The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie

The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie ISBN: 0-553-35077-3 Hardcover: 242 pages Publisher: A Bantam Book Released: 1924, 1988

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description, my take:
Anne Beddingfeld longs for adventure, like the heroines in her favorite novels. When a stranger falls to his death, she realizes that the man who says he's a doctor is actually riffling through the dead man's pockets...and, as he hurries away, he accidentally drops a cryptic note. The death is ruled an accident, but Anne decides to investigate in hopes of finding her adventure.

The note indicates that something is going to happen on a certain cruise ship that is sailing to South Africa, so she buys a ticket and joins the cruise. Her sea-sickness doesn't suit her idea of a heroine, and she decides being tied up is rather uncomfortable, but she gets more adventure--and suspects--than she bargained for.


My Review:
The Man in the Brown Suit is a historical mystery. It pokes fun at the heroine adventure stories of the time and is meant to be funny, though not overly so.

The story was written as a contemporary mystery, so it's not heavy on the historical detail though there's enough detail to visualize and understand what's going on. The characters were varied and engaging. The suspense was mainly created by wondering whodunit since the heroine never seemed overly concerned even when she was facing physical danger.

The mystery was interesting. Whodunit was guessable--we're given a vital clue at the end, very near to the big reveal. However, the clue wasn't obvious and I suspect few people catch that clue.

There were no sex scenes. There was a minor amount of explicit bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this engaging, entertaining mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Forever Rumpole by John Mortimer

Forever Rumpole: The Best of the Rumpole Stories by John Mortimer ISBN-13: 9780670023066 Hardcover: 526 pages Publisher: Penguin Group USA, Inc Released: November 10, 2011

Source: Unrequested review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, modified from the Cover:
While still a practicing barrister, Mortimer took up the pen and wrote stories featuring the cigar-chomping, cheap-wine-tippling Rumpole and his wife, Hilda (aka "She Who Must Be Obeyed"). Forever Rumpole brings together fourteen of Rumpole's most entertaining adventures, together with a fragment of a new story.


My Review:
Forever Rumpole is described as a mystery, but it's more a court drama or literary fiction. This book is a collection of short stories that feature Rumpole as their main character.

In the Author's Introduction, he writes, "I wanted a sort of detective, who could be the hero of a number of stories but whose personality and approach to life were more important than the crimes with which he was concerned." This describes the stories well. Rumpole's life and opinions were more the focus of the stories than his figuring out how to win his cases. While the other characters viewed him as comical, he seemed a sad sort of person to me. He wins his cases, but he losses at life.

Apparently, Rumpole is a famous character, though I've never heard of him. While the stories were well-written, I wasn't that interested in the stories because the "bad guy" wasn't brought to justice, innocence wasn't saved, and our hero wasn't even happy with the outcomes. But if you like more realistic, life-focused crime fiction, you might enjoy these stories.

I didn't read all of the short stories, but in the stories I read, there was no sex and only a minor amount of explicit bad language.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Rose and the Ring by M.A. Titmarsh

The Rose and the Ring by M.A. Titmarsh Hardcover: 212 pages Publisher: MacMillan Company Released: 1923

Source: Inherited from my grandmother.

Book Description, my take:
Fairy Blackstick decides that giving the normal fairy-tale fairy gifts doesn't really benefit the one it's given to or their kingdom, so she decides to give the babies of two neighboring kingdoms the gift of a little misfortune. Both reigning families are deposed: the princess goes missing and is thought dead (though she isn't) while the prince is kept on the sidelines by his usurping uncle. When the prince and princess of the usurping kings meet, thanks to a magic rose and a magic ring, they look very beautiful and clever to each other--as long as they have the rose and ring. Silliness happens on the way to the rightful prince and princess learning to be good people, regaining their kingdoms, and marrying.



My Review:
The Rose and the Ring is a fairy tale that pokes fun at fairy tales. It was written for children, but adults will also enjoy it. It's written in the style of someone explaining a pantomime (with black-and-white drawn pictures replacing the actors in the book). It's a funny story, and the whole thing is meant to be on the ridiculous side. There is no bad language and no sex.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


FREE EBOOK: You can read the whole book here.

Traitors by Andrew Snaden

Traitors by Andrew Snaden ISBN-13: 9781593101459 Trade Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Barbour Publishing Released: November 1, 2004

Source: Bought in a local library book sale.

Book Description from Back Cover:
FBI Agent Sam Perkins and his partner, Ali Marcoli, are putting their lives on the line to crack a dangerous drug and human smuggling cartel--one involving both the Russian and Chinese mafias. The stakes increase when a sniper shoots a key witness--and Perkins believes an FBI leak is the reason.

In a complicated cat-and-mouse game connecting terrorists and criminals on three continents, Perkins and retired CIA agent Jonathan Corrigan work to piece together the truth. And both are praying for results before the unimaginable becomes reality.


My Review:
Traitors is a Christian suspense novel. It appears to be the second novel in a series, though enough background information is provided in this one that you don't need to read the first one. However, this novel does spoil the suspense elements of the first one.

The story had two unrelated suspense stories occurring that briefly cross (though are not directly connected) at the end. One of these stories was wrapped up in the end, but the other turned out to be a very long prelude for the next book in the series--one which still hasn't been written, so probably won't be. On the last page, I turned the page seriously expecting another chapter--but there wasn't one.

The action was non-stop, and the suspense was high throughout. The suspense was created mainly by the physical danger to various witnesses critical to making a case against the crime lord they wanted to stop. The characters were varied and interesting, though I didn't feel like I really got to know any of them very well.

There was a Christian element--various Christian characters prayed ("he prayed") and there was an occasional mention of God (as in, "why would God allow this?" and the sufferer's answer). The Christian elements seemed to flow as a natural action of the characters and didn't come across as preachy.

There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, the book was suspenseful and a page-turner, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it since the book ends with one plot unresolved and apparently no sequel to wrap it up.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from Chapter One
Thursday, July 4

Yuri Davidov peered at his cards through a cloud of cigarette smoke. Queens full of aces--a full house. He looked over his cards at Tony Heng, a skinny Asian gangster whose uncanny string of luck had just run out. Yuri tossed a packet of money to the center of the table. "That's your thousand plus two. Want to count it?"

One of Heng's bodyguards reached for the money, but Tony waved him off.

"I trust you, my Russian friend. After all, according to my uncle we're business partners now, aren't we?" Heng's thin lips spread into a toothy grin.

Davidov narrowed his eyes. "So I've been told."

Heng touched his chin and pondered the cash in the center of the table. "Such a large bet. Perhaps I should fold?"

"I'd expect as much from you."

Heng grinned. "Ah, a taunt. Is it because you have a strong hand or because you're bluffing? Russians like to bluff, don't they?"

Tahn by L.A. Kelly

Tahn by L.A. Kelly ISBN-13: 9780800759995 Trade Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Revell Released: January 1, 2005

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description from Back Cover:
Tahn Dorn is trapped in the middle of a looming conflict between two noble families. Trained in his youth to be a mercenary but troubled by the deeds of his past, Tahn must now choose between the commanders of a master and the urgings of his own good conscience. When his latest orders instruct him to kidnap Lady Netta of the House of Trillet, Tahn realizes that following his conscience won't be easy, especially with the lives of his young students at stake.

