New Hampshire Books

I enjoyed this book because of Jewett's turn-of-the-century language and simply accurate descriptions of the people living in a fishing town. Although some may wish for a more detailed plot (or any plot at all), "Pointed Firs" is an escape to a seemingly more innocent time. The characters struggle with many of the same issues we do: relationships, war, disease, and death. However, their sense of community, faith, and attitudes toward the sea form and strengthen their relationships with each other. Jewett is worth a read, merely for the beautiful way she creates a picture with the English language.

This book is full of timeless short stories that can either be read as a whole story or separately.

Sarah Orne Jewett's THE COUNTRY OF POINTED FIRS is a visitor's tale. Set in the fictional Maine coast town of Dunnet Landing where the author/narrator has settled for the summer to write. As a visitor, the narrator inevitably recounts only the pieces of history she comes in contact with through her landlady and the people she meets in the community. The stories are portraits, bits and pieces, of lives that exist outside the narrator's brief visit. As a result, the reader feels like a companion on this holiday. The novella moves at the pace of a quiet seacoast village, and is refreshing to read for that very reason. Like a vacation, outside cares fade while focusing on the lives, habits and landscape of this place. The writing is finely wrought. A real affection for a place and people one knows briefly shines through the work and makes one wish for a time and place when travel, life and writing unfolded at a the speed of a long walk.

Some editions incorporate other stories written about Dunnet Landing into the body of the novella. This can lead to a change in the narrator's voice that is incongruous with the rest of the work. Look for a version that preserves the order of one of the early publications with other short works in a separate section.

Jewett's Country of the Pointed Firs seemed like a good choice for reading while summering in Maine. Indeed her character who narrates the book is a woman author spending the summer in a small seaside Maine town.
Sara Orne Jewett gets a mention in American literature classes as a local color writer. This book demonstates her style with its descriptions of the Maine countryside, village life in the 1890s, and insight into the lives of island dwellers and retired fishermen and sea captains.
There's not much that would be considered a plot, just casual meetings with interesting characters in the area. To glimpse life in coastal Maine more than a centruy ago, this is the book for you.
I look forward to visiting the author's home in South Berwick. It's a national historic site.

This is a beautifully written story. The author provides the reader with words that one can sink his teeth into. The characters are so well described that I would know them if they walked in my door. A beautiful escape from everyday life !!

Richard North Patterson is one of the most gifted authors that I have read and this ranks as one of his finest works. He is apept at taking a complex story and keeping it interesting with double and triple twists. The ability to effectively utilize flashbacks adds to this novel. Althogh he is most at home in the Cortroom setting, this book is far more than that. It is about deeply woven characters that the reader is able to feel an affinity for. It is also about family and the close as well as distant inter-relationships that frequently exist. Although this is not a page turner that will keep one up through the evening hours, it has a very smooth and satisfying flow to it that makes the reader want to learn about the motivations of the characters that the writer has so skillfully created in this work.

And here's why. Without giving away the ending, I knew who the killer was about halfway through. I kept going because it is well written, and I was hoping for a shocking surprise at the end. I was disappointed. I read this about 3 years ago and at the time I bought this one, I bought another one of his books. I haven't opened it yet. I'm sorry, Mr. Patterson, but I like to keep guessing until THE VERY LAST PAGE. "The Final Judgement" failed in this aspect.

I couldn't put this one down once I started. Read it in one sitting, closing the restaurant where I was eating. Excellent character development, unwinding of relationships and the possibilty of several murderers. A great read.

Awesome...that's all I can say about Patterson's books. As I read more of him, I continue to become fascinated with his style and his understanding of human foibles and complexities.
Caroline Masters, featured in supporting roles in two previous books, gets the whole shebang this time. There are many surprises in this book, and as the tragic picture of a New England family, dominated by the patriarch, Channing Masters, unfolds, one is caught up in the seemingly unending heartbreaks that have touched the family. There are some truly heart-tugging scenes and some real thrills in the murder and Caroline's resolution of it. Another classic from the best of the legal thriller writers!
HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

This book is tightly written with most subplots fleshed out and resolved (which means Patterson has a good editor!). My only negative comment is the number of "twists" in this book. To me incredulity is strained to the point that the characters no longer matter and the reader is reduced to appreciating the writing style. That is what happened to me in this book. I love the writing, but so much "other stuff" was going on, that I lost touch with the main story line.

Bottom line - Mr. Patterson sold a book... I got to meet one of his recurring characters (Caroline Masters) and learned a little about how life runs in different social circles (I think he describes Martha's Vineyard incredibly well). It's not going on the shelf as a keeper, but I will pass this book on with a recommendation to read it. Good luck to all!

After reading "In the Fall", I put "Lost Nation" on my wish list, and it stayed there for several years before I finally bought it. I wish I hadn't waited so long.

First, if you loved "In the Fall" I am sure that you will love "Lost Nation". They are two very distinct books, but both very, very good in their own rights.

