When I set out to write a book about the natural history of breasts, I knew I'd have to answer some awkward questions about my book topic. At a...
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I really liked the possibilities presented in this book. What would happen if you woke up with amnesia and no ID, and even worse somebody tried to kill you and no one appears to know you are missing! Who thinks about what would happen in this case. It could never happen to you, could it? Really? Well, Alan Cook has put together a very good murder mystery with these basic facts to go on. When this happens to a girl who decides to call herself Carol, we begin to find out just what problems do arise. She has no identity, and so has no rights. She is trapped in a tiny spot of no man's land. It's interesting to learn how someone gradually retrieves bits and pieces of memory, strange ones at that, to eventually find themselves. I recommend this book for it's fast-paced mystery and it's in-depth look at how to find yourself through DNA and computer searches.
A delightful tale with a strong message. Cycles of life in the forest told in a friendly way. How every species on earth depends on another and what that means. Lorne Rothman has produced an ecological and timely tale for all ages.
The characters draw the reader in immediately. Little Fur, a colony of tent caterpillars hatched in an oak tree in Southcrop Forest, becomes the lifesaving hero of the plot, under the guidance of Auja, the oak tree. As Fur says, "I'm we" and "we're me", the colony thinks and moves as one. The forest is dying of disease and deforestation, eradicated by the "hewmen" with their giant machinery to make way for development. A lot of information is in this book and told in a form that allows us to learn about the non-human world around us through this entertaining fable.
These particular tent caterpillars are from very ancient stock called "Runes", which have not put in an appearance for 1,000 years. They have helped the forest in the past and must do so again. Replenish the soil and bring it back to its previous health so the trees can flourish again. The extent to which environment and habitat are dependent on each other to survive the toxins in the air, the changes in the weather patterns, as well as the lack of coordination with human life is demonstrated so well. There are also a number of endnotes that are very helpful.
The trees of Southcrop Forest have developed a form of communication with the Runes and with each other, a network through leaves and roots. Through this process they are able to direct the Runes to the "Southcrop Farm" where they will be given what is needed to take to the most important Forest at Dark Sky, giving the Runes the necessary information to bring back the balance and future of the devastated forests around them. The concept of the story and the flow of information through dialogue is wonderful and at the same time very insightful. 5 stars
I have always found forensics of any type interesting and this forensic handwriting mystery did not let me down. Well-formed plot and characters, with suspense building throughout the book. This is the third in the Claudia Rose series by Sheila Lowe, but the first I have read. There are a few hints here and there that bring the reader up to date without going into a lot of repetition for those who have read the previous books.
On the strength of a television interview, Claudia receives an offer, albeit a rather demanding offer, to come to New York for an interview to work with Baroness Grusha Olinetsky -- immediately. The Baroness is a "world class matchmaker" and just fired her handwriting expert who also happens to be Claudia's nemesis. Claudia's first instinct is not to go, she is still recovering from the recent murder of a close friend and was nearly a victim of a psychopath herself. Her partner Joel Jovanic doesn't want her to go, nor does her ward, Annabelle. However, Grusha has arranged a flight the next day from California to New York, and offered a sum she feels she can not refuse. Besides, she is concerned about how serious the "bad mistakes" were that the previous expert made.
Once in New York her life becomes a whirlwind of unique characters, handwriting with "red flags" that were ignored, and too many coincidental deaths. Who is trying to bring Grusha and her business to ruination? The action picks up as the book goes along and Claudia becomes more involved with every page, while problems are also stirring back at home.
I found the book held my attention, loved learning bits and pieces of graphology, and will definitely be reading more of Sheila Lowe's books, starting with the first. Fascinating characters, bodies piling up, until the final diabolic debacle comes crashing down. An entertaining, cohesive story with lots of conceivable suspects.
I really loved this book! A great debut for Lisa Lutz. It had a comfortable feel about it, like an old "screwball" or “madcap” movie. A perfect read for a snowy day in the north. This book flowed along like a brook in flood season, finding alternate routes to its destination, with the occasional boulder or tree in its way.
To say the family is dysfunctional does it a disservice as they are not so much dysfunctional as overzealous in their protection of each other, at the same time trying to protect their individual privacy. The family business is private investigation, the only problem being that they are more apt to be investigating each other than regular clients, at least in this first book.