As Tahn's struggle continues, neither he nor Lady Netta can foretell the series of events that will unfold and change both their lives forever. Wrestling to understand Netta's God, Tahn is filled with doubt, and Netta herself wonders how such a man is willing to risk his life for a ragtag band of little children.


My Review:
Tahn is Christian fiction. I was thinking of calling it a fantasy, but it's more historical (European medieval). Though the country doesn't really exist, the story had things like Christian priests rather than magic, fantasy races, or other traditional fantasy elements. The setting detail brought the story alive in my imagination, but that detail was more generic medieval than a specific time period.

The characters were complex and acted in realistic ways. I found all of the characters interesting and engaging. The story pulled me in, and I didn't want to stop reading to do other things. The suspense was created mainly by physical danger and wondering what would happen next.

There was a strong Christian element (praying, reading the Bible, etc.), but it flowed very naturally as a part of the story. There was no bad language and no sex. Overall, I'd highly recommend this well-written, engaging novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Michal by Jill Eileen Smith

Michal by Jill Eileen Smith ISBN-13: 9780800733209 Trade Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Revell Released: March 1, 2009

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description from Back Cover:
The daughter of King Saul, Michal lives a life of privilege—but one that is haunted by her father's unpredictable moods and competition from her beautiful older sister. As a girl, Michal quickly falls for the handsome young harpist David. But soon after their romance begins, David must flee for his life, leaving Michal at her father's mercy in the prison that is King Saul's palace.

Will Michal ever be reunited with David? Or is she doomed to remain separated from him forever?

Against the backdrop of opulent palace life, raging war, and daring desert escapes, Jill Eileen Smith takes you on an emotional journey as Michal deals with love, loss, and personal transformation as the first wife of King David.


My Review:
Michal is Biblical fiction about David and Michal. It covered a lot of time--most of their lives--so the relationships came off as somewhat superficial. I thought that their initial falling in love was supposed to be superficial (Michal wanting to be his future queen and to be protected from her father, and David lusting after her beauty). However, later, after years apart and married to other people that they loved, they hardly even acted awkward around each other. Michal forgets her second husband--whom we're told she did come to love--like he never even existed.

The historical details were handled nicely. There wasn't a lot of day-to-day details, but there was enough to create a mental image of what was going on. The author stayed true to the information (and words) given in the Bible. I didn't quite envision things playing out the way the did in this novel, but that's true of most Biblical fiction. And I thought I tended to be harder on David than most people, but this author went even further than me: David only has a few moments of heroic faith and action in this story.

There were no graphic sex scenes, and there was no bad language. Overall, it was an interesting story, and I appreciate that it stayed true to what was given in the Bible.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

And the winner is...

It's time to announce the winner of the Book Lovers Holiday Hop. Including Twitter entries, we had 44 entries. Using a random number generator and numbering the entrants in the order I received them, the winner is:


throuthehaze
who won Hickory Smoked Homicide by Riley Adams



Congratulations! I'll be contacting you for your address.

For those who didn't win, you can always buy a copy of these books from your favorite bookstore or see if they have them at your local library.

A Play of Heresy by Margaret Frazer

A Play of Heresy by Margaret Frazer ISBN-13: 9780425243473 Trade Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: December 6, 2011

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
In the early summer of 1438, Joliffe and his fellow players have arrived in Coventry for the theatrical and religious festival of Corpus Christi. Employed by several of the city's rich and powerful merchant guilds, they plan to present two of the many plays extravagantly depicting all of God's story with pomp and pageantry.

But even as his fellows prepare to perform the Nativity, Joliffe may be called on to play a wise man off the stage as well. When the merchant Master Kydwa goes missing and is found dead, another agent of the cunning Bishop Beaufort calls on Joliffe's skills as a spy to uncover if this murder was an attempt to prevent a warning about a possible Lollard rebellion from reaching them. But when their favorite suspect turns up dead, they have to re-evaluate what's going on.


My Review:
A Play of Heresy is a historical mystery set in 1438 in England. This is the seventh book in this series, but you can understand it without needing to read the previous books, and it doesn't spoil the mysteries in the previous novels.

While the mystery was enjoyable, I found the historical information extremely interesting. The author clearly did her research, but I never felt like I was being lectured to or given information not relevant to the story. The rich historical detail brought the story alive in my imagination and included how plays were run, how official murder investigations were done, and information about the Lollard's beliefs.

The "whodunit" element was guessable, though there weren't many clues. It's more like how a real murder would be solved than a clever puzzle-mystery. The characters were varied and had just enough of a human element to make them interesting even though we didn't get to deeply know them. The suspense was created by the mystery of whodunit and wondering if they'd be able to pull off a play that was poorly written and had few good or experienced players in it.

Though Lollards were viewed as suspect, Joliffe was not highly critical of their beliefs. (As in, people who share some of the Lollard's views aren't going to feel alienated by the storyline though it stays true to the beliefs of the time.) There was no sex. There was a very minor amount of explicit bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this interesting and enjoyable novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from Chapter One
The day was dove gray, soft under low clouds, with the rain mist-gentle on Joliffe's face and beading silver on his horse's dark mane. His cloak was a long way yet from soaking through nor had he troubled to pull up his hood; the rain felt good against his face. Too, he judged by the blue patches of sky showing in the east that clearing weather was on the way and there would likely be sun enough to dry his hair and cloak well before he came to Coventry, especially since he was making no hurry of his going.

After a month of doing much, he was enjoying just now not having to do anything in particular. He would get to Coventry when he got to Coventry. There he would soon be doing much and more, and so was content in this while to be simply riding, with England at peace and in plenty around him. For such as worked the land, these were the year's gentle days. The spring's hard work of plowing and planting was past; the summer's hard work of haying and sheep-shearing yet to come.

Book Lover's Holiday Hop

As a part of the Book Lover's Holiday Hop, I'm holding a giveaway for your choice of one of the following two books:


Hickory Smoked Homicide by Riley Adams is a cozy mystery. You can read my review here.

No one likes Tristan Pembroke, a snooty beauty pageant coach with a mean streak longer than the line outside Aunt Pat's barbeque restaurant--family run and located in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee. When Lulu finds Tristan's body during a crowded art auction fundraiser, the police suspect Lulu's daughter-in-law who publicly had a huge fight with Tristan over trying to sell a portrait of Tristan that Tristan had refused to pay for. Though a lot of people showed up at that fundraiser who hated Tristan, the police are having as much trouble as Lulu in tracking down who had the opportunity.



And a second chance to win:

A Deadly Penance by Maureen Ash is a historical mystery set in 1203 in England. You can read my review here.

When a member of the retinue of Lady Nicolaa de la Haye's sister is killed on the castle ramparts during a feast, it initially looks like a husband may have discovered the dead man dallying with his wife. But then Lady Nicolaa is told that the dead man fancied himself a bastard of royal blood, and he was determined to find his birth mother to prove his royal parentage. Lady Nicolaa asks Templar knight Bascot de Marins to help her solve the murder.