Second, I don't like to repeat book's story in my reviews (and I don't like to read reviews that give away the whole story), so if you want to know what the book is about, you will want to read the professional reviews or other reviews.

This book is based on the real events that happened on the "frontier" of New Hampshire on the Canadian border in the early 1800s. (for more information about the events, Wikipedia has a good article on the subject: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Indian_Stream) Jeffrey Lent has taken that event and constructed a fictional character (that has his own story back story) - and put him in the center of the historical time and event. I found this book to be a page-turner, until the very end when I put off reading the events for the same reason you would close your eyes at a movie. I knew that the bad part was coming. But, finish it I did, and although I didn't love the ending, I did enjoy reading this book.

It starts out a little slow. Even though I LOVED Lent's writing and language in ITF, I was a little concerned that he had become carried away in this second book. But, the cadence quickly changed, and the story took center stage and stayed there until the pointless epilogue. In fact, I would say that Lent's descriptions are a little more strained in Lost than they were in ITF. When reading ITF, I felt like I could see and smell the landscape, I could have walked in the homes and buildings and knew where to find the kitchen. But, in Lost, I often was confused about the locations - what was up the stream, what was down, where the barn was in relation to the house - that sort of thing. It didn't matter though - it did not distract from the writing and the story.

I've never been a fan of westerns, nor have I ever read one, but make no mistake that this is an "eastern". I often thought of the Blood character as the Clint Eastwood - the sullen stranger both bad and good, and always smarter than the other men. I think that the fact that there is only one main female character (and she is, of course, a prostitute) makes a statement. Women were not esteemed.

So, I won't wait as long to read "A Peculiar Grace" - just until it is out in paperback. I'm sure that Lent will deliver again, and it will be worth the wait.

The writing in this book really comes alive. The first page smacked me across the face, and it made me want to read more. There is one section that was so sad, strange, and so wonderfully done that I had to read it again and again. I didn't feel that it completly achieved all that it wanted to, or at least what I think it wanted to, but some parts of it were so good, that it totally makes reading it worthwhile.

This fictional story took place in 1838 in the wild country of New Hampshire. It is called a parable of "indivicualism and nationhood," it's a tale of strength, misconceptions, and yearning for a civil society. We still need one in Knoxville, TN where young stud policemen are allowed to be abusive and intiminating to old and retarded women at the county fair.

Colum McCann called it "part love story, part parable, and part 'eastern' New England western; it reads like a western novel. This 'ungoverned territory' was called the Indian Stream, "a land where the unlucky outlaws come to make a fresh start."

This undeveloped landscape is raw with little pity for human strivings. Blood (an unfornate name) is a wise man of contradictions, but has a secret past. He thinks that by moving to a different place it will be okay to have a young 16-yr-old companion he used as Cortes used his harem. He won Sally in a game of cards; their arrival triggers a series of clashes which eventually led to a second chance at life. They endured a hardscrabble life and had a mangy dog named Luther.

We read about the desolation and harsips as Blood becomes the target for hoodlums to place blame for the troubles in the place. When the two young males, Fletcher and Russell Barrett, cause a confrontation, he's forced to face "apparitions" of his past and act on them.

Sally has an opening (which she used) for escape, as the reader learns a relentless beat of hope and redeeming capacity for love. "She wondered if he realized he was only a coward...the coward who ran." Sometimes, retreat saves lives, and that is not cowardly. It's about the "age old dream of becoming a better man by moving to another place" and getting a brand-new start, as the homeless now do. That wasn't so easy in the early 19th century America.

His secret background included coming from New Bedford to New York, then moved on th Connecticut and Boston, Massachusetts. "So began seventeen years of cycles and half circles, all radiant from New Bedford as the hub of unseen spokes, the opposing mangetic pole he could neither approach nor leave altogether. He'd set out for Savannah, which he'd heard was "a city of refinement and comfort." or perhaps New Orleans (he could learn the dialect of French spoken there. He would 'rejuvenate,' which wasn't to be. He was cornered in the loft of a barn like John Wilkes Booth in 1963, trapped in flames.

In 1896, Sally is still alive at age 74 years but dependent on ogthers -- not helpless. Her daughter, Estell Warren, married to a doctor who had been a veteran of the Civil War. Sometimes, there is no justice.

I enjoy historical fiction. However this book was very disappointing. Under the guise of being "mysterious" the characters are poorly developed. The story line has potential but never goes anywhere. Most of the action seems very contrived and pointless. None of the characters is in any way sympathetic. By the end of the book I just wanted them all to die.

Finally the writing is just plain bad. This book contains so many gramatical errors and poorly structured sentences that sometimes I had to read a section multiple times to figure out what the writer meant to say.

I had to force myself to finish this novel.

The title Lost Nation refers to the idea that the northern border of New Hampshire along Quebec was evidently in question in 1836. This area of New Hampshire was every bit as much a frontier as the Appalachians during the same period. I found it extremely well written and difficult to put down. Be warned that many of the characters are not admirable and the ending is not happy in any conventional sense. I still consider this one of the best books I have read in a very long time. The weakest part of the book is the postlude which continues for several pages before making a connection with the story that has gone before.

