007-04-04
Overall, it's a pretty good book. Very well paced, and as it is for all of these novels, it is fun to see how Jack interacted with many of the characters how are now dead on the show (Tony, Terri, Nina, Chappelle, etc.). Obviously this is never as deep and rich as the television show, in fact, most of what happens in the book could have been covered in 3-5 episodes, but as a book, it does keep up the pace we expect on 24.
My biggest complaint is John Whitman's lack of continuity. For example, in the first sentence of the book, Detective Mercy Bennett is driving an Audi A4, but on page 25 she was driving a white Crown Victoria (probably her police cruiser, but never explained). He later describes someone else driving a Toyota Sentra (no such car exists-it is actually Nissan that makes the Sentra). His descriptions of the Federal building were accurate and it was obvious that he'd spent a little time there.
I think books like this are a great addition to the 24 world. I love that they are including characters like Henderson and some of Jack's other bosses... now that I think about it, I think being jack's boss is a lethal position. Eventually he'll have something to do with your death! Lol
Anyway back to the book. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys the show. I just wish they'd come out with these books during the off season of 24 so that they'd fill in the dead time for us 24 addicts.
SOLID BOOK!!! ADDS TO AN ALREADY GREAT SERIES!!!!.......2007-03-23
This book from start to finish was fluidly written. It keeps your interest with something that might make people put down the book (eco-terrorism). The author spins that aspect of the book to make it compelling to read about. I always loved in the TV show and books when they tie in more of Jack's personal life and this book really does that. Overall, I gave this book four stars because it wasn't a gripping as some of the previous books in the series, but it's still a fun read!!!
Cats Claw.......2007-03-17
This book along with the others is a great book to read about Jack Bauer before and durring seasons of 24.
Average customer rating:
- Working in Medicine Can be a Killer Job
- Working in Medicine Can Be a Killer Job
- Book Review
- claws and effect
- I always enjoy a visit to Crozet.
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Claws and Effect
Rita Mae Brown
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Pawing Through the Past (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries)
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Catch as Cat Can
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Cat on the Scent (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries)
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The Tail of the Tip-Off
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Whisker of Evil
ASIN: 0553580906
Release Date: 2002-01-29 |
Amazon.com
In a small town, everyone knows each other's secrets--or do they? When a Crozet Hospital staff member is found murdered in the boiler room, everyone in the bucolic Virginia burg is puzzled and none more so than postmistress "Harry" Haristeen. With the help of her two curious kitties, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, and her corgi, Tucker (who find human perception maddeningly slow), Harry soon finds herself entangled in the strange web of misdoings at the hospital.
The ninth installment in Rita Mae Brown's "Mrs. Murphy" series, Claws and Effect is more entertaining than suspenseful, with a liberal dose of witty conversations among the animals punctuated by Itoko Maeno's adorable illustrations of the four-legged sleuths. There is just enough misdirection to keep mystery buffs guessing and enough social gossip among the town's human citizens to make readers eagerly anticipate their next visit to Crozet. --Larisa Lomacky Moore
Book Description
CLAWS AND EFFECT
Winter puts tiny Crozet, Virginia, in a deep freeze and everyone seems to be suffering from the winter blahs, including postmistress Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen. So all are ripe for the juicy gossip coming out of Crozet Hospital–until the main source of that gossip turns up dead. It’s not like Harry to resist a mystery, and she soon finds the hospital a hotbed of ego, jealousy, and illicit love.
But it’s tiger cat Mrs. Murphy, roaming the netherworld of Crozet Hospital, who sniffs out a secret that dates back to the Underground Railroad. Then Harry is attacked and a doctor is executed in cold blood.
Soon only a quick-witted cat and her animal pals feline Pewter and corgi Tee Tucker stand between Harry and a coldly calculating killer with a prescription for murder.
Download Description
Winter puts tiny Crozet, Virginia, in a deep freeze and everyone seems to be suffering from the winter blahs, including postmistress Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen. So all are ripe for the juicy gossip coming out of Crozet Hospital—until the main source of that gossip turns up dead. It's not like Harry to resist a mystery, and she soon finds the hospital a hotbed of ego, jealousy, and illicit love.
But it's tiger cat Mrs. Murphy, roaming the netherworld of Crozet Hospital, who sniffs out a secret that dates back to the Underground Railroad. Then Harry is attacked and a doctor is executed in cold blood.