This contest is for USA & Canada residents only.


To enter the giveaway:

1) you can twitter me saying "Hi @genrereviewer. Enter me in the giveaway for [give the book name and author's name]."

OR

2) You can leave a comment to this post asking to be entered and naming which book you'd like to win. Please also leave some way for me to contact you--or follow this blog so you can see the winner announcement. I'd be fun if you also included why you're interested in reading this novel.


This giveaway ends on December 6, 2011 at midnight. The winner will be randomly selected. I'll announce the winner on December 7, 2011 on this blog.

If you entered using twitter, I'll send you a @ or DM telling you of your win and asking where to send the book. If you entered using the blog comments, you'll need to leave your e-mail address or check back to see if you won so you can e-mail me your mailing address. If the winner hasn't responded with a mailing address within four days, I reserve the right to pick a new winner.

I hope everyone has fun with this!


The blogs participating in the Book Lover's Holiday Hop:

Double Booked for Death by Ali Brandon

Double Booked for Death by Ali Brandon ISBN-13: 978-0425244975 Trade Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: December 6, 2011

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Back Cover (slightly modified):
As the new owner of Pettistone's Fine Books, Darla Pettistone is determined to prove herself a worthy successor to her late great-aunt Dee...and equally determined to outwit Hamlet, the smarter-than-thou cat she inherited along with the shop.

Darla's first store event is a real coup--the hottest bestselling author of the moment is holding a signing there, which brings hordes of fans and some protestors. But when the author meets an untimely end during the event, it's hardly good for business, even though it's ruled an accident--until Hamlet draws attention to a clue that might indicate it was murder. Now Darla fears a killer might be lurking about, and an ex-cop friend and Darla help the hunky detective track down some clues...


My Review:
Double Booked for Death is a cozy mystery. I suspect other people may find the characters engaging, but I found that their (unexpected) excessive use of bad language and Darla's habit of worrying about everything prevented me from really bonding with them.

The cat is just a cat--possibly a smart one, but possibly just a bad-tempered and naughty one. At the end, I concluded that the cat wasn't as smart as I'd thought he was and so he lost some of his charm for me, but Darla concluded the cat was smarter than she'd thought. I suspect I missed the significance of the books he chose to be naughty with (beyond the obvious that they were crime-related).

There weren't really enough real clues to guess whodunit until near the end of the book. Even when it was obvious, I keep expecting another twist because I didn't really understand whodunit's motive even though it was explained. Again, I was left feeling like I missed something.

Despite that, the book was enjoyable. There was some nice detail woven in about the book-selling business. The suspense was created by several strange and creepy happenings.

There was a fair amount of explicit cussing and swearing as well as some fake bad words. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'm recommend this as an enjoyable mystery as long as you don't mind the bad words and low chance of guessing whodunit based on clues.

Update: After thinking it over a while, I decided part of the reason I was left feeling vaguely dissatisfied with this story was that Darla (and cat and and friends) don't solve the case. They don't know whodunit until the big confession scene, and the case would have been solved even if they did nothing throughout the story.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from Chapter One
Afternoon sun spilled through the mottled glass of the double front doors leading into Pettistone's Fine Books, the golden light stippling the dark figure sprawled upon the faded Oriental rug that served as a welcome mat. Those customers who'd entered the first-floor brownstone shop within the past half hour had taken the sight of the motionless form in stride--this was Brooklyn, after all--and casually stepped over it to head in the direction of the bestseller table. Finally, however, a cardigan-swathed octogenarian halted in the doorway. His expression was one of vexation as he stared down at the body blocking his path.

"Dead, is he?" the old man exclaimed, giving the "he" in question a querulous poke with his rubber-tipped wooden cane.

"No!"

The single panicking word was both an answer and a warning. Darla Pettistone leaped from her perch behind the cash register and rushed toward the door, determined to forestall mayhem. She was too late. A sleek black paw the size of a toddler's hand, but far more dangerously equipped, had already slashed out and caught the lacquered walking stick in five needle-sharp claws.

And the winner is...

It's time to announce the winner of the Gratitude Giveaways Blog Hop. Including Twitter entries, we had 52 valid entries. Using a random number generator and numbering the entrants in the order I received them, the winner is:


melatc
who won Dangerous Alterations


Congratulations! I'll be contacting you for your address.

For those who didn't win, you can always buy a copy of these books from your favorite bookstore or see if they have them at your local library.

Gratitude Giveaways Blog Hop link

Welcome, visitors! If you're looking for my Gratitude Giveaways Blog Hop, it's here.

The Amarath Enchantment by Julie Berry

The Amarath Enchantment by Julie Berry ISBN-13: 978-1-59990-334-7 Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Released: 2009

Source: Borrowed from my local library.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When Lucinda Chapdelaine was a small child, her parents left for the royal ball and never returned. Ever since, Lucinda has been stuck in perpetual servitude at her evil aunt’s jewelry store. Then a mysterious visitor and an even more bizarre piece of jewelry both enter the shop on the very same day, setting in motion a string of twists and turns that will forever alter Lucinda’s path. In this magical story filled with delightful surprises, Lucinda will dance with the crown prince, find an friend in the so-called Amaranth Witch, avenge her parents’ death, and maybe—just maybe—capture the heart of a prince.


My Review:
The Amarath Enchantment is a young adult fantasy novel with similarities to the Cinderella story. It's set in the real world at a vague time period, but it has fantastic and fantasy elements. The characters were engaging and varied, and the suspense (from physical danger, relationship tensions, and the mystery of what will happen next) kept me reading.

I was a bit sad that all of the "good guy" characters got their happy ending except one who had it snatched away. Since it pushed realism that everyone else got their happy endings, I didn't understand why that character couldn't have found a solution that involved happiness as well.

There was no bad language and no sex scenes. The magic element involved a magic object that allowed access to another world. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt from chapter one using Google Preview.

Hickory Smoked Homicide by Riley Adams

Hickory Smoked Homicide by Riley Adams ISBN-13: 9780425244609 Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: November 1, 2011

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Back Cover (modified):
Welcome to Aunt Pat's barbeque restaurant--family run and located in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee. Named in honor of Lulu Taylor's great-aunt, the restaurant on Beale Street is famous for its ribs and spicy corn bread, but sometimes Southern comfort food can come with a side of murder...

No one likes Tristan Pembroke, a snooty beauty pageant coach with a mean streak longer than the line outside Aunt Pat's. When Lulu finds Tristan's body during a crowded art auction fundraiser, the police suspect Lulu's daughter-in-law who publicly had a huge fight with Tristan over trying to sell a portrait of Tristan that Tristan had refused to pay for. Though a lot of people showed up at that fundraiser who hated Tristan, the police are having as much trouble as Lulu in tracking down who had the opportunity.


My Review:
Hickory Smoked Homicide is a humorous cozy mystery. It's the third in a series, but you can follow this story without having read the first novel, and this novel didn't spoil the mysteries in the previous novels.

