Consultants Books

Angelo Agnelli wants Murray to set up a sacrifical political campaign, so he can gauge the current politics of the place to help work on his own re-election campaign.

Murray goes to an old trucker friend for help with this, but soon gets caught up in some reasonably scary associated violence.

The dominant nations of contemporary crime writing are America and the UK at least in terms of critical and commercial acclaim .I wouild suggest that if anyone were minded to analyse reviews of crime novels on this site by authorial nationality they would finD at least 90% of reviews were of books by authors from these two nations .In the process many writers from nations outside the Transatlantic axis are neglected and several fine Australian writers are too little known outside Australia .Shane Maloney is a good example of what I mean .His crime novels feature Murray Whelan and are set in Melbourne during the 1980'S
Murray is not a tradtional protagonist of the crime series type -he is not in law enforcement being neither a cop ,a P.I or a medical examiner .Nor is he the gifted amateur exposing the blinkered police force by meddling in crime and solving it be brilliant ratiocinative powers .Rather ,he is a political adviser to Angelo Agneli ,the state Transport Minister ,and his criminous cases arise from his job and more by accident that desire .
In "The Big Ask " -volume 4 in the series ,but a stand alone work , he is asked by the Minister to help him get re-selected for his safe seat in Parliament .Agnelli wishes to use him as a stalking horse to gauge the strength of opposition and also for him to find a rival candidate to run against the head of the Hauliers Union his strongest critic .Whelan fixes on an old friend and mentor ,an independent trucker named Donny Maitland and sets him up with a slush fund to run a campaign .
One evening he is viciously attacked and beaten by an unknown man in a nightclub ;when he subsequently encounters him again there is a further altercation and his assilant winds up dead .He was a ne'er -do-well named Darren Stuhl ,the son of the biggest haulier boss in the state
The police suspect Murray ,Stuhl's cronies suspect Donny and exert presure on Murray to lie about having seen Maitland kill Darren
The result is tragedy with Maitland being killed and the event set up to look like suicide ,the result of remorse for having murdered Darren .
Whelan sets out to get to the bottom of the case and clear his old friend's name
There is a sub -plot involving Murrays son ,Red ,who absconds from the private school to which his mother ,Murray's ex-wife has sent him
The book is enjoyable and amusing with a distinctly Cart Hiaasen feel to it -it is cheerfully cynical about politics and politicians .I would serve two cautionary notes however -the book while not relentlessly foul mouthed does have its share of expletives and there is some violence .Nor would I recommend the book for lovers of the traditional whodunnit -the killer is identified quite early on and the book is more about how justice will be served than about deducing the culprit
Its funny ,sharp and cynical making a change from the usual crime novel in setting and ambience
As an aside I would urge crime readers to try mure Aussie writers -there are some good ones out there as per example Marele Day and Barry Maitland

Shane Molondy is one of Australia's newer and more succesful crime writers. This book is set in the dying days of the Victorian Labour government in the early 90's before it was voted out of office in a landslide. The hero Murray Whelan works as a staffer to a Labour Cabinet minister and faces the problems of a dying government.

In addition to these problems he is divorced and his son goes missing. A short time later the son of a rich transport magnate is murdered and Whelan becomes a suspect.

The book is hysterically funny a sort of Australian Carl Hiaasen.
It also conveys a feel for both the political world and the inner suburbs of Melbourne. One of the more enjoyable crime novels to come out in some time.

For those who are Louie fans, this entry in the series is entertaining and fun. It's a mix of a mystery, a soap opera, and imaginative fun for all. Especially, Midnight Louie's um - experience and new found awareness. The book offers a little of everything - not unlike the city of it's setting. A little fantasy, reality and good natured fun! It's a coaster ride till the end. You really never know what next, but at the end when the loose ends are tied up, the good news is there is another story to come...