Don Brun's characters come into the story fully fledged, at least they appear to be, although from the Prologue it would suggest the story is being told by a dead man. Nevertheless, the characters at the beginning are definitely like comfy socks, well-worn and comfortable, and so they should, this is the third book in the "Stuff" series.
Still acting in their high school personae, these two bumbling lifelong friends are still chasing the American Dream. Even with Skip's Business School training he is still floundering in the security business he is now working for, while James works for Cap’n Crab.
An underachiever, Skip is put in charge of installing security for a government department (a big secret everyone seems to know), the Department of Defense, and it begins to look like they may finally be getting somewhere in life. He hires his crew, including James, and as an afterthought he also hires their neighbour who has not particularly been of interest to them, but seemed to have some knowledge of the equipment.
Skip's first order of business though is to play the part of boyfriend to the boss' girl-friend to throw his wife off the scent of infidelity. The plot is complicated and fun, I loved the interaction of all the characters, including those who have made their first appearance in this book. I am at a slight loss because I have not read the first two, but this works just as well as a stand-alone and is a very enjoyable and fast read.
However, Skip is no sooner introduced to the project than the first body turns up his feet under his desk and is found laid out behind said desk, very dead. Then they learn that other people on the government project have gradually gone missing. To complicate matters more, there are some very strange characters populating the book, and more spy intelligence equipment is soon purchased, or borrowed in order to get to the bottom of things. Skip is overwhelmed with women wanting his attention, not a common state. James is the Hardy Boys fan who is the catalyst to getting the equipment, but who to spy on? There are so many possibilities, not to mention that they are being tracked themselves.
Overall, this is definitely an entertaining book, complete with espionage, mystery, murder, spies spying on spies, and a romp that kept me reading. It was hard to put the book down. I most certainly will read the first two in the series.
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Elizabeth Gelean has commented on (10) products.
Forget to Remember by Alan Cook
Elizabeth Gelean, February 15, 2011
I really liked the possibilities presented in this book. What would happen if you woke up with amnesia and no ID, and even worse somebody tried to kill you and no one appears to know you are missing! Who thinks about what would happen in this case. It could never happen to you, could it? Really? Well, Alan Cook has put together a very good murder mystery with these basic facts to go on. When this happens to a girl who decides to call herself Carol, we begin to find out just what problems do arise. She has no identity, and so has no rights. She is trapped in a tiny spot of no man's land. It's interesting to learn how someone gradually retrieves bits and pieces of memory, strange ones at that, to eventually find themselves. I recommend this book for it's fast-paced mystery and it's in-depth look at how to find yourself through DNA and computer searches.Southcrop Forest by Lorne Rothman
Elizabeth Gelean, April 6, 2010
A delightful tale with a strong message. Cycles of life in the forest told in a friendly way. How every species on earth depends on another and what that means. Lorne Rothman has produced an ecological and timely tale for all ages.The characters draw the reader in immediately. Little Fur, a colony of tent caterpillars hatched in an oak tree in Southcrop Forest, becomes the lifesaving hero of the plot, under the guidance of Auja, the oak tree. As Fur says, "I'm we" and "we're me", the colony thinks and moves as one. The forest is dying of disease and deforestation, eradicated by the "hewmen" with their giant machinery to make way for development. A lot of information is in this book and told in a form that allows us to learn about the non-human world around us through this entertaining fable.
These particular tent caterpillars are from very ancient stock called "Runes", which have not put in an appearance for 1,000 years. They have helped the forest in the past and must do so again. Replenish the soil and bring it back to its previous health so the trees can flourish again. The extent to which environment and habitat are dependent on each other to survive the toxins in the air, the changes in the weather patterns, as well as the lack of coordination with human life is demonstrated so well. There are also a number of endnotes that are very helpful.