The characters were varied, engaging, and acted realistically. Lulu was an elderly lady with many friends. She listened to their gossip about who saw whom with whom and who argued with whom and so forth in an effort to solve the case. (She reminded me a little of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple.) While whodunit had occurred to me as a good possibility, so many people had a motive that it wasn't obvious who actually had. I liked that Lulu put all the clues together at the same time I did and that the vital clue wasn't something obvious that the police somehow overlooked.

The story had a lovely atmosphere that made me feel immersed in Memphis, TN and no where else. This fast-paced story had details about the setting and jobs, including the Southern food they ate. Some recipes for the food mentioned in the story were included in the back of the book.

There were no sex scenes. There was a minor amount of fake bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this well-written, enjoyable mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Gratitude Giveaways Blog Hop

As a part of the Gratitude Giveaways Blog Hop, I'm holding a giveaway for your choice of one of the following two books:


A Deadly Penance by Maureen Ash is a historical mystery set in 1203 in England. You can read my review here.

When a member of the retinue of Lady Nicolaa de la Haye's sister is killed on the castle ramparts during a feast, it initially looks like a husband may have discovered the dead man dallying with his wife. But then Lady Nicolaa is told that the dead man fancied himself a bastard of royal blood, and he was determined to find his birth mother to prove his royal parentage. Lady Nicolaa asks Templar knight Bascot de Marins to help her solve the murder.




Dangerous Alterations by Elizabeth Lynn Casey is a cozy mystery. You can read my review here.

Tori's philandering ex, Jeff--the man she's vowed to steer clear of--has shown up in Sweet Briar for a funeral and has made it clear that he's ready for another shot with Tori. Then Jeff dies while jogging, apparently from a heart attack. Except the police chief believes it was murder--and that Tori's boyfriend may have been involved. Tori must rely on the emotional support of the ladies from her sewing circle as she pieces together the clues.




This contest is for USA & Canada residents only.


To enter the giveaway:

1) you can twitter me saying "Hi @genrereviewer. Enter me in the giveaway for [give the book name and author's name]."

OR

2) You can leave a comment to this post asking to be entered and naming which book you'd like to win. Please also leave some way for me to contact you--or follow this blog so you can see the winner announcement. I'd be fun if you also included why you're interested in reading this novel.


This giveaway ends on November 27, 2011 at midnight. The winner will be randomly selected. I'll announce the winner on Nov. 28, 2011 on this blog.

If you entered using twitter, I'll send you a @ or DM telling you of your win and asking where to send the book. If you entered using the blog comments, you'll need to leave your e-mail address or check back to see if you won so you can e-mail me your mailing address. If the winner hasn't responded with a mailing address within four days, I reserve the right to pick a new winner.

I hope everyone has fun with this!


The blogs participating in the Gratitude Giveaways Blog Hop:

Dangerous Alterations by Elizabeth Lynn Casey

Dangerous Alterations by Elizabeth Lynn Casey ISBN-13: 9780425244616 Mass Market Paperback: 272 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: November 1, 2011

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Back Cover (slightly modified):
When Tori accompanies the circle's feisty matriarch to the local health clinic, the last person she expects to run into is her ex-fiance's great-aunt. And the old woman is so shocked at seeing Tori that she promptly has a heart attack and dies. Now Tori's philandering ex, Jeff--the man she's vowed to steer clear of--has shown up in Sweet Briar for the funeral and has made it clear that he's ready for another shot with Tori...

Then Jeff turns up dead, apparently from a heart attack as well. Except the police chief believes it was murder--and that Tori's boyfriend may have been involved. Tori must rely on the emotional support of the ladies from her sewing circle as she pieces together the clues.


My Review:
Dangerous Alterations is a cozy mystery with a women's fiction focus. This book is the fifth in the series, but you can understand and enjoy it without needing to read the previous novels. This novel did not spoil the mysteries in the previous novels.

The novel focused heavily on several women who had been betrayed by cheating men and who were trying to find their selves and self-worth again. I though that this aspect was well done. The characters were engaging and complex and acted to the situations in realistic ways.

However, the vital clues for the murder mystery were fairly obvious, partly because they're mentioned repeatedly. Tori didn't look for clues so much as stumble across them frequently enough as to finally put them together. Any mystery reader familiar with the many ways of killing people will likely catch on quickly and be able to identify the whodunit within two guesses, even from the beginning. I rather wondered that the police hadn't thought to at least question in whodunit's direction since the motive was obvious, too.

However, the other situations that the characters dealt with--mainly the relationship tensions--carried my interest even though the murder mystery didn't add much suspense for me.

There were no sex scenes. There was a minor amount of explicit bad language and a very minor amount of fake bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

A Deadly Penance by Maureen Ash

A Deadly Penance by Maureen Ash ISBN-13: 9780425243367 Trade Paperback: 288 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: November 1, 2011

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, my take:
When a member of the retinue of Lady Nicolaa de la Haye's sister is killed on the castle ramparts during a feast, it initially looks like a husband may have discovered the dead man dallying with his wife. But then Lady Nicolaa is told that the dead man fancied himself a bastard of royal blood, and he was determined to find his birth mother to prove his royal parentage.

Lady Nicolaa asks Templar knight Bascot de Marins to help her solve the murder. He tracks down the smallest clues to discover the tangled web of possible suspects from the past and present.


My Review:
A Deadly Penance is a historical mystery set in 1203 in England. This novel is the sixth in the series, but you don't need to read the previous novels to understand or enjoy this one. This book did not spoil any of the previous mysteries in the series.

The story was written using more formal language and many "big" words. The author also assumed that the reader knew the meaning of several terms related to the castle and medieval weaponry. While each shop in town was described in detail (more than was really needed), the castle wasn't. Though I have a good knowledge of castles and the time period, I was never really able to work out how this castle was laid out. The story was rich with historical detail, sometimes to the point of briefly slowing the pacing.

However, I liked the characters (though we don't get to "know" any of them very well), and they reacted realistically to the situations. I also enjoyed the mystery. Bascot was determined in his search, and the solution was discovered by carefully following up every clue.

For most of the story, I didn't even bother to guess whodunit because the clues slowly build up and the answer wasn't obvious. But we're given enough clues that I was able to correctly guess whodunit and why the murder was committed shortly before Bascot put it all together correctly. Others reading the story with me came up with the solution (with a slight, incorrect, variation on it) at about the same time I did. Personally, I think that's the mark of a good mystery.

There were no sex scenes. (The story started with two lovers, but there was no body-part touching described below the face.) There was a very minor amount of "he cussed" style of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting and clever mystery to those who have a large vocabulary.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read chapter one using Google Preview.

Herald of Death by Kate Kingsbury

Herald of Death by Kate Kingsbury ISBN-13: 9780425243350 Trade Paperback: 292 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: Nov. 1, 2011

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Back Cover:
The Christmas Angel is a welcome sight during the winter season--but not this year. A killer is afoot in Badger's End, cutting a lock of hair from his victims and sticking a gold angel on their foreheads. Cecily Sinclair Baxter already promised her husband that she'd take a hiatus from sleuthing. But three killings have created a blizzard of bad publicity--and guests are canceling their hotel reservations.