This guy obviously burned some bridges when this book came out, but it makes for a fascinating view inside the world of high-stakes politics.

This was a very short, entertaining, and enlightening book about a man who's managed campaigns for guys one level from the very top (The Steve Forbes and National Senate level) of U.S. government. He's candid and talks about some of the dirty yet entertaining tactics he's used over the years, such as conducting an annoying phone poll during something important like the Super Bowl or Easter Sunday while pretending to be working for your opponent. Allen's not just a smart guy, he's a funny guy, and that definitely comes across in the book. One complaint about this book is that it was too short. The 240 pages are small, and the print is big, so I was (and still am) wanting more. Also, keep in mind that although immoral tactics are discussed often, illegal activities are only lightly touched on. But don't worry, there's enough unsavory activity here to make you lose a considerable amount of faith in the democratic process as it exists today. It's fun, it's educational, and it makes for great conversation during election years, so it comes highly recommended.

This is a great book for the lover of politics. It makes you realize just how evil the Republicans truly can be (I'm an independent). He tells tales of dirty politics and even their own infighting. Fascinating reading.

Allen Raymond has written a witty but cynical view of politics as "played" today. He basically portrays the superiority of the Republican party to play "hardball" and shows the Dems as mostly whining about the "system".

Virtually nothing has changed. This is a great read but it will make you cynical about our political process. Raymond does throw down the gauntlet at the end of his book and challenge citizens to make a difference.

But to make a difference, citizens would have to read this book and understand the fallacy of having millionaire pundits and news readers shaping the political landscape.

This is not dry reading. Raymond and his co-author have made this view of our political sewers most entertaining. Maybe the man is bragging about how he played the game. But most citizens don't understand the game. If we did, we would demand a meaningful dialog of public policy issues. But any politician who tries that is lampooned by the media as boring. Our culture wants to be entertained. Mr. Raymond shows how dangerous that can be.

Allen Raymond gives us an insider's view of how one has to operate to work up the career ladder of the modern GOP, and it ain't pretty.

If not for the amorality involved, a number of the episodes would be even funnier, with how language is narrowly and lawyerly parsed to claim legality for ethically dubious actions, for example.

Suck-up-itis toward GOP higher-ups combined with various forms of shivving and back-stabbing toward equals is also funny. At the same time, it increases the pressure to produce results, such as what Raymond did.

Also interesting, just as an aside, was his observation about the cliqueishness and status-conscious nature of the Village of insider Washington, such as Congressional chiefs of staff dine only with other chiefs of staff, and not legislative assistants, etc.

The biggest thing I found missing was a bit more on the post-prison Raymond. Is he still a Republican? Independent? Democrat? Is he now apolitical? As someone in a position to know, does he have recommendations on how to further reform the current campaign and campaign finance situation?

Also, although he expressed some degree of regret at his resentencing hearing, how does he feel now, with more hindsight? And, what exactly is he doing with his life and career?

The second biggest thing that's missing, which may align with another reader's impression that this was a bit of a rush job? No index.

Overall, a pretty informative work on the "sausage making" of campaign politics, but could have used some more depth.

Half and Susanne Zantop were the ideal middle age couple who were both well-respected college professors at ivy league Dartmouth. They were also loving parents to two daughters and German immigrants who had long been in America. Then one Saturday afternoon, two young men, Robert Tulloch and Jim Parker visit their home with the impression that they were doing a survey for the environment. The afternoon ended in a double homicide which puzzled the Dartmouth community in Hanover, New Hampshire. Tulloch and Jim only got $340.00 from the crimes. They were troubled teenagers. The book does detail about the two boys, the two communities, and the two victims in this case. There is no question about who they are and also their two daughters. Half and Susanne were valuable because they were both so accomplished, so beloved, and so well-regarded by their peers and students. The second tragedy is the lives of two young men who thought that it would be easier to kill and run away to Australia which would be impossible without passports. Jim is serving 25 years to life while Robert is serving life without the possiblity of parole. There was no long trial where there would have plenty of testimony. Instead it was over in one day of sentencing. I received the proof of this book and they didn't have pictures but some grammatical errors in it.

i need to read some p.g. wodehouse now. something to lighten my soul a bit. a few days ago i finished cormac mccarthy's "the road," which was disturbing, fast moving, and fascinating. now this. "judgement ridge" is disturbing, fast moving, and fascinating. disturbing is the heaviest element in both of these books. the second one is even more disturbing, being a true story. an incomprehensible act of sociopathic murder is told with fluid prose and excellent character portrayal. i raced through the book in a couple of days. disquieting stuff, very well done by the authors. a highly recommended work of true crime telling.