Soon only a quick-witted cat and her animal pals, feline Pewter and corgi Tee Tucker, stand between Harry and a coldly calculating killer with a prescription for murder.
"As feline collaborators go, you couldn’t ask for better than Sneaky Pie Brown."
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
"Mrs. Murphy is [a] cat who detects her way into our hearts."
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE BOOK REVIEW
Customer Reviews:
Working in Medicine Can be a Killer Job.......2006-06-17
In the 9th book in Mrs. Murphy and Tucker mystery series, something fishy is going on at Crozet Hospital. A staff member is found dead in the boiler room at the small town hospital, and before long, Mary Minor Haristeen (aka Harry) is poking her nose into the death. She soon starts to speculate that something must be going on in the hospital that caused a killer to become nervous and murder the manager. Normally curious by nature (she has been known to read the postcards), postmistress Harry is aided in the mystery by her cats, Mrs. Murphy (a tiger) and Pewter (a rather fat grey cat), and her dog, Tee Tucker (a Welsh corgi). As the animals accompany Harry nearly everywhere, they use their heightened senses to find clues and gently guide their human to help put the pieces of the mystery together. Hospital corruption is exposed, and Harry, with the help of Deputy Cynthia Cooper, must work quickly to find the murderer before any more victims turn up.
I have enjoyed each of the books in this series, and found this one to be one of my favorites. I was kept guessing until the end as to who the murderer might be, and even though I figured out what was going on with the hospital, I found myself wondering how Harry and her animal friends would uncover the truth. I was shocked and saddened by the death of a long-time member of the series, because the books are good not only for the mysteries, but for the strength of the characters. These books make you want to pack your bags and visit Crozet, Virginia.
If you enjoy the KoKo and Yum Yum mysteries by Lilian Jackson Braun, give this series a try. The 1st book in the series is called "Wish You Were Here". Enjoy!
Working in Medicine Can Be a Killer Job.......2006-06-17
In the 9th book in Mrs. Murphy and Tucker mystery series, something fishy is going on at Crozet Hospital. A staff member is found dead in the boiler room at the small town hospital, and before long, Mary Minor Haristeen (aka Harry) is poking her nose into the death. She soon starts to speculate that something must be going on in the hospital that caused a killer to become nervous and murder the manager. Normally curious by nature (she has been known to read the postcards), postmistress Harry is aided in the mystery by her cats, Mrs. Murphy (a tiger) and Pewter (a rather fat grey cat), and her dog, Tee Tucker (a Welsh corgi). As the animals accompany Harry nearly everywhere, they use their heightened senses to find clues and gently guide their human to help put the pieces of the mystery together. Hospital corruption is exposed, and Harry, with the help of Deputy Cynthia Cooper, must work quickly to find the murderer before any more victims turn up.
I have enjoyed each of the books in this series, and found this one to be one of my favorites. I was kept guessing until the end as to who the murderer might be, and even though I figured out what was going on with the hospital, I found myself wondering how Harry and her animal friends would uncover the truth. I was shocked and saddened by the death of a long-time member of the series, because the books are good not only for the mysteries, but for the strength of the characters. These books make you want to pack your bags and visit Crozet, Virginia.
If you enjoy the KoKo and Yum Yum mysteries by Lilian Jackson Braun, give this series a try. The 1st book in the series is called "Wish You Were Here". Enjoy!
Book Review.......2006-02-13
Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen, the local post office operator/detective is out to solve another of Crozet's mysterious murders along with her pets Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, and Tucker. The hospital is not the sort of place the town would've expected to be a crime scene, but after Hank Brevard, the plant manager, is killed in the old boiler room, no one knows what to expect. When semi-retired doctor Larry Johnson becomes the next victim after Harry's set foxhunt to catch the real killer fails, Mayor Jim Sanbourne's wife, Mim, has a terrible breakdown over her and Larry's past. Sheriff Rick Shaw and Deputy Cynthia "Coop" Cooper become even agitated that they catch the crazy murderer. They believe both of the murders are connected to Crozet Hospital, but they can't make the connection until they investigate old records of the hospital's IVAC units. Sam Mahanes, the director, swears their old so his nurses can operate them easily and they're cleaned whenever they become filthy. According to the only IVAC unit manufacturer and cleaner for miles, Crozet had stopped sending them in for cleanings four years ago and that the billings Shaw and Coop found were forgeries. Just a week after Larry's killed, nurse Tussie Logan is shot straight through the heart at her apartment and only Mrs. Murphy knows why. Browns exciting and surprising mystery goes right to the top with Agatha Christie's and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's.