Cecily pokes around, but the victims seem unrelated. Then the killer claims a fourth and fifth victim, obviously not slowing down for the holidays--so neither will Cecily. She will have to stop the angel of death from striking again, leaving murder under the tree...


My Review:
Herald of Death is a historical mystery with a side plot involving romances between several minor characters. The story was set somewhere between 1902 to 1905 in England. This is the thirteenth novel in the series, and it can be read as a stand-alone. However, I don't think this is a good book to introduce a new reader to the series.

While this novel didn't spoil any of the previous mysteries, the character development has clearly been going on and carrying forward since the first book. I felt like I stepped into a party where everyone already knew each other, but I didn't know anyone. I didn't really understand the dynamics of some of the character's relationships.

Also, we're told how clever Cecily is about solving mysteries, but she didn't follow up on obvious clues, didn't dig deeper for the truth, asked simple questions that got her the same information that the police told her, and when the connection between the murders was finally obvious, she still didn't catch on. But I think this was on purpose since Cecily wonders at the end if she's losing her touch since she didn't do those things.

This might be interesting to those who know the brilliant Cecily, but I was...less than impressed. Especially since she acted like a spoiled brat with her husband and deliberately set up her friend to be killed in order to "prove" who the murderer was since she had no actual evidence. She didn't even manage to save her friend, either--a rather impossible event occurred that saved their lives while causing unrealistically minor damage to the whodunit.

The two side romances were clearly ongoing from the previous book and were supposed to add interest, but again it probably was more interesting if you already knew the characters. Only one of the romances was resolved by the end.

The historical setting was very vague with very few historical details given in the story. It wasn't until the end that one detail was given that actually pinned down the time period.

The story has a witch as the friend of Cecily. There was a fair amount of explicit British bad language, and a very minor amount of explicit bad language that would also potentially offend Americans. There was no sex. Overall, fans of the series will probably enjoy another outing with the character's they enjoy, but I'd recommend anyone else start with the first book in the series if the series sounds interesting.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson

Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson ISBN-13: 9780425168967 Mass Market Paperback: 278 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: May 1, 1999

Source: Borrowed from the library.

Book Description from Back Cover:
As a midwife in the turn-of-the-century tenements of New York City, Sarah Brandt has seen birth and death, suffering and joy. Now she is about to take part in something more unusual in the crime-ridden streets of the teeming city--a search for justice...

After a routine delivery, Sarah visits her patient in a rooming house--and discovers that another boarder, a young girl, has been killed. At the request of Sergeant Frank Malloy, she searches the girl's room. She discovers that the victim is from one of the most prominent families in New York--and the sister of an old friend. The powerful family, fearful of scandal, refuses to permit an investigation. But with Malloy's help, Sarah begins a dangerous quest to bring the killer to justice--before death claims another victim...


My Review:
Murder on Astor Place is a historical mystery set in or a little after 1895 in New York City. Vivid historical details were woven into the story to bring it alive in my imagination. The characters were also a product of their time. The author clearly did her homework in researching this information, but she only wove in what was relevant so that the pacing didn't slow.

As for the mystery, I predicted some of where it was going long before the heroine and detective thought of it. However, it was understandable that they didn't guess it. Also, the whodunit wasn't who I expected, though whodunit made good sense. Very clever.

The suspense was created by potential physical danger to Sarah and the threat of losing a very needed job for the Sergeant. Both had good reasons to wish to investigate and find the killer. The characters were varied and complex with realistic reactions to events.

There was some explicit bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'd highly recommend this well-written historical mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read chapter one using Google Preview.

The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie

The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie ISBN: 0-553-35051-X Hardcover: 230 pages Publisher: Bantam Released: 1929, 1986

Source: Borrowed from the library.

Book Description from Back Cover:
Reclusive tycoon Sir Oswald Coote and his melancholy wife, Lady Coote, have hit upon the ideal plan to spice up their quiet lives. They'll host a lavish weekend party at Chimneys, their isolated estate, and invite only "bright young things." But the festive mood is clouded by doom. A practical joke involving seven clocks and a sleeping guest has ended in accidental death--a cause for alarm. For the guests may not be all that they appear. And as whispers of a strange club called Seven Dials echo through the halls of Chimneys, all hands will be pointing to murder...


My Review:
The Seven Dials Mystery is a historical mystery set in England. (It was, of course, a contemporary mystery at the time it was written.) The detectives were Bundle and Superintendent Battle.

The mystery was a clever one that kept me guessing to the end. Despite all the clues, the only way a reader could correctly guess whodunit is if they realized Christie didn't follow the "mystery rules" in this one. The characters were engaging and the tone lighthearted. The suspense was created by physical danger to Bundle and friends and by curiosity about whodunit.

There was some explicit bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this entertaining, clever mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read Chapter One using Google Preview.

And the winner is...

It's time to announce the winner of the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop. We had 20 valid entries. Using a random number generator and numbering the entrants in the order I received them, the winner is:


A, Cisco
who won The Time Machine


Congratulations! I'll be contacting you for your address.

For those who didn't win, you can always buy a copy of these books from your favorite bookstore or see if they have them at your local library.

Behind the Seams by Betty Hechtman

Behind the Seams by Betty Hechtman ISBN-13: 9780425241424 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: November 1, 2011

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Goodreads (slightly modified):
The crochet group's informal leader, actress CeeCee Collins, has a movie out, and thanks to the Oscar buzz, she's scheduled to appear on the famous Barbara Olive Overton Show. Molly and the others from their crocheting club come to sit in the audience. When CeeCee's niece Nell--a production assistant on the show--is accused of poisoning one of the producers, Molly and the club must set aside their crochet projects to clear Nell's name.


My Review:
Behind the Seams is a cozy mystery with a crochet theme. It's the sixth book in the series, but it can be read as a stand-alone and doesn't spoil the mysteries in the previous books.

The whodunit was on my list of possible suspects from the start, and I was certain of whodunit long before Molly was. However, the clues weren't obvious, so it was believable that Molly and friends didn't suspect. I found it less believable that Molly kept getting arrested because she was near a crime and due to misunderstandings. The being arrested part, maybe, but not the number of times within a matter of days.

The suspense was created by Nell potentially being arrested for murder and the relationship tensions between Molly and her boyfriend. It was clear that Molly wasn't committed to the relationship, though. While it was realistic that she took some time to realize this, it lacked the intended tension and so these sections felt slow to me. It might have been more suspenseful if I'd read the previous books.

There were also several scenes that headed toward a very exciting climax then jumped in time until the scene was over (which was confusing) and then had people discussing what had happened. This also cut down on some of the potential tension and excitement.

While the mystery part of the story was completely wrapped up, the author added a relationship cliff-hanger to the last paragraph of the book. But with the guy I didn't like.

Basically, I was left feeling like it should have been a really exciting, interesting book. It had all the right elements. But due to some of the writing choices, the excitement didn't engage me like it could have.