This was a powerful book that rates more than five stars, and should be read by anyone involved in working with young people. I found it to be a very disturbing book to read, and extremely difficult to put down. This is a book that school administrators, teachers, counselors, and parents should familiarize themselves with in hopes of recognizing signs of deviant behavior in young people before it has a chance to demonstrate itself in an infamous way. Suffice it to say it is a story of a friendship involving two boys, one a leader and the other a follower. One drags the other down causing the ruination of their own lives in addition to the two individuals whose lives they snuffed out. Truly a tragic story causing a negative impact on the lives of their families, friends, and the family and friends of those whose lives they destroyed. The authors do an outstanding job in providing extensive details throughout the book, and I would agree with Terence Hines in saying it is the best true crime book I have ever read.

As a Dartmouth alumnus, and father of two sons, I found this book interesting on two levels. Many of the incidents mentioned took place in places I am familiar with from college days. Also, I was haunted by the way the two murderers went very wrong- the older boy a psychopath who seduced the younger into abetting his criminal plans. How easy for a good boy to ruin his life (and that of others) by associating with bad company.
One may compare the crimes of Tulloch and Parker with those of Leopold and Loeb from an earlier era.

Andrew Patti and his young son were the intended victims. They survived unharmed. Why? One reviewer notes that Andrew refused to let the killers in his home. Very true, but he also pulled a gun and scared them away.

One might disagree with what Andrew Patti did. One might argue it would have been better for him and his son to take their chances than to use a gun in self-defense.

But why ignore the facts? Especially since the book opens with this very incident!

FWIW, I grew up in Hanover. The Dartmouth community is overwhelmingly liberal; the surrounding community is not.
-RC

Shaw tells a great story that is fiction, though based on her own experience as a woman married to a man she discovers is gay. The rollercoaster ride their marriage goes through and all the thoughts the wife has are so in line with what I am experiencing now while dealing with this issue in my own life. The book deals with the issue with humor and a clarity I haven't found in many other books. I enjoyed it so much I didn't want it to end! Reading it was very thgough provoking and therapeutic.

Even if you aren't dealing with this issue in your own life, you will totally be able to relate to the characters and their relationship.

Wonderfully told story on how a woman married for years suddenly finds out her husband is [not straight]. The whole book began looking like two friends of the opposite sex out for a night out on the town together. She, wanting to know what his [other] night life was like, got him to take her with him. But they are really married.

Then chapter one takes you back into time to tell the tale from the beginning. It was fascinating to watch Michael come to terms with being [not straight]. I was horrified for Emily as she found out the truth, even though I knew it was coming.

The author shows exactly what I believe it must be like to find myself in this situation. The question, "Where do we go from here?" is not an easy one to answer. However, Lisa Rogak pulls me, the reader, along with her with her humor and was of facing facts. I loved it!

I Loved this book!!! It spoke so much to me about what its like on the other other side of the closet. It really made me think a lot about marriage in general and what it takes to hold a marriage together and about love and what it is and what it sacrifices. I read it so fast because I just couldnt put it down. This is a story that you dont want to miss.

I love Lisa's writing style - conversational, humorous, and painfully honest. Although the first chapter didn't hook me as well as it could have, it was worth my while to keep reading; it got better. I think the book was a tad hard on the gay spouse, portraying him as impossibly hostile most of the time, while the straight spouse was improbably forgiving and submissive. In reality, most marriages would not have lasted as long as this one did. And I didn't buy the "let me find out what it's like to have sex with the same sex" scenario. It didn't ring true. Either you want to or you don't. A straight person isn't going to find out what it's like by picking up someone in a bar.

Other than that, I couldn't put the book down!

Lisa Rogak, Pretzel Logic (Williams Hill Press, 1999)

Lisa Rogak has written a pretty darn fine novel, but unfortunately couldn't get it published by a major. So instead she went to a small, regional press with this book, which has probably kept it from getting a wide enough distribution to reach the audience it deserves.

Pretzel Logic is the story of a married couple who move back to the wife's hometown and take over the weekly paper. All is going swimmingly until the husband starts fighting past demons he thought he had conquered in his adolescence, finally capitulating to them and (while masking it in various ways) coming out of the closet.

The storyline isn't anything terribly new. We've all seen it before over the past twenty years more than once. What makes Pretzel Logic worthwhile is Rogak's easygoing style, somewhat rare in journalists, especially rare in journalists writing autobiographical novels and there are quite a few clues lying around to give this away as an autobiographical novel). Rogak is still close to her material, to be sure, but that doesn't stop her from recognizing, and telling, a good story around it.

