Characters Books

WE bought this book for each man in the church it has had an incredible result. Every Man should read it and every woman should buy it for their man.

Cole captures simple truths in every day life that society has lost over the past few decades. His simple understanding of biblical principles concerning the role of the man serve as a necessary lesson to today's American man who lives in a society that seeks to destroy the very essence of manhood. Well written, scripturally sound and very informative.

This book provides clear direction for men to follow as they fulfill their role as the head of the home. It identifies the many challenges and temptations facing men and provides solutions to them. I highly recommend this book to any man that wants to improve his relationship with God and his family.

This is a great book, every man should have one, and if they don't the woman in their life should get if for them.

This book was so excellent,that I stay home from work to read it.
Once you start reading you cant stop.

I enjoy Kathy Hogan Trochecks books, although when I was reading this one, once I reached page 54, it then went to page 295. I was able to pick it back up again at page 88. I'm sure a printing error, But I did miss out on 34 pages of the book.

I love all of the Callahan Garrity books, and I own the entire series. This was my favorite out of all them. The suspense and twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat, but the humor and heart are the backbone of the books. I love that the Callahan books are set in Atlanta; it's so much more refreshing than the typical New York or LA settings that many books use. I wish Ms Trocheck would write more Callahan books, but from what I can see, she has moved on to romances (written under the name Mary Kay Andrews) which are still good, but not as good as Callahan.

I adore all of Callahan Gerrity Mysteries and this one was the fiest de resistance. I could not put it down. I ate, slept and drank every word and loved it....Kathy Trochek is a master of description and weaver of mystery. Just loved it.

It's a few days before Christmas, and sometimes disorganized Callahan Garrity, actually has things under control for a change. That is, until her deadbeat brother, Brian, shows up after 10 long years, with a toddler, Maura, who he says is his daughter. Callahan is always used to trouble following Brian, so when she finds out that he's actually kidnapped Maura from his estranged wife, she's not surprised. But, when Brian's ex-wife is found dead, the lead suspect is Brian. And though Callahan knows that he's many things, she knows that he's no murderer. So now it's time for her, her hilarious mother, Edna, and the employees of the House Mouse Cleaning Service to do some serious detective work around Atlanta, before Christmas is ruined for everyone.

This was my first Callahan Garrity mystery, and I was not one bit disappointed. Callahan, and her mother Edna are two hilarious characters, and the mother/daughter relationship between the two of them is absolutely fantastic. Whether you're a mystery lover, or a fan of family drama's, this is a must-have this holiday season.

Erika Sorocco

I deliberately waited over a year to purchase and read Midnight Clear by my favorite mystery author, Kathy Hogan Trocheck. I've always paced myself with her books because there aren't that many to begin with plus it's been over 3 years since KHT last wrote one. I hope that she is working on something new, because all of us Callahan Garrity fans are anxiously awaiting the next mystery featuring Callahan, Edna & the rest of the House Mouse cleaning crew! As for Midnight Clear-it just doesn't get any better than this. Kid brother Brian, who had been in absentia for 10 years suddenly shows up at Edna's doorstep with a surprise in his truck-a 3 year old girl named Maura. There is a major murder mystery for Callahan to solve, but it looks like Brian is the prime suspect-his ex-wife is found murdered in her bed. You'll find yourself rapidly turning the pages until you reach the surprise ending, KHT pulls out all the stops with this one. Once you reach the very end, however, you realize you want more books to come out featuring Callahan Garrity & co. As the previous reviewer mentioned, if only Ms. Trocheck would write as often as Sue Grafton does! Very highly recommended-along with all of her other books. Enjoy!

My 7 year old daughter received the book and has not put it down. She loves Nona and hangs on to every word. I listen as she reads aloud and can hear the excitement in her voice. What a wonderful book. It took us a while to receive the book since it is now out of print but it was well worth the wait. Now, we are on the hunt for dolls.