In Cat in a Flamingo Fedora, amateur sleuth, Temple Barr, finds herself up to her high heels in pink Flamingos and one of the suspects in a murder. When philandering actor, Darren Cooke is murdered and Temple is one of the last people to see him alive, she must once again undergo questioning by her nemesis, Lt. Carmen Molina while trying to solve this murder with an unusual twist. The murder occurs while Temple is playing stage mother to Louie who is filming a cat food commercial with his lady love, the Divine Yvette at Gangsters Night Club. Whenever danger rears its ugly head, however, this feline sleuth drops what he is doing and springs to the side of his human companion to try to solve yet another murder. Louie not only helps Temple, but he must also contend with the murderous Maurice, a feline felon who threatens all of Louie's nine lives. Even if he solves the murder and dodges Mauriice, he must face the wrath of Yvette's human, Savannah Ashleigh! How much can one dude take? Fast paced and as captivating as a litter of kittens, Cat in a Flamingo Fedora gets two paws up!

Temple Barr, Las Vegas public relations specialist and part time sleuth, finds herself once again simultaneously working both careers. The local Chamber of Commerce has hired her to serve as a liaison between artist Domingo, and the movers and shakers of the town. They hope to obtain permission for the eccentric maestro to plaster their collective properties with about a million pink ceramic flamingos. While acting as stage mother to her cat, the renowned Midnight Louie, who is starring in a TV commercial, Temple meets Darren Cooke, a womanizer and famous comic, who needs her sleuthing help. ....... Darren is being stalked by a woman, through letters and vitriolic phone calls. The near hysterical woman claims to be his biological daughter. Darren wants Temple to find out if this woman is in deed a child of his that he knew nothing about or if she is a dangerous nut. After finishing his heartfelt plea, Darren makes a pass at Temple, who walks out on the aging Don Juan. However, when he is shot on the set, she begins to investigate the women in Darren's life. As Temple peels away the layers of deception, danger to her own life grows stronger, forcing her personal body guard, Midnight Louie, to protect her while looking over his own shoulders to insure he does not become a victim too. ......... Anytime Midnight Louie appears, readers know that they are in for a treat. With her latest entry in the fun series, CAT IN A FLAMINGO FEDORA, Carole Nelson Douglas continues to provide some of the most thrilling and humorous sleuthing west of the Mississippi. ........Harriet Klausner

i think this being the fisrt book is the best beginning and it keeps you wanting to read. The books are so good that i have all of them and i think that kate Flora has made herself a gold mine with the Thea Kozak mysteries as i want to know whats going to happen next with Thea.

I luckily discovered Chosen for Death at the library last week. Thea, a loveable heroine, reminded me of Kinsey Milhone and Dr. Kay, two of my favorite mystery characters. The plot was strong, and it took me almost to the end to figure out the murderer, always a plus. If you're looking for something slightly different than the usual suspects, so to speak, give Kate Flora a try.

This novel is Kate Floras first mystery novel. The story centers around a young woman, whose sister is suddenly murdered. She decides to investigate on her own, and in doing so must go to the town where her younger, adopted sister had been murdered to examine the life of her sister, the associates and boyfriends. Not only does she have to work on the mystery, but she also has her own thriving business and a couple of men in her life to deal with. This novel is not merely a mystery novel, for it doesn't merely center on the mystery at hand, but also on the life of the sister left behind in the tragedy. I highly recommend this novel if you want more than just the average mystery! Its gripping at times, humourous, engaging, and has a very unexpected ending that even left me surprised!! The author writes along the lines of Mary Higgins Clark or Gloria murphy...great reads

I agreed with a lot of what this book said. It was easy to read and didn't have a lot of psychobabble. It had some funny stories that I was able to relate to. Most of all, it gave me some ideas for helping reduce the stress in my life that I haven't tried before. The chapters are relatively short and you can read them in any order without getting lost. You could do a whole lot worse for more money. Give it a try!

I have read many of the recent self help titles that have come along in the past few years and few have left me feeling as if I got my money's worth. This one is different. The author is able to provide helpful suggestions for living at home, at work, and for getting along with other people without coming across as if he is a know it all and anyone reading the book is a complete idiot. The book is funny, informative, and it makes a great deal of sense. The title is common sense and the book points out that much of how we need to get along in life can be found in simple, common sense solutions.