It is entirely possible that the way Rogak approaches the subject matter is what stopped the book from getting published. Various episodes in the book, from an offhand comment made early on to Rogak's attempt at sleeping with another woman are not handled with one iota of political correctness, which would no doubt cause most publishers to shy well away from this book. At the same time, the political incorrectness of the book doesn't come off as offensive as much as it comes off honest (and if you can't tell the difference between the two, you can both stop reading this review right now and avoid this book like the plague. Those with chips on their shoulders are guaranteed to be offended by this book). In other words, as often happens, the book didn't get a big contract precisely because of the things that make it a good read in the first place. And we wonder why Danielle Steel sells millions of copies. *** ½

Those who say "If you know the area, you'll love this book" have a point. I answered "yes" to all of the questions in another review. In fact, I bought the book while in New Hampshire to receive my award for climbing all of the 4000-foot peaks, including Mt. Washington and its neighbors. I started it on the way back to Illinois, where I presently live, and my attention drifted a bit in the early chapters. But lately I've been reading it more intently, and the story near the end about Don Carr was worth the cost of the book. It bears a striking similarity to the tone of "Into Thin Air," John Krakauer's narrative of the 1996 tragedy on Everest. So many bad decisions by the hiker (and so many chances to change course)! The college-age crew and other rescue workers had to make hard decisions in short order, and acquitted themselves admirably.

The annotated maps are an asset, as another reviewer mentions.

If you're not interested in hiking or the White Mountains, and if you've never pushed on when perhaps you shouldn't have, you won't be interested in this book. And yes, there are run-on sentences and comma splices. But if you are at all interested in the subject matter, you've probably had to decide whether to continue a hike as conditions deteriorated. Most of us, most of the time, either make the right call or are lucky. The exceptions make for high drama, and that trumps perfect prose for me.

Great book, full of history and mountaineering stories on one of the world's most dangerous mountain!

Nicholas Howe's "Not Without Peril" is a unique sort of travel book, in that his focus is on the hazards of travel instead of the benefits. Howe has done some extensive and fascinating research dating back to the 1840's, when people first started to travel voluntarily and for pleasure around Mount Washington in the magnificent Presidental Range in the heart of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. This unique alpine landscape has been tempting travelors for over 150 years, but is also home to some of the most variable and sometimes dangerous weather conditions in New England.

Howe's narative details a stream of visitors who often exercised poor judgement in traveling too high, with too little equipment, under less than favorable weather conditions, and with insufficient knowledge of the terrain. The stories are a reminder that man is still a visitor to this mountain realm, only hours walking time from more civilized streets. Some of the stories end well, thanks to the efforts of rescuers; others end badly. The effect of the whole is to place what may seem like casual travel in proper context as an adventure "not without peril". Howe also manages to convey a sense of history about travel around the Presidentials, from the first travelors to the region on foot and horseback to more modern visitors who take advantage of the Mount Washington Auto Road or Cog Railroad.

This book is highly recommended as a set of cautionary tales for those who would explore the Presidential Range, and for those interested in mountaineering in New England.

I read this book while flying for business this fall. I found that about 80% of the stories interested me. Some of them seemed to be the same story repeated about people wandering in the snow. Other stories were much easier for me to visualize and to really become involved with.

I have hiked Mt. Washington from Pinkham Notch to the summit twice in the summer and I have skied Tuckerman Ravine twice. I would reccomend this book to anyone who has considered going on the mountain during the winter but has only spent similar low-risk time on the mountain like myself. It definitely makes you think twice about preparation if you are heading up into the whites, even in the late spring and early fall.

I took two major thoughts away from this book.

1. The danger of hiking in the Whites if you are not prepared. The White Mountains are a beautiful place that anyone who enjoys the outdoors would enjoy. You just need to be adequately prepared with the right equipment and sound judgement.

2. The history of the White Mountains, the AMC, and Joe Dodge. The focus of the book was clearly more on the dangers of hiking in the Whites; however, it was interesting to get a short history lesson about the first people to make the area more accessible for recreation.

Not Without Peril details the deaths and mishaps that have claimed over a hundred lives of hikers on Mt. Washington and the surrounding Presidential Range Mountains.

I bought this book in the Mt. Washington Observatory bookstore at the top of the mountain - fresh from the thrilling views observed on the way up to the 4,000 foot level and the cold enveloping mist of the ever present fog at the peak (one wonders why so many flock to a mountain top whose view is obscured 300 out of 360 days a year on average - but the views on the lower levels are spectacular). And I have to agree with one reviewer who stated that this book will primarily be of interest to those who know the Presidential Range. I would add avid outdoors types to this list, also.

The author writes an interesting book about death and mayhem on the mountain. The chapters cover a hapless (nearly always) hiker or hiking party who met usually with death at the place billed as having the world's worst weather (and the highest ever recorded wind speed of 231 miles per hour). Mt. Washington is the convergence point for three jet streams and its altitude combined with location produces wild, cold, and snowy weather with high winds very consistently.

Most of those who died did so because they ignored warnings or were foolish in estimating their ability to survive in extreme weather or took very bad risks. That central theme runs through nearly all the stories. This book is in some ways a warning to those who would take risks in the outdoors - don't; and even if the weather reports are fine, be prepared with shelter and food and most importantly let others know your route. The writing is fine, though some of the stories picked are very short. The author also fills in the stories with the history of exploration of the mountain, its weather station and important personalities who have figured in rescue operations over the last century. There is one very interesting and contemporary case where a man was left to die near a shelter based on the judgment of the shelter manager and the perceived risk to rescuers with a night time rescue attempt. Although the author is sympathetic to the judgment of the shelter manager, I'm sure lots of people will continue to debate whether or not she made the correct call.