The trees of Southcrop Forest have developed a form of communication with the Runes and with each other, a network through leaves and roots. Through this process they are able to direct the Runes to the "Southcrop Farm" where they will be given what is needed to take to the most important Forest at Dark Sky, giving the Runes the necessary information to bring back the balance and future of the devastated forests around them. The concept of the story and the flow of information through dialogue is wonderful and at the same time very insightful. 5 stars
Dead Write: A Forensic Handwriting Mystery by Sheila Lowe
Elizabeth Gelean, February 20, 2010
I have always found forensics of any type interesting and this forensic handwriting mystery did not let me down. Well-formed plot and characters, with suspense building throughout the book. This is the third in the Claudia Rose series by Sheila Lowe, but the first I have read. There are a few hints here and there that bring the reader up to date without going into a lot of repetition for those who have read the previous books.On the strength of a television interview, Claudia receives an offer, albeit a rather demanding offer, to come to New York for an interview to work with Baroness Grusha Olinetsky -- immediately. The Baroness is a "world class matchmaker" and just fired her handwriting expert who also happens to be Claudia's nemesis. Claudia's first instinct is not to go, she is still recovering from the recent murder of a close friend and was nearly a victim of a psychopath herself. Her partner Joel Jovanic doesn't want her to go, nor does her ward, Annabelle. However, Grusha has arranged a flight the next day from California to New York, and offered a sum she feels she can not refuse. Besides, she is concerned about how serious the "bad mistakes" were that the previous expert made.
Once in New York her life becomes a whirlwind of unique characters, handwriting with "red flags" that were ignored, and too many coincidental deaths. Who is trying to bring Grusha and her business to ruination? The action picks up as the book goes along and Claudia becomes more involved with every page, while problems are also stirring back at home.
I found the book held my attention, loved learning bits and pieces of graphology, and will definitely be reading more of Sheila Lowe's books, starting with the first. Fascinating characters, bodies piling up, until the final diabolic debacle comes crashing down. An entertaining, cohesive story with lots of conceivable suspects.
The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz
Elizabeth Gelean, January 31, 2010
I really loved this book! A great debut for Lisa Lutz. It had a comfortable feel about it, like an old "screwball" or “madcap” movie. A perfect read for a snowy day in the north. This book flowed along like a brook in flood season, finding alternate routes to its destination, with the occasional boulder or tree in its way.To say the family is dysfunctional does it a disservice as they are not so much dysfunctional as overzealous in their protection of each other, at the same time trying to protect their individual privacy. The family business is private investigation, the only problem being that they are more apt to be investigating each other than regular clients, at least in this first book.
Stuff to Spy for by Don Bruns
Elizabeth Gelean, January 10, 2010
Don Brun's characters come into the story fully fledged, at least they appear to be, although from the Prologue it would suggest the story is being told by a dead man. Nevertheless, the characters at the beginning are definitely like comfy socks, well-worn and comfortable, and so they should, this is the third book in the "Stuff" series.Still acting in their high school personae, these two bumbling lifelong friends are still chasing the American Dream. Even with Skip's Business School training he is still floundering in the security business he is now working for, while James works for Cap’n Crab.
An underachiever, Skip is put in charge of installing security for a government department (a big secret everyone seems to know), the Department of Defense, and it begins to look like they may finally be getting somewhere in life. He hires his crew, including James, and as an afterthought he also hires their neighbour who has not particularly been of interest to them, but seemed to have some knowledge of the equipment.
Skip's first order of business though is to play the part of boyfriend to the boss' girl-friend to throw his wife off the scent of infidelity. The plot is complicated and fun, I loved the interaction of all the characters, including those who have made their first appearance in this book. I am at a slight loss because I have not read the first two, but this works just as well as a stand-alone and is a very enjoyable and fast read.
However, Skip is no sooner introduced to the project than the first body turns up his feet under his desk and is found laid out behind said desk, very dead. Then they learn that other people on the government project have gradually gone missing. To complicate matters more, there are some very strange characters populating the book, and more spy intelligence equipment is soon purchased, or borrowed in order to get to the bottom of things. Skip is overwhelmed with women wanting his attention, not a common state. James is the Hardy Boys fan who is the catalyst to getting the equipment, but who to spy on? There are so many possibilities, not to mention that they are being tracked themselves.
Overall, this is definitely an entertaining book, complete with espionage, mystery, murder, spies spying on spies, and a romp that kept me reading. It was hard to put the book down. I most certainly will read the first two in the series.
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