Claws and Effect isn't just completely about the mystery. Even with all the killings in the small Virginian town, its politics aren't cooling down, in fact, they're heating up rapidly. Jim Sanbourne, the long time mayor, is beginning to support big business in Crozet. The only person in town crazy enough to challenge him is his own daughter Marilyn, or Little Mim, as Harry calls her. As their relationship goes downhill, Big Mim has a terrible crisis when Larry's killed. Many years ago, the two young friends fell madly in love, but Mim's mother didn't approve of her marrying such a poor medical student. Mim was too scared to stand up to her, so she agreed to marry the incredibly rich Jim Sanbourne. After Larry's funeral though, the older woman realizes her true feelings almost twenty years too late.
What really sets this novel apart from other murder mysteries is that the main detectives are all animals. Mrs. Murphy is the older tiger cat in charge of the others who's always willing to look into any mystery that crosses her path, big or small. Next there's Pewter, the gray, very opinionated, cat with a huge appetite. Her other animal friends agree that if she were to have kittens, Pewter would starve them if there wasn't enough food. Half the time, she's sleeping or just being whiney, but Murphy always manages to pull her into another one of her schemes. Tee Tucker, Harry's corgi, will do anything to protect her guardian. She's very loyal to Harry and provides a solution to any of her feline friends' arguments.
Like few mysteries out there, the conclusion was very surprising based on the information uncovered by the characters. In the last chapters of the book leading up to the conclusion, Coop, Harry, and all her animals visit the boiler room again where Hank was killed and Harry was attacked from behind. Murphy shows them the secret door on the floor that leads to the storage of the old, unprofessionally cleaned IVAC units when they hear footsteps outside. The humans go into the cellar and the animals hide behind the empty cardboard boxes as they wait. It's only Hank's replacement, but someone from behind knocks him out, making him fall into the cellar. Murphy, Pewter, and Tucker attack him, allowing Harry and Coop to escape, leaving the knocked out plant manager and hoping he'll be all right. The animals find the rumored tunnel used in the Underground Railroad and quickly climb with Harry and Coop. When the get out at the other end in the parking lot, the rush to their car to find Director Mahanes coming back from a meeting, but he can't fool Tucker's nose. She alerts Harry, an owner who never doubts her crime-solving pets, and attacks Mahanes to the ground as Coop puts the cuffs on him.
Money, politics, and murder make the perfect blend for a great cat mystery. Rita Mae Brown illustrates yet again that she, and her cat Sneaky Pie Brown of course, are two of the best contemporary mystery writers there are.
R. Turner
claws and effect.......2005-10-09
I really enjoy the Mrs Murphy series because of the animal's dialogue. The plot is rather easy to follow, but I believe that is the author's intention. I have read 8 books in this series and I'm starting to feel like I personally know these people.
I always enjoy a visit to Crozet........2005-09-05
I agree that these books should not be taken too seriously, but that doesn't mean that they're not fun. Reading a Rita Mae Brown book is like visiting some old, dear friends. And that is what the citizens of Crozet have become to me. These books are witty and wise becasue we see human nature so well in her characters. In this book there are nefarious doings at the Crozet Hospital. For some reason people affiliated with the hospital keep turning up dead. It takes some astute detecting by Mrs. Murphy and her two companions to figure out what is going on in the basement of the hospital. If you like a good cozy series, don't pass up Mrs. Murphy!
Book Description
The Red Claw crayfish is a new and very promising aquaculture species. The Red Claw is very similar to the native American species, except that it grows to a HUGE size--almost to that of a lobster! There are several other notable differences, such as year-round breeding, awesome fecundity... often over 700 eggs per breeder! They also have a non-aggressive nature, which allows many more Red Claw crayfish to live happily in a given space than would the native American crayfish.
This book is one of the few sources for complete information on all aspects of the culture of this lobster sized freshwater crayfish. Compiled from leading edge research direct from Australia as well as individual and University findings from all over the U.S.,this book dispels the hype and furnishes the facts about this little known but highly prized new aquaculture species. Fish farmers have managed to become major players in this bottomless market in only a couple of years. Small scale family run operations are harvesting 'short lobsters' in less than a year, and the startup costs are relatively low.