Kissing and such were only implied. There were no sex scenes. There was no bad language. Overall, it was an interesting cozy mystery with an interesting crochet method described in the story and in more detail in the back.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from Chapter One
"Okay, action," I said. "Sorry, I don't have one of those little black chalkboards to click."

"Dear, those are only when you're actually filming. This is just a run-through," CeeCee Collins said. Whatever it was called, CeeCee instantly went into character and gestured toward the setup for a cooking demonstration spread out in front of her. A series of glass bowls with ingredients, a mixing bowl and a nine-by-thirteen pan, along with a assortment of cooking tools, sat on the dark wood trestle table in her dining room.

She looked the picture of domesticity with her apron, and it was obvious she'd gone into character, because the real CeeCee didn't know which end of a wooden spoon was up.

Grace Under Pressure by Julie Hyzy

Grace Under Pressure by Julie Hyzy ISBN-13: 9780425235218 Trade Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released: June 1, 2010

Source: Borrowed from my local library.

Book Description from Back Cover (slightly modified):
Everyone wants a piece of millionaire Bennett Marshfield, owner of Marshfield Manor, who is receiving letters from someone claiming a right to his money. The elderly, reclusive owner trusts no one but his aged curator, Abe. But when Abe is killed in a case of mistaken identity, it's clear the person is deadly serious.

Although shaken by the murder, Grace Wheaton, whose lifelong dream has been to work at the manor, steps up to the challenge of assuming Abe's job. But if she's going to keep her job, she must find out who the murder is before he succeeds in killing her boss! She'll have to investigate a failed Ponzi scheme, some Wheaton family secrets, a scam artist, and more...


My Review:
Grace Under Pressure is the first cozy mystery in a series. I reviewed the second novel in the series and liked it enough to read this one, too.

While all the needed clues were there to guess "whodunit" at about the same time Grace did, the whodunit wasn't obvious. I also wasn't entirely clear why the person thought Mr. Marshfield owed them money. Someone did, yes, but not really Marshfield. The suspense was mainly created by the tensions of Grace's job--working with difficult people and customers--as well as wondering whodunit and if they would strike again.

The characters were varied, likable, and acted like realistic people would to the situations. The details about the setting, the people, and the job made the story come alive without slowing the story down.

Grace's two housemates are men. In the second book, it's only hinted at that they're a gay couple. In this book, it's clearly implied, but a big deal wasn't made about it.

There were no sex scenes. There was some explicit bad language (just one word used on several occasions: "h-ll"). Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt:
Read more of Chapter One using Google Preview.

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

As a part of the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop, I'm holding a giveaway for your choice of one of three books.

For Whom the Stars Shine by Linda Chaikin is a a historical set mainly in Hawaii from 1888 to 1891. The book is a used book in good condition. You can read my review here.

Eden Derrington's father travels far and wide looking for a cure for leprosy as the disease gets worse on the islands. Her family is dividing down political lines as the king of Hawaii is ill and may die soon. But when Eden receives a mysterious note implying that her mother's accident was really a hushed-up murder, Eden begins to question everything she thought she knew.



Solemn Oath by Hannah Alexander is a Christian medical suspense novel with some romance. The book is a used book in good condition. You can read my review here.

Dr. Lukas Bower vowed to put his patient's health first. By refusing to betray this solemn oath in the face of hospital politics, life has become very difficult for the young interm director of Knolls Community Hospital emergency room. The small-town serenity of Knolls is suddenly broken by a spate of suspicious fires, and the new influx of patients strains the resources of the already overworked emergency room. With the increased responsibilities, Lukas finds himself working more and more with Dr. Mercy Richmand.



The Time Machineby Tim Chaffey and Joe Westbrook is a science-fiction adventure for boys and girls about age 8 to 14. The book is new. You can read my review and a teen's review.

Jax and Isaiah, teen boys from the world’s top science academy, are creating a time machine for their science fair project. When the boys attempt to go back to 70,000,000 BC to see dinosaurs, the time machine fails though they're sure it should have worked. Then they try going back 4,500 years so they can witness the pyramids being built. Yet they come face-to-face with dinosaurs after all! Did the machine glitch and send them back to 70,000,000 BC? No time to test it out--Isaiah needs saving from an angry dinosaur, and Jax will need the help of their friends, two girls named JT and Mickey, and their hover-board project if he's going to save him.



This contest is for USA & Canada residents only.


To enter the giveaway:

1) you can twitter me saying "Hi @genrereviewer. Enter me in the giveaway for [give the book name and author's name]."

OR

2) You can leave a comment to this post asking to be entered and naming which book you'd like to win. Please also leave some way for me to contact you--or follow this blog so you can see the winner announcement. I'd be fun if you also included why you're interested in reading this novel.


This giveaway ends on October 31, 2011 at midnight. The winner will be randomly selected. I'll announce the winner on Nov. 1, 2011 on this blog.

If you entered using twitter, I'll send you a @ or DM telling you of your win and asking where to send the book. If you entered using the blog comments, you'll need to leave your e-mail address or check back to see if you won so you can e-mail me your mailing address. If the winner hasn't responded with a mailing address within four days, I reserve the right to pick a new winner.

I hope everyone has fun with this!


The blogs participating in the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop:

The Mother Hunt by Rex Stout

The Mother Hunt by Rex Stout ISBN: 0-553-24737-9 Mass Market Paperback: 212 pages Publisher: Bantam Books Released: 1963, 1981, 1993

Source: Borrowed from my local library.

Book Description from Goodreads:
When a baby is abandoned on the doorstep of a young socialite widow, the woman thinks she knows the identity of the father: her deceased writer husband, the cad! But who is the mother? Reluctantly, Nero Wolfe accepts the case, and Archie identifies the first clue: unusual buttons on the baby's overalls. The case seems like child's play to Wolfe until the first dead body...


My Review:
The Mother Hunt is a humorous, historical mystery. Though this book is a part of the Nero Wolfe series, each novel is a stand-alone. You don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one.

The setting was Manhattan, NY, in 1963 (the same year it was written, though it's "historical" now.) The story was a fast-paced, quick read with some suspense created by the number of dead-ends they hit. While the whodunit was guessable, it could have easily been one of several people, and we're not told the vital clue until the "big reveal" scene.

The main characters have very vivid personalities, and the viewpoint character is a very jaunty fellow. The characters kept me coming back, though the mystery was interesting, too. I especially like the Nero Wolfe movies, which capture the novels well.

There was some talk about people having affairs, but no sex scenes. There was a fair amount of explicit bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those who like mysteries and the 60's but don't mind explicit bad language.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from Chapter One
When the doorbell rang a little after eleven that Tuesday morning in early June and I went to the hall and took a look through the one-way glass panel in the front door, I saw what, or whom, I expected to see: a face a little too narrow, gray eyes a little too big, and a figure a little too thin for the best curves. I knew who it was because she had phoned Monday afternoon for an appointment, and I knew what she looked like because I had seen her a few times at theaters or restaurants.

Also I had known enough about her, part from public record and part hearsay, to brief Nero Wolfe without doing any research.

Read more of chapter one using Google Preview.

Jordan's Crossing by Randall Arthur

Jordan's Crossing by Randall Arthur ISBN: 0-88070-582-5 Trade Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Multnomah Books Released: 1993

Source: Bought at a library book sale.