If you enjoy this book, I'd recommend another one just like it called "Death in the Grand Canyon." This is an enjoyable book that highlights the dangers of taking Mother Nature for granted on Mt. Washington.

This is the first of what promises to be a good series. It isn't an exciting book, but I find myself admiring the heroine who doesn't make any of the stupid mistakes most mystery heroines make. When suspected of murder, she takes her lawyer's advice. Neither the police nor her lawyer are idiots, which I also appreciate in a mystery. She gets frightened when it is reasonable to be frightened. Considering her common sense, she seems overemotional about some things, but even that is explained by the recent upheaval in her life.

The fact that most of the characters are so reasonable and intelligent and pleasant makes it harder to write a book where there needs to be conflict and suspense. I took a star off for the fact the story is not gripping. It is a difficult balance to write a book where people are intelligent and sensible and still have a suspensful plot. I appreciated the effort and will read the rest of the series. In addition I learned quite a bit about valuing antiques.

I just finished reading this book and agree with all the positive reviews here. I simply want to comment on what one reviewer wrote, that the book lacked an "exciting showdown or suspenseful wrap-up".

Some of us who read cozies don't want that kind of excitement or suspense. The obligatory next-to-the-last chapter where the murderer tries to kill the heroine is as unwelcome as it is predictable. It adds nothing to a plot, and, in fact, seems to relieve an author of having to devise an adequate ending.

I was delighted NOT to read an attempt on this heroine's life. This book was very well written all the way through. I enjoyed it immensely, and recommend it highly.

For March, our reader's group decided to choose two books that are somewhat similar in theme/setting, and then compare/contrast the two. Since most of us have an interest in antiques, and because we decided we wanted to try some newer writers, we selected two mysteries set in antique circles.

Consigned to Death is a traditional mystery with an intelligent and appealing heroine. Having worked at a major auction house in New York City and having blown the whistle on a price-fixing scam, Josie Prescott relocates to New Hampshire and sets up shop there. When a wealthy client of Josie's is found murdered, Josie finds herself a suspect and has to clear her name. Adding to the suspense is Josie's flirtation/budding romance with the police chief, who's quite an appealing guy--masculine without being macho, good-looking without being ridiculously handsome, self-confident without being cocky (a tough balance to maintain).

We liked many things about this book. We were unanimous in being impressed by the insights and insider story of the antiques/art business (even the most cynical of us were surprised by the goings-on). We also thought the pacing of the book was quite good, and we liked the way Cleland manages to cast a shadow of suspicion on various characters, giving the book a real sense of "mystery" (as opposed to the heroine just stumbling on the killer by accident). The New Hampshire setting is very well done and clearly shows the author's love of the "granite state." This is a fast and breezy read for the most part, though it slows down a little in the second half. And we pretty much all liked the first-person narrative. Josie is easy to spend time with, for the most part.

A couple of us did find Josie to be occasionally too whiny/weepy, and some thought the climax wasn't fully set up enough (in other words, would have liked more clues). But none of us guessed who did it, which we think is the sign of a well-plotted mystery. All in all, a very good read. Cleland is a keeper!

While the plot lacked an explosive end and the inclusion of antiques info felt more like a college lecture than well integrated story pieces there was still a great deal of promise to be found in the book. Sadly, the main character is one of the most annoying I have ever encountered in cozy mysteries and as the book progressed I found her more and more distasteful. She is a ridiculous combination of self-righteous, overly emotional, yet at other times seemingly devoid of any emotional attachment to life in general. Did I mention that she whines and frequently has crying jags. She lives in the past while complaining about the present. All in all not someone I want to spend 250 pages getting to know on any level. If not sure why there was such a failure with the primary protagonist since, the secondary characters are a promising lot. There is the potential detective love interest (he should run far far away from Josie) to her employees and their deep dark secrets. I'm on the fence about whether I'll read the second in the series in hopes that the author will have corrected the truly unlikeable flaws of her main character. Finishing was a chore not for the story but because I found Josie so annoying and taxing.

Everything about this story should come together to make for a good mystery. What stops it, and stops it cold, is the main character of Josie Prescott. She whines, she cries, she pouts, and she re-examines everything in her life until the reader wants to scream. Without a doubt, this is one of the most neurotic characters I have ever read and she is annoying.

Josie constantly complains about her nonexistant social life, her barren lovelife, and the loss of her father, boyfriend and job several years ago. I started out with lots of sympathy for her, but by the time I had read the same complaints over and over again in every chapter, I just wanted to tell her to please just shut it.