There are not many Red Claw crayfish reference books, and this book packs all the info you may need into a small price. Included in the book are photos from down under, food and feeding regimens needed to raise the Red Claw to giant size, well managed pond and tank factors, hatching and juvenile production, stocking methods, regularly updated sources of supply, processing and sale tips, and marketing recommendations.
Customer Reviews:
After reading this book I started the Redclaw Hatchery........1998-10-31
First off, I would like to thank the author for writing this book on Red Claw Culture and esspecially for including the section on information resources.
The book was able to bring a lot of great information together, and presented it in a manner that made the average 'water farmer' comfortable with Red Claw production. This must not have been an easy task, considering the lack of available information.
After reading the book I decided to dig deeper and became excited with the possibilities. The book was correct in stating that this industry is in it's infancy and quite likely will grow fast.
I now operate the Red Claw Crayfish Hatchery in Pittsburg and have a website. And this book got me started!
Customer Reviews:
Church historical - fiction at its best.......2007-04-26
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (1/07)
In the year 998 A.D., the teaching of the Apocalypse is believed imminent and the year 1000 A.D. is established as the date for the long anticipated end of the world. A combination of fear and superstition among the church followers, and the attempt to strengthen the church at Rome at a time when the Roman Empire is crumbling, give cause for the church to focus on the final Day of Judgment. The Roman church declares itself to be the absolute authority in interpreting the scriptures and bidding of God. People are encouraged to prepare for the end times, to sell what they have and give it to the church.
Aileran, an Irish born monk, takes issue with the Church. Once he was acknowledged by the church and the people as saintly and now Aileran is accused of heresy. The novel is based on a mixture of real events and fictional characters. An illicit romance, greed, and power, draw the reader back to the tenth century. Raymo has developed a story that reflects science and nature in a spiritual setting toward the end of the Dark Ages in Europe.
The author has captured the essence of the political landscape era. The book is written as a memoir of Aileran and includes correspondence that offers additional insight and commentary to move the plot forward. The story explores love, friendship, and incorporates a profound questioning of ageless spiritual and religious questions. There is a theme contrasting cowardice and compromise that carries throughout this poignant story.
Raymo has a gift for using poetic descriptive prose that involves the five senses of the reader: colors that dazzle one's visions, word pictures of foods that waft with aromas which water the taste buds, textures that one can feel, and sounds that jar the eardrums, or harmony that implant a rhythm in one's soul. Passages from Solomon's song, the poetry of Ovid and Virgil enrich Aileran's journals.
I personally enjoyed a glimpse into the disciplines of the monastic life. Self-denial, penance, guilt, redemption, bigotry, deception, purity of heart, good works, repentance and forgiveness all come to play in this dramatic rendering of life in early church.
Brilliant writing, an expertly developed plot and characters, suspense, drama, and romance make this novel, "In the Falcon's Claw," a must read for all historical fiction lovers.
A Deeply Touching Novel.......2007-04-18
I've read this book three times now and I'm sure that I will again. Chet Raymo is, in my humble opinion, one of America's best writers. In the Falcon's Claw he takes us to the world Christianity just before that other millennium -- the year 1000. Christianity by then had its strongest dogmatic grasp on the peoples of Europe and any other enlightened views within that religion were strongly repressed -- often with death. Common events in nature were nearly always seen as signs from God rather than just what they were. The protagonist Aileran, an Irish monk, rejects supernaturalism and, after many years of searching for some kind of enlightenment, finds himself, in the end, facing heresy charges in Rome -- under the authority of an old friend of his youth, Gerbert, who is now the Pope. A beautifully written book that is very relevant to the current dialog concerning faith and reason here at the next millennium.
Good book dealing with the life of unusual medieval pope.......2007-02-27
Read it a while ago - the first edition came out in english in 1990 - but this novelized biography of Gerbert of Aurillac - a medieval scientist, unusually learned for his time in western europe and who would rule as a pope with the name of Sylvester II in the year 1000 - was a very interesting read, if my mind does not fail. Before becoming pope, Gerbert lived a number of years in Spain, and was able to contact the muslims scientists living there - Spain was unusual during that time for the (relatively) peaceful coexistence of jews, muslims and christians in its territory. A good book dealing with a period of time - the millenium - we do not know much about - western civilization was at its low point around that time.