Buy this book, but don't let your possible first impression of it prevent you from continuing to read on. Be warned that the book has enough annoying distractions in the form of typographical errors, missing and incorrect words and the author's own warnings about the potential value of its contents, that a reader could be tempted to quickly dismiss it simply as amateur drivel written by some guy who spent a lot of time in school. It's more than that. Stick with it, and you'll see where the author is coming from, and perhaps where you should be headed. Dr Scully himself admits "upfront" that it's not rocket science, but he does provide significant insight into reasons for (and possible solutions for) some of life's sticky issues at home and on the job. Since much of what's included is often learned by experience, the less life-experience one has, the more one might benefit from this book. On the other hand, the more life-experience you have, the more often you'll view something as "obvious" and perhaps unworthy of the amount of time spent on the topic. Then again, occasional reminders of the obvious are not harmful. In summary, the book is a quick read that could have benefited from a better proof reading job. It's got enough humor to bring some hearty smiles; the reasons for wearing sunglasses, for example. It can be read a chapter at a time without loss of direction and it contains information that can be very valuable. As the author says, you probably will not agree with everything that's in it. I didn't; but so what? Go ahead and buy it.

I used this book to create my own publicity plan and used the samples to create my key documents in my press or media kit. It is one of the few publicity books that tells you how to create a publicity plan. I recommend it very highly. It really helped me get excellent coverage for the launch of my new book, Canadian Divorce and Separation Made Easier. I recommend this book for authors, consultants, and small business owners.

Congratulations, Mr. Reece, on a great book.

This extremely accessible guide provides invaluable tips on how to get media attention and become the person to whom the media turns when they need an industry source to substantiate news articles. It details how to determine promotable ideas, identify appropriate media for publicity, and develop publicity devices such as news and press releases, company background information, and press kits. Numerous examples of the author's own publicity campaigns and of techniques that work are included.

Chapter 1 explores the pros and cons of doing publicity yourself, or turning to a public relations agency. Chapter 2 lays the groundwork for your activities as a self-publicist, setting objectives and goals and defining the terms you'll need to know. Chapter 3 gets in the actual planning process. Chapter 4 shows you how to develop unique story ideas or angles. Chapter 5 deals with setting up media contact files and the press kit. In Chapter 6 28 different tools for publicity are discussed in depth.

Chapter 7, "Dealing with the Media" is the most important chapter. If you remember nothing else from this book, get to know this chapter. Chapter 8 shows you how to deal with television and radio interviews. What to do if you slip up and need crisis management publicity is covered in Chapter 9. Finally, the all-important tracking of results, which can and must be done in publicity, is covered in Chapter 10.

Reece A. Franklin founded MarketSmarts, a marketing, advertising and public relations firm based in California in 1992. He has a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Northern Illinois University and has run publicity campaigns for dozens of entrepreneurs and consultants.

Reviewed by Azlan Adnan. Formerly Business Development Manager with KPMG, Azlan is currently Managing Partner of Azlan & Koh Knowledge and Professional Management Group, an education and management consulting practice based in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. He holds a Master's degree in International Business and Management from the Westminster Business School in London.

I thought that this book was very helpful in teaching about self-promotion. I am interested in Public Relations, so reading this taught me many useful PR tools, such as: how to write a press release, what to include in a press and speaking kit, how to develop a general plan with goals and objectives, where to look for good story ideas, how and why you should develop contact files, and lastly, how to deal with the media. The author was specific and gave realistic examples. There were tables, worksheets, and graphs for the readers to see, which I thought was useful. The information in this book is helpful for anyone who may be interested in promoting themselves, their business/company and/or their services. It is a Public Relations manual in every way, shape, and form! At the end of the book, the author summarizes most of the chapters, so you can look at that section for a quick reference if need be. I would recommend this text because it is not only helpful, but written in a way that keeps your attention and is easy to understand.

This book is good. Very informative... but can be quite "dry" reading. I bought it to use for review for the IBCLC exam. While it's good it's not my favorite. I like Jan Riordan's book better because of her writing style.

This book is fantastic for anyone wishing to learn the composition and importance of mother's milk, anatomy, pathology, physiology - basically in depth literature surrounding breastfeeding.

Very easy to read and understand!

Once you have some basics under your belt, this book is the next step.

This book covers all of the material you already know while also checking your information for any holes. Simply reading this book through will give you an excellent foundation to work from - and that is a manageable task given how well it is written.