Cleland does a good job of making the antiques world interesting and integrates the information into the story very well. Her knowledge of police procedure needs some work. It is not believable that Josie, as a main suspect, would be allowed to work for the daughter of the murder victim, and work at the crime scene among the very objects that supposedly have inspired her to committ murder.

The supporting cast is interesting, although Cleland's foreshadowing of their deep, dark hidden pasts is too heavy-handed. Several times Josie starts suspecting her employees, largely because she hired all of them without checking references or even asking them about their pasts. When Josie finds out none of them are involved, it is cause for yet another bout of tears.

A good premise gone wrong. One can only hope that the character of Josie undergoes a major overhaul and subsequent books are better.

I read the Cheerleader and related entirely to the experiences during that time. I had even forgotten some of the problems, worries of growing up in those days. I could hardly wait to get my copy of Snowy to see the rest of the characters' lives. Again , more parallel experiences, well described. MacDougall is a great story teller that makes you relive real experiences. I was glad to read she takes the characters into the next life phase in Henrietta Snow so I can contue life's experience with them

My only complaint about "Snowy" is that it compresses thirty years into one novel. Ruth Doan McDougall has such a fine eye for detail and nuance that this book could have been four times as long. However, she is reportedly is working on "Henrietta Snow," the final volume of the trilogy that she began with another five-star novel, "The Cheerleader."

Ruth, hurry up, now!

When I first read Snowy I was also disappointed. I loved The Cheerleader and kept my battered copy in my nightstand. So I was upset about how their lives turned out. But after re-reading it many times I have grown to love it. After all, life doesn't turn out how we planned. And they all did grow and do something with their lives. I liked how Ruth drew us back to the high school years also.
Ruth did originally wrote the book to be longer but the publisher cut a lot out.
HENRIETTA SNOW is going to cover some of the lost information. I can't wait to read it.

Like other reviewers, I first read "The Cheerleader" shortly after its publication. I think I was in ninth grade. I thoroughly enjoyed that novel, as did my sister, who picked it up and started reading it before I was finished with it, and a dandy fight ensued. As a stickler for authenticity who will immediately notice the zippers in the backs of the dresses in Tudor costume dramas, I love Macdougal's eye for detail. And I believe she clearly captures the angst of being a high school student, no matter what the location or what the era.

So I was very pleasantly surprised to stumble across "Snowy" while wandering through the fiction stacks at the local public library several years ago. Like many fans of "The Cheerleader," I was very curious as to what happened to Snowy, Tom, Bev, Puddles and the rest of The Gang.

"Snowy" is a good read, but you really have to have read "The Cheerleader" to appreciate it best. I loved the passages about Ruhamah's birth, and about Snowy dealing with her dad's terminal cancer. I am guessing that the author drew upon some personal experiences when writing this book. And I am sincerely hoping that the third volume, "Henrietta Snow," is a reality, and will be available soon.

After reading and falling in love with the gang from THE CHEERLEADER, I had to know what happened to them after high school. SNOWY allows just that. I was very happy with the turn of events for my favorite characters. Ruth Doan MacDougall has written another wonderful book for me to love.

SNOWY begins when Henrietta Snow ("Snowy") is in college with her roommate Harriet. From there, MacDougall takes us on a journey through Snowy's boyfriends, new friends, old friends, first job, marriage, children, etc. SNOWY spans 40 years, which I love. Readers will really get a chance to know these characters inside and out.

I am glad to see there is another installment of this series, called HENRIETTA SNOW. I want to know what happens after age 48! Kudos for Ruth Doan MacDougall for writing another wonderful story with these wonderful characters. I can't wait to see what is next.

Kiss The Moon was a delight to read. I usually do not like reading books, but this is one novel I will never forget. The book includes mystery, love and adventure. This is the kind of book I could not put down. I could not wait until I find out what really happened to Colt Sinclair and Frannie Beaudine. I could not imagine what happened with them when they were so in love, and caring a tone of money, in diamonds. The book was written in a way to keep you reading. There was not one boring part in the book; it got more and more interesting. If you love reading love novels you cannot, pass this book by. It has twists and turns that unfold at the end with the beginning of a new relationship. It gets you into the mood of grabbing the book jumping into bed, and reading the book under candlelight. The love between Colt Sinclair, Frannie Beadine and later Pehelope Chestnut and Wyatt Sinclair was so sweet; it made me want to read more romance novels like this one. The author used good details within the story to convince the reader that Colt and Frannie were in love and that made the reader curious as to what happened to these two couples, who were very much in love. One of the strengths of this book was the plot, climax and the conclusion. It is very dull to read a book and know how the book is going to end while your still on the third chapter. This book, on the other hand, never gives you any real clues as to how it actually turns out at the end. You would be surprised at how Carla ties everything together at the end. If I knew how the book ended before I read it, I would read the book just for the conclusion. In addition to the plot, Carla also introduced wonderful characters, one of which was Pehelope Chestnut. She had so much to her than just a suspicious love struck girl. It was interesting reading about how Wyatt wins Pehelope's trust and how she always whines up getting herself into a different, and dangerous situation. What's interesting about Pehelope is the fact that she kept her big discovery a secret. Even Harriet did not understand how Pehelope could keep the secret from her, when they were so close. Kiss the moon pretty much had no weaknesses except for the role of Harriet. Clara could have contrived better material if she had tied Harriet into the mystery. She was an important character in the book, and Carla could have used her personality and past to create a better climax and conclusion.