Book Description
A two-toned, three-taloned CLAW paw has been sprawled in aerosol across walls around the world since the early 1990s. Whether lolling in the East Village or lazing in Los Angeles, lounging in Amsterdam or living it up in Milan, the instantly identifiable icon maintains a fun, fabulous, and feminine allure, despite the grit and grime that makes graffiti a man's world. One of the first writers to use an icon as her throw up, CLAW is of the rarest breed: the female graff King.
Not content to beat the boys at their own game, CLAW also designs her own clothing line, Claw Money, as well as a jewelry and accessory line, literally creating her own street style. Emblazoned on t-shirts, sweatshirts, purses, and panties, her emblematic icon gets love from everyone, be it graff legends or new jacks, riot grrls or fashionistas, or school kids and soccer moms. A magazine fashion editor, brand consultant, vintage clothing collector, and lady about town, Claw Money is New York City's best kept secret.
Bombshell, her first book, explodes all preconceived notions about the icon many have seen but few have known. From the deepest recesses of her shoeboxes comes this incredible compendium of photographs, designs, personal letters, and other ephemera collected throughout her life. Whether it's shots of spots she bombed in the Bronx or Grandma Baba's recipe for latkes, fashion shoots or candid snaps, Bombshell redefines the graffiti monograph, taking you beyond the icon and into the realm of Claw Money.
Customer Reviews:
Absolutely Fabulous!.......2007-07-20
as a huge fan of her work i was so happy with this book. it is so well done, the photos and stories are amazing. really hot! must have for the graffiti heads
visual ecstasy.......2007-06-17
this girl is hot, graffiti is slamming, and everything sexy.....a must for any downtown lover!
The Bomb of Books.......2007-03-26
The most awesome and extremely personal graffiti book I have ever seen! A must have for all 90's new yorkers!
Average customer rating:
- Not Jance's Usual Standard of Excellence, But Still Good!
- Superb
- My first J.A. Jance experience
- "Saint" Joanna Brady?
- A great way to start this series
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Devil's Claw
J.A. Jance
Manufacturer: Avon
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Similar Items:
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Outlaw Mountain: A Joanna Brady Mystery
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Rattlesnake Crossing
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Paradise Lost
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Skeleton Canyon: A Joanna Brady Mystery
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Dead to Rights (A Joanna Brady Mystery)
ASIN: 0380792494
Release Date: 2002-07-02 |
Amazon.com
A missing teenager and an octogenarian found dead of apparently natural causes are pretty run-of-the-mill cases in Bisbee, Arizona, where Sheriff Joanna Brady is focusing on the last-minute details of her upcoming wedding. In this latest outing in Judith Jance's Brady series, the connection between the two events is a thin one. In the author's capable hands, however, it's enough to drive this well-plotted mystery to a credible conclusion.
Fifteen-year-old Lucy Ridder dreads her mother's release from prison, eight years after she was convicted of killing Lucy's beloved father. Lucy is aware that her mother's priority is not a family reunion but the retrieval of a mysterious diskette entrusted to Lucy by her dad shortly before his death. After inadvertently witnessing her mother's brutal slaying by a stranger who's also hot after the diskette, Lucy vanishes. It takes most of the novel for Joanna to figure out that Lucy's disappearance is tied to her mother's murder, and for good reasons. Besides the distraction of her pending nuptials, the sheriff has been accused of killing her elderly, beloved neighbor for financial gain. Because the reader knows the truth of both situations very early in the game, Joanna's delayed awareness doesn't pack as much wallop as it might. The greater mystery is whether she'll strangle her wedding-obsessed mother before she and her too-good-to-be-true fiancé make it to the altar. --Jane Adams
Book Description
In the night-still canyons of the Arizona desert, a girl is on the run. Alone but for her beloved red-tailed hawk, she flees from the dark shadows of her young life, the horror she has witnessed
and the terror that now stalks her.
New York Times bestselling author J.A. Jance returns with her eighth novel in the highly acclaimed Joanna Brady mystery series. Set against the backdrop of the modern west, this gripping tale finds Sheriff Brady juggling a precarious overload in both her personal and professional lives. About to be married, Joanna's facing a daughter turning twelve and going on twenty, a meddlesome mother micro-managing her wedding, and new in-laws arriving any day. The sudden death of her much-loved neighbor and handyman, Clayton Rhodes, creates further turmoil, leaving Joanna shocked, saddened, and the target of Clayton's irate and irrational daughter, who accuses the Sheriff's Department of covering up a possible murder.