Not many words to say. It is an excellent book. Many thanks to Susan Abbott for sharing her knowledge.

I have just started reading this book. The print quality is poor but the content is good.
I do not intend to be an art consultant, I am a working artist, but I like to learn as much as I can about the art market and surviving as an artist.

At this point I have read the first few chapters and am very impressed with the intelligent analysis of sectors in the art consulting (marketing) field put forward by this author. The text offers a description of the types of client involved in each sector, their different expectations and the different types and levels of knowledge, skill and effort required to service them.

I recommend it.

Great book. This book has helped me alot. Susan Abbott really breaks the business art consulting down with samples of letters and proposals to clients, telling you when to phone and when to write. This book is not just for art consultants but for anyone who is involved in the business side of art i.e. galleries and artists. I definitely reccomend this book.

This book was an excellent reference for me while doing some data analysis. Some other books on the subject seem intended for a student's lab course and are not very useful as a more advanced reference. Other more advanced texts on statistics tend to be geared toward statisticians. This text strikes a good balance, covering a wide range of material in enough depth to be satisfying.

The book is a bit old. The sections on Monte Carlo methods and curve fitting are ok, but were written before computers were as common as they are now. Especially for curve fitting Bevington will be a more useful book.

I read and frequently use the 1975 edition of this book. The mathematical principles are well illustrated with practical examples of the analysis of data acquired by experimentation. I look forward to reading this newer edition.

I have used heavily the first edition of this book, published in 1975, and have found it an excellent source of reference and a good teaching aid in the subject. With the proliferation of software packages in statistics, some of these now using artificial intelligence, it is imperative that students still have a good training in the foundations of probability and statistics. I am glad to know that the book has been reprinted and is now available to be of assistance in this regard.
The author does a fine job of explaining the nature of data collection and scientific investigation, and also proves rigorously the properties of the most common probability distributions, such as the binomial, hypergeometric, Poisson, Gaussian, Student's t, negative binomial, multinomial, exponential, Weibull, and log-normal distributions. Noticeably missing is the Pareto distribution, which has become very important in network modeling and computational biology. Also included is a brief introduction to Monte Carlo experiments. There has been an explosion in the last decade in the use of Monte Carlo simulations, particularly in financial engineering, and this will no doubt continue in years to come.
Statistical inference is also treated very adequately in this book, and should prepare the beginning reader for using the statistical packages currently available. Missing of course are discussions of time series and nonlinear regression using neural networks, but reader who need exposure to these areas will be prepared after reading this book.
Computational and artificial intelligence are quickly overtaking the world of statistical estimation and modeling, and future books in data analysis will no doubt be considerably different than this one. But programming and designing these intelligent programs or machines will still require a thorough understanding of statistical concepts, and this book still serves well in that goal.

Best all-around source of imaging info that I've seen - and I've seen 'em all. BUY IT - but avoid the paperback version which tends to fall apart quickly...

This book is ultimately suitable for beginners and primary medical students. Each film has a brief explanation for its cause and clinical features. More, I like to recomend Primer of Diagnostic Imaging, by Ralph Weissleder, Mark J. Rieumont, Jack Wittenberg, to didicated students who are particularly interested in this field.

A very concise book for every medical student who is beginning to touch the imaging field. Thought only 460 pages, it covers every organ system with emphasis on key features of important diseases. There is plenty of photographs with good diagrams. The text is concise and easy to read.

A man's journey though life, his winnings and losings, all while pursing a life of "happiness". An excellent read.

This book is the account of a man's journey through life. Amazing highs and lows, had me laughing out loud and crying at different parts. Well written, big surprises, and an ending that left me satisfied all made this book what it is: a must read for anyone.

... and perhaps a tad wrinkled from laughing so hard. It also wet them with tears of pain - and joy. Ken McGee entertains as he informs, tracking his roller-coaster ride as a political "hired-gun" through the turbulent 60s and 70s. The author has earned my respect - for the brutally honest self-examination that produced this valuable, insightful, work. If you're interested in rise of Black political power in the US, or if you just want to know what really happens behind the "closed doors" in American politics, read Eyes Shut Tight. A guaranteed page-turner!