Book Description from Back Cover:
When pastor Jordan Rau accepted a position with a European missionary agency, his decision was not based on an opportunity to serve God, but on the monetary rewards the position would bring him.

However, shortly after his family's arrival in Germany, Jordan's priorities dramatically change after his young son, Chase, is murdered. Jordan becomes obsessed with finding his son's killers and delivering justice by his own hand. Driven by hatred and revenge, he sets out on a course of action that will destroy not only the murderers, but his own family as well--and only a miracle can stop him.


My Review:
Jordan's Crossing is a Christian suspense novel. There is a character in this novel that is the main character in a previous novel, but this novel can be read as a stand-alone. It did spoil the previous novel, though, so you might wish to read them in order.

The suspense was created by the relationship tensions caused by financial worries and the death of a son/brother and from the physical danger Jordan put himself and others in while tracking his son's killers. The characters dealt with realistic problems, but I felt like I was held at a distance. The author told about the character's emotions instead of pulling the reader into them.

The whole story was basically a sermon to the reader about the problems in the modern, western church and the effect of picking and choosing what parts of the Bible to believe has on Christians. While I liked the story and agreed with a lot of what the author pointed out, I wished the story had emotionally engaged me more.

Also, I didn't really like the ending. After bringing home the point repeatedly that Christians need to leave justice to God rather than seeking revenge themselves, the ending solely focused on the justice dealt out in this world. No one mentioned the ultimate justice given by God on Judgment Day.

There was a minor amount of "he cursed" style bad language and one explicit bad word which, apparently, some people don't consider a bad word. There were no sex scenes though a rape was referred to in vague terms. Overall, I don't regret reading the book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt:
Read an excerpt from chapter one using Google Preview.

Mrs.Pollifax, Innocent Tourist by Dorothy Gilman

Mrs.Pollifax, Innocent Tourist by Dorothy Gilman ISBN: 0-449-91137-3 Hardback: 205 pages Publisher: Ballantine Books Released: 1997

Source: Used book sale at lbrary.

Book Description from Google Books:
Working with her retired CIA friend John Farrell, Mrs. Pollifax must smuggle a manuscript out of Jordan, a document that encodes the shocking truth of Saddam Hussein's reign.

Hardly are the two airborne when the coils of Middle Eastern intrigue begin to unwind. Mrs. Pollifax's seatmate is not the affable Arab businessman he pretends to be. It is not imagination that persuades Mrs. P. that wherever they go, she and Farrell are followed. To elude their pursuers in such a politically volatile country isn't easy. In fact, it can be downright deadly. . . .


My Review:
Mrs.Pollifax, Innocent Tourist is a suspense/spy novel that doesn't take itself to seriously. Apparently, this book is the thirteenth in the series, but you can follow the story without having read the previous books, and this book didn't spoil details of the previous novels.

The characters were interesting and engaging. There wasn't a lot of detail to the action, but there was some nice setting detail. While this would qualify as a spy novel, they didn't have neat gadgets nor were they sneaky. They're extremely careful to do everything needed to look like innocent tourists, but then they talk about CIA connections and other suspicious details in front of their previously unsuspecting tour guide. It's also a suspense novel, but it was hard for me to take the physical danger to the main characters seriously. The suspense (for me) was more about would the guy with the manuscript make it, and would they manage to connect up with him?

There was a fair amount of explicit bad language. There was no sex. Overall, it's a fast, fun read.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Line of Duty by Terri Blackstock

Line of Duty by Terri Blackstock ISBN: 0-310-25064-1 Trade Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Zondervan Released: 2003

Source: Library book sale.

Book Description from Goodreads:
A bomb explodes at the Icon International building in New Orleans while lawyer Jill Clark Nichols is in the top floor boardroom. The thirty-story building goes up in flames and fire departments from all around the area are called in. The firefighters from Newpointe are especially concerned since they know Jill is inside the building. Dan, her husband, rushes in to save her. But as firefighters work to evacuate the upper floors of the building, a second and third bomb explode, causing the lower floors to cave in. Firefighters and civilians are buried beneath the rubble.

When the smoke finally clears, a count is taken. Jill narrowly escapes the chaos of the explosions and fire only to find Dan missing.

Were the bombs the act of a terrorist, or a scheme coming from a heart of greed? Can Jills faith carry her through these long days of pain and uncertainty? And will Dan survive this tragedy . . . or sacrifice his life in the line of duty?


My Review:
Line of Duty is a Christian suspense novel that turns into a general fiction with a mystery. This is the fifth book in the series, but it reads like a stand-alone.

The suspense in the first part was mainly created by the physical danger that the various characters were in and then wondering which characters survived. After that, the suspense was created by relationship tension, regret and sorrow leading characters toward potentially bad decisions, and the side mystery of who blew up the building. The mystery was handled realistically and was not easily guessable ahead of time.

The characters were varied, interesting, and dealt with realistic problems. The story's focus was mainly on dealing with loss (and why God would allow it) and on loving people who are different. Most of the characters were Christians who were mutually struggling to understand why God allowed some to live, some to die, and some to have life-changing injuries.

There were no sex scenes. There was a very minor amount of "he cussed" style of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from Chapter One
Ashley Morris sensed the doom in the Icon International Building. She had listened to the news reports of layoffs and the companies crashing stock value with the detached interest of a sixteen-year-old, but it was hard to ignore the reality now. In the lobby, grim-faced employees spoke in low voices. Some wiped tears as they carried boxes out to their cars. Reporters with camera crews waited outside, interviewing exiting employees who'd just gotten the ax.

She'd picked a lousy day to hit her mother up for money.

Popping her gum, Ashley got into the elevator with two women and a man. One of the women gave her a look as if she had just parachuted out of a UFO. Ashley looked right back at her an blew a bubble. The woman looked away.

Read more from chapter one using Google Preview.

Prairie Storm by Catherine Palmer

Prairie Storm by Catherine Palmer ISBN-13: 0-8423-7058-7 Trade Paperback: 262 pages Publisher: Tyndale Released: 1999

Source: From my personal library.

Book Description, my take:
Evangelist Elijah Book agrees to raise a dying woman's now-orphaned baby, but he has no way to provide the mother's milk the baby needs to survive. When he preaches near Hope, Kansas, a woman from a traveling show agrees to nurse his baby--for money. The locals offer to pay Elijah to be their pastor, so Elijah agrees for the baby's sake. But he's certain God wants him to go to China to preach the Word. Surely that'd be easier than being a small town pastor!

Lily Nolen, a singer in a traveling show, is heart-broken of the very recent deaths of her baby and husband. When she hears a hungry baby's cry, she tracks down the baby and agrees to become his nurse. She adores the baby, but she's also certain the preacher will act just like her religious father--physically abusive and using Scripture to manipulate people for his own gain.

Since God didn't protect Lily like the Bible promises, she wants nothing to do with Him. But then she realizes that the Bible doesn't promise that God will always protect her--just that He will be with her through the storms. But why would a loving God allow suffering and hardship to happen to his followers? Is there reason to trust God, anyway? And what about the preacher that she's discovering is very unlike her father?