But amidst the uproar, the report of a homicide at Cochise Stronghold in the Dragoon Mountains quickly captures Joanna's full attention. An Indian woman has been found shot to death--a woman recently released from prision after serving time for the manslaughter killing of her husband. She is the mother of a missing fifteen-year-old, Lucy Ridder.
The death at first appears to be a case of domestic rage finally exploding'and a troubled teen runaway may be a victim, or a cold-blooded killer. Yet as Joanna deals with the long-standing troubles of Clayton Rhodes' family and digs deeper into the mysterious life of Lucy and her family, she discovers that investigating family hostilities is leading her down a twisted trail of hatred, greed, and far-reaching consequences--and into a dangerous world where violence is the first response and long buried secrets are a reason to kill
or die.
Once again, J.A. Jance delivers a gritty, deftly written thriller that unfolds on a vivid landscape of raw beauty and unrelenting danger. And, as always, Sheriff Joanna Brady brings the setting to life with the sensitivity, spirit, and intense passion for justice that makes Jance novels ring with authenticity.
Download Description
Special Feature: This PerfectBound e-book contains " A Statement by Joanna Brady," "J.A. Jance on the origins of Joanna Brady," and "Joanna Brady To The Rescue" three essays by J.A. Jance about her work and one of her beloved characters, Sheriff Joanna Brady. In the night-still canyons of the Arizona desert, a girl is on the run. Alone but for her beloved red-tailed hawk, she flees from the dark shadows of her young life, the horror she has witnessed.and the terror that now stalks her. New York Times bestselling author J.A. Jance returns with her eighth novel in the highly acclaimed Joanna Brady mystery series. Set against the backdrop of the modern west, this gripping tale finds Sheriff Brady juggling a precarious overload in both her personal and professional lives. About to be married, Joanna's facing a daughter turning twelve and going on twenty, a meddlesome mother micro-managing her wedding, and new in-laws arriving any day. The sudden death of her much-loved neighbor and handyman, Clayton Rhodes, creates further turmoil, leaving Joanna shocked, saddened, and the target of Clayton's irate and irrational daughter, who accuses the Sheriff's Department of covering up a possible murder. But amidst the uproar, the report of a homicide at Cochise Stronghold in the Dragoon Mountains quickly captures Joanna's full attention. An Indian woman has been found shot to death--a woman recently released from prision after serving time for the manslaughter killing of her husband. She is the mother of a missing fifteen-year-old, Lucy Ridder.
Customer Reviews:
Not Jance's Usual Standard of Excellence, But Still Good!.......2005-04-04
Devil's Claw is another in the Joanna Brady series written by J.A. Jance and was released to little publicity. I'm not sure why the advertising was limited because it's a great addition to her on-going saga.
We're once again taken to Bisbee, Arizona and given a peek into the life of Joanna Brady, the only Arizona female sheriff. In the first book in this series, Desert Heat, Joanna's husband, a sheriff officer, had been killed in the line of duty, which left her alone to raise their young daughter, Jenny. Joanna was then elected Sheriff of Cochise County. It's much more involved than that, and I strongly urge you to read it - it's filled with wonderful descriptions, character depictions and a few plot twists that leave you holding on to your chair! In this book, we find Joanna preparing for her upcoming wedding to Butch. Not only is Joanna trying to get ready for the nuptials, she's having to deal with her over-bearing mother who wants more of a grand ceremony than Joanna desires. Along with those quandaries, is a murder case dumped into Joanna's lap that needs to be solved before she leaves on her honeymoon.
An ex-con is killed when returning to her mother's home near Cochise Stronghold (on the reservation near the mountains outside of Bisbee) and her young daughter, Lucinda, witnesses the crime. Lucinda runs away believing her life is in danger leaving her grandmother and the officials wondering if she is a suspect or an innocent bystander. Sound typical? It's not when you throw in the fact that Lucinda has a red-tailed hawk as a pet, and runs away on the Indian Reservation that she's called home for the past 7 years.
Typical of Jance's style, there are a few subplots thrown into the mix. Clayton Rhoades, Joanna's elderly neighbor that she pays to help feed her animals, dies and his obnoxious, egotistical daughter shows up blaming Joanna for killing her father by working him to death. We also have a small story about Kristen, Joanna's secretary, and her latest boyfriend, who happens to be part of Joanna's K-9 team.
The main plot is well developed, and the usual cast of characters we've come to expect don't let us down with their antics and interactions. It's a very good story but I found it less than the fantastic event I've come to expect from a new Joanna Brady book. If I had to describe it in one word, that word would be anti-climatic.