Kiss The Moon was a delight to read. I usually do not like reading books, but this is one novel I will never forget. The book includes mystery, love and adventure. This is the kind of book I could not put down. I could not wait until I find out what really happened to Colt Sinclair and Frannie Beaudine. I could not imagine what happened with them when they were so in love, and caring a tone of money, in diamonds. The book was written in a way to keep you reading. There was not one boring part in the book; it got more and more interesting. If you love reading love novels you cannot, pass this book by. It has twists and turns that unfold at the end with the beginning of a new relationship. It gets you into the mood of grabbing the book jumping into bed, and reading the book under candlelight. The love between Colt Sinclair, Frannie Beadine and later Pehelope Chestnut and Wyatt Sinclair was so sweet; it made me want to read more romance novels like this one. The author used good details within the story to convince the reader that Colt and Frannie were in love and that made the reader curious as to what happened to these two couples, who were very much in love. One of the strengths of this book was the plot, climax and the conclusion. It is very dull to read a book and know how the book is going to end while your still on the third chapter. This book, on the other hand, never gives you any real clues as to how it actually turns out at the end. You would be surprised at how Carla ties everything together at the end. If I knew how the book ended before I read it, I would read the book just for the conclusion. In addition to the plot, Carla also introduced wonderful characters, one of which was Pehelope Chestnut. She had so much to her than just a suspicious love struck girl. It was interesting reading about how Wyatt wins Pehelope's trust and how she always whines up getting herself into a different, and dangerous situation. What's interesting about Pehelope is the fact that she kept her big discovery a secret. Even Harriet did not understand how Pehelope could keep the secret from her, when they were so close. Kiss the moon pretty much had no weaknesses except for the role of Harriet. Clara could have contrived better material if she had tied Harriet into the mystery. She was an important character in the book, and Carla could have used her personality and past to create a better climax and conclusion.

I bought this book on impulse, and could not put it down.

I loved the main characters. Penelope especially reminded me of myself, always in getting into trouble without trying to! Wyatt was great - strong and yet sensitive! The setting appealed to the outdoors person in me.

The storyline was solid and interesting. Penelope has to decide between the desire to solve an old Sinclair family mystry and protecting those close to her. She chooses the later which brings Wyatt Sinclair to her doorstep. Wyatt wants to solve the family mystry, but has to win Penelope's trust before she will tell him the answers. In the meantime someone not so honest begins to frighten Penelope, can she trust Wyatt to help her?

A great read.

Great? Entertaining? Suspenseful Read? Rocked My World? What book did you people read? Because the book I read wasn't anything close to suspenseful let alone entertaining. And if this is Glendale, CA's "Favorite Book", I suggest Glendale hit the bookstore!
The plot was lame, and the characters were obnoxious. And like Wyatt, I learned more about maple syrup than I ever wanted to know. I'd suggest Cold Ridge or The Harbor if you want to read a good book by Ms. Neggers.

I recently read Ms Neggers' book The Harbor, enjoyed it so much I went out and bought 3 more of her books, BIG MISTAKE. I read the reviews of Kiss the Moon and figured another winner, not so.
The story is based on the plot that quirky irrepressible Penelope finds a 45 year old crashed plane. She is under the impression that the crash victims are still within. So, she does what every adventuresome person would do. First, she alerts the media and then, "Oh my goodness!" she retracts her statement because she doesn't want the town's hermit nor her not as adventuresome but equally quirky cousin to come into the limelight. Never mind that everyone and their mother knows of both.
Okay, let's say I buy this premise but wait there's more. The nephew of one crash victim comes to town to find his missing uncle. Does our heroine show any compassion? No, she's still hung up on saving the privacy of a hermit she isn't even sure is nonthreatening. But she has her reasons because said nephew is a SINCLAIR. Now so far the reader has learned that Sinclairs are thrill and adventure seekers....oh how diabolical, so of course Penelope and the rest of the residents regard them as people of dubious reputation and I guess not having the same emotions as "normal" people. I mean really why would the Sinclair family want to bring home the body of a loved one especially when Penelope has determined the forest is a great resting place.
So enough already, this book was a complete disappointment. How anyone could consider Penelope anything but irritating is beyond me. Get over the constant reminder by the author that she was spoiled as a child, that's suppose to be a legitimate excuse?
The final insult to the reader's intellect is on page 359 (paperback ed.) when Harriet is referred to as Wyatt's half sister, I don't think so...do the genealogy here.
I'm as happy as the next person to escape into a good suspense this was neither.