My Review:
Prairie Storm is a historical romance set in 1866 in Kansas. This book is the third in the series, but you can read it as a stand-alone. Reading this book before the other will spoil a few events in the previous novels, but not enough to spoil those books.

The characters were engaging, acted realistically, and had realistic struggles (even if some of the struggles weren't common ones). The setting and historical details were not highly detailed though they were enough to paint a mental picture. The suspense was created partly by relationship tensions (and not just romantic tensions--Lily and her old friend, Lily and her abusive father, etc.) and the search for answers about God.

The characters quoted a lot of Scripture and hymns, but it flowed naturally in the story (rather than feeling like it was primarily for the benefit of the reader). Lily knew Scripture well, but she initially used it in a critical way. Both main characters were searching for answers about God and, for the pastor, for God's will in his life. They looked to the Bible for answers since they realized they'd picked up wrong ideas from what religious people had told them. I liked how all of this was handled.

There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this charming novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from Chapter One
Hope, Kansas
1866

A sudden, high-pitched cry caught Lily Nolan's attention. She sucked in a breath. A baby? Somewhere in the growing darkness, a baby was crying. Lily pushed aside the tent flap and stepped outside, listening. There it came again! Weak but insistent, the wail curled into the marrow of Lily's bones.

Abigail, she thought. Oh, my darling Abby!

No. That wasn't possible, was it? Abby was gone, buried in a little wooden box at the edge of Topeka. But whose baby was crying? Why didn't the mother rock the child?

Read more from chapter one.

Healing Waters by Nancy Rue & Stephen Arterburn

Healing Waters by Nancy Rue & Stephen Arterburn ISBN-13: 9781595544315 Trade Paperback: 423 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson Released: 2008

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description, my take:
Lucia Coffey sees herself as fat and a failure. When she looks at her thin, beautiful sister, Sonia, she sees a popular and charismatic ministry leader with a devoted following. Lucia's parents expected her to give up her dreams so that Sonia could attain hers. Lucia believes that God favors Sonia, too--He's given Sonia everything but left Lucia with only broken dreams of a husband with eyes for only her and of a child of her own. Lucia buries her fears and anger by eating food, yet she feels like a worse failure for doing so.

Then Sonia faces a major blow to her life and faith, and she asks for her sister's help. Sullivan Crisp, an offbeat but popular Christian psychologist, is trying to discovery why his wife committed suicide and if his actions played some part in her death. He hopes that finding answers will help heal his shattered confidence in his skills. A friend encourages him to offer to help Sonia cope with the changes in her life, but he ends up helping Lucia instead. Can they find healing before the person who is trying to destroy Sonia's life strikes again?


My Review:
Healing Waters is a Christian general fiction novel that deals with God's role when it comes to suffering. The characters were complex, varied, and dealt with realistic relationship problems and faith challenges. The suspense mainly came from relationship tensions--Lucia and her husband, Lucia and her sister, etc.--but there was also a mystery as to who was trying to harm Sonia. I was somewhat surprised that the authorities weren't more suspicious of the person who turned out to be "whodunit," so I wasn't surprised by the whodunit.

While the book wasn't "preachy" (except when pointing out the flaws in the "if you just had enough faith...." and "suffering is God's punishment for a sin in your life" belief system), there was a lot of God Talk ("God's going to heal me. I'm expecting a miracle.").

I would agree with Crisp's briefly-stated points about why and how Sonia's belief system wasn't correct (and neither was Lucia's view of God). However, his own stated beliefs about suffering, while sounding profound, left me uncertain as to what he actually believed. Perhaps this will become more clear in the next books in the series since this book makes the point that he's in the process of working through his own questions about suffering.

There were no sex scenes (or anything more intimate than a hug by a husband). There was a minor amount of explicit bad language and some fake bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this well-written, interesting novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from Chapter One
I had done everything on my list. Everything but the last item. Neat black checks marked the first five to-dos:

paint bathroom
put last layer on torte
redo makeup
call modeling agency--say NO
shave legs

Before the traffic moved again and I made the turn into tiny Northeast Airport, I put a second check beside number five. I'd shaved twice. Chip liked my legs hairless as a fresh pear. Not that I expected him to be interested in them or in any other part of my ample anatomy, but it couldn't hurt to be prepared for a miracle. In truth, I'd probably broken out the razor again just to procrastinate--because I wasn't sure I could do the sixth thing on the list.

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The Truth-Teller's Tale by Sharon Shinn

The Truth-Teller's Tale by Sharon Shinn ISBN-13: 9780670060009 Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: Viking Children's Books Released: July 21, 2005

Source: Bought through Half.com

Book Description from Cover:
Innkeeper's daughters Adele and Eleda are "mirror twins"—identical twins whose looks reflect each other's—and their special talents are like mirrors, too. Adele is a Safe-Keeper, entrusted with hearing and never revealing others' secrets; Eleda is a Truth-Teller, who cannot tell a lie when asked a direct question. The residents of Merendon often turn to the twins— especially their best friend Roelynn Karro, whose strict, wealthy father is determined to marry her off to a prince she's never met. When the twins are 17, a handsome dancing-master and his apprentice come to stay at the inn, and thus begins a chain of romances and mistaken identity that will have readers utterly beguiled.


My Review:
The Truth-Teller's Tale is a young adult or middle-grade fantasy novel which will appeal most to girls. It's the second novel in a series, but you don't need to read the first book to understand this one. This one may spoil events in the first novel, though.

It's a charming novel, though I found it predictable. But it probably won't be predictable to a middle-grader. I was expecting a more complex story based on the "a Safe-Keeper told a secret, a Truth-Teller told a lie" beginning promise, but the moral choice was there at the end.

The story was a quick read, though it built slowly toward an action-filled ending. It was mostly about relationships--learning about the pitfalls of romantic relationships as well as loving people who are very different from you (like her twin sister and best friend). The characters were engaging, and the encounters they had due to their special skills were interesting.

I liked that the story touched on the drawbacks of getting physical (even "just" intense kissing). One couple cared about each other for years and were always true to each other, but there was one female (and two male) characters who were constantly falling in and out of love. Though our main character was rightly skeptical, it was implied that finding true love will immediately and completely break people of their habit of falling in love, growing bored with the person, and then looking elsewhere.

There was a minor amount of explicit bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from Chapter One
What would you say if I told you there was a time a Safe-Keeper told a secret, a Truth-Teller told a lie, and a Dream-Maker did everything in her power to make sure a wish went astray? Believe what I tell you, for I am a Truth-Teller, and every word I say is true.


No sisters could ever have been less alike than my twin and I. To the casual observer, we looked exactly the same, for we both had wheat blonde hair and exceptionally pale skin, and the bones of our faces had an identical structure. But Adele was right-handed; she parted her hair on the right; he right eye was blue and her left eye was green. I was left-handed; I parted my hair on the left; my left eye was blue and my right eye was green. We each saw in the other the very same face, the very same figure, we saw in the mirror every morning.

Read more from chapter one.