So much more could have been done with these story lines. For example, the final interaction between Joanna Brady and Clayton Rhoades daughter left me wondering what I missed - it was as if Jance was rushed and just ended it. It could have been so much more...
The wedding had little details and was written almost as an afterthought - in fact, it was written as the epilog. Huh??? Many of the wedding details had been minimal, including a bridal shower in which several of the characters from previous books make appearances. The wedding and honeymoon were glossed over.
After I finished reading the book, I let my mind wander and thought about "what could have been" with the ending. Rather than write the wedding as an epilog, it could have been a fantastic way to catch the reader up on what has been going on with the characters to which we've grown attached. A perfect example of this would be Angie Kellogg - ok, she was the maid of honor, but what's been going on with her and her English boyfriend who is the parrot man? Nothing else was said except she was the maid of honor. Gee, where's the details for which Jance is famous?
One of the big negatives I found in this book was the lack of editing. There were many typographical errors and I recommend that Ms. Jance fire her current editor so her next book can flow. Her devoted readers deserve better than the glaring mistakes that should have been found and omitted before publication.
This is one of the few books in which J.A. Jance left loose ends. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the book tremendously and would highly recommend it. It just wasn't up to the level I've come to expect from Jance!
Superb.......2003-01-09
This whole series is really a joy to read. The author can take Joanna from introspection to inspection of a crime scene in a few pages with very little problem in the transition. Although each book can be read on it's own as a stand alone novel, I have had much satisfication of reading them in order and watching the characters grow and change in each book.
This book lives up to the reputation of the author.
Joanna is planning her wedding, Butch is really, and chasing the bad guys at the same time. A young girl is missing, her mother, recently out of jail is murdered and the story begins.
The characters are believable and the story is tightly woven and thrilling. Well worth reading.
My first J.A. Jance experience.......2002-06-25
This is the first book I read from J.A. Jance, so I'm not very familiar with her work , so I'll try to read more of her later.
This book tell us the story of a Joanna Brady, a sheriff from a samll town in Arizona.
It tell us the story of a murder , a missing teenager and the fight for a will , everything happens just a week before her wedding takes place.
This is an ok book , it has an interesting begining with a good plot , and it is really interesting to read .
It would deserve 4 stars , but I didn't like the ending , it was a very good plot and I didn't like the way it finished , but that's just my opinion.
Read it , it's a good book , it's just not that great , after reading this , I'm more interested in reading more books of J.A. Jance and more about the Story of Joanna Brady.
"Saint" Joanna Brady?.......2002-01-26
I think I've read all of the Joanna Brady series published to date, and Devil's Claw is the last one I will read. The locations are great and the plotting is excellent, as far as the police procedural and mystery aspect of the story goes, but in her personal life, the central character is becoming just too saccharin to be believed. I find the personality differences between "Sheriff" Brady and "Mother" Brady unrealistic. Also, why is it that so many writers who make women their central characters have to make them single mothers? How about a tough, honest, dedicated sheriff who doesn't want any kids? That would be nice for a change.
A great way to start this series.......2002-01-22
Having just returned from two weeks in Tucson, this mystery hit the spot (and wrecked other weekend plans). The place names added a greater touch of credibility for me. I also just read a Fairstein and a Paretsky book, and much as I enjoy their characters and writing, the coincidences in their storylines become a bit absurd. Jance, on the other hand, weaves a well-connected plot in which everything is well meshed (like the Devil's Claw in basketweaving) without stepping over the line into fantasyland. The only thing a bit hard to fathom is how Sheriff Brady gathered what seems to be the country's best law enforcement staff in her somewhat remote area of Arizona (and one with pervasive budget problems, as documented many times throughout the book). If those characters are based on real life officers, that does it -- I'm moving to Cochise County when I retire!
Books:
- Happily Ever After: Walking with Peace and Courage Through a Year of Divorce
- He Was One of Us
- High Profile
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- Hold on Tight (Hannah Montana)
- How to Heal a Broken Heart in 30 Days: A Day-by-Day Guide to Saying Good-bye and Getting On With Your Life
- How to Succeed in the Game of Life: 34 Interviews with the World's Greatest Coaches
- How to Succeed in the Game of Life: 34 Interviews with the World's Greatest Coaches
- How Your Horse Wants You to Ride: Starting Out, Starting Over
Books Index
Books Home
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