This was one of the first "sophisticated" books I read as a child, and it turned me into a rabid and lifelong fan of Rumer Godden. Any child who feels different from her peers, owing to culture, experience, or merely personality and interests, will be able to identify with young Nona Fell, who after years in India is sent to the home of her English aunt and uncle for her education. Shy and lonely, Nona begins to make unusual friends when she and her cousin Belinda are sent a pair of Japanese dolls -- the Miss Happiness and Miss Flower of the title -- and she embarks on a plan to build them a proper Japanese dolls' house. (Plans and instructions included!)

Godden was a master at understanding and portraying the minds of children, particularly "misfits," and her prose was the first to teach me that there can be such a thing as a literary style, even in books for young people. Equally important, this book and others by Godden are excellent ways to introduce children to other cultures: as an American child, I was fascinated by both the Englishness of the book and its explorations of Japanese customs, via the dolls and Nona's research. Nona's difficult relationship with Belinda also suggests some useful talking points for parents.

A wonderful book for little girls. I read it and its sequel, "Little Plum," at 6, but it should appeal to children as old as 10 or 11. Boys who shy away from books about dolls might prefer Godden's "The Kitchen Madonna," which offers similar qualities but has a young male protagonist.

My 8 year old is a reading fanatic. She really liked this book, but it was a very fast read (about an hour and a half)....my point being that I think it is better for a "newer reader". Even for an 8 year old, however, it is interest catching. Just know that a less experienced reader (6 or certainly 7yr old) could also read this!

This book is still one of my favorites. I read it when I was 10 years old and in 5th grade. I fell in love with the idea of creating a home for my dolls, so I begged my dad to build me the same dollhouse, which he did. I spent many weeks searching for items to put in it, but I had some trouble finding things that looked Japanese. This book inspired me to learn more about other cultures and languages. I still have the dollhouse, and am planning to refurbish it this summer. I bought a copy of the book about 18 years ago, but it was very hard to find. I'm glad that it is more easily avaiable today. This would be a fun book to read with a child, and the house would be a fun project to make together.

Bought this for my daughter who is entering third grade. Personally I am thrilled she is reading books I read. She is borrowing from the library but she received the first few from an aunt and we have purchased what she can't find to borrow.
Well written with an appropriate sense of humor for her age level. As a teacher I'd say they are probably appropriate for grades 3 through 6 or 7th grade dependent on their reading level.

I read (the twisted candals)by Caroline Keene. its about a girl named Nacy drew and she likes to solve mysteries. In this Nancy and her friend Ned go to a haunted hotel to try to save beth,one of there other friends out of a closet that that can olny be opened by a secret code on the twisted candals.

I liked alot of things in this book but one of the things i liked alot is that Nancy comes up with really good ideas and ned does them.

This book is so action packed that I think there is nothing to hate,if you like mysteries i think you should definitely read this book

Applewood Books has turned back the hands of time and given back Nancy Drew to readers. Faithfully restored to its original form, word for word, this is the real Nancy. These beautifully reproduced hardback editions are not condensed, rewritten or updated. This is the Nancy Drew of the 1930's, her blonde bob and 30's style dress shown on the facimile of the original dust jacket, conjuring up images and phrases from the enchanted America of yesteryear.

While it is still a book designed for youthful readers, there is a bit more depth here in the originals, and not a small dose of nostalgia when read today. You can almost see the Coke sign outside the River Heights Theatre showing the latest Nancy Carroll picture, as Nancy goes whizzing past in hot pursuit of a clue.

"The Sign of the Twisted Candles" remains one of the best in the series conceived by Edward Stratemeyer, creator of The Hardy Boys. A ghostwriter from Iowa named Mildred Wirt fleshed out his story outlines and "Carolyn Keene" was born. When he died in 1930, his daughter Harriet continued to oversee his company and in 1933 "The Sign of the Twisted Candles," the ninth book in the popular series, was published. A warm and affectionate introduction by mystery writer Carolyn G. Hart is the only addition or deviation from how it first appeared in this lovely edition.

Nancy and her pals George and Bess are caught in a rainstorm and seek shelter at The Sign of the Twisted Candles. Nancy befriends a young orphan named Sadie and finds danger and mystery lurking at the Twisted Candles, of course. The plot revolves around Asa Sydney and his will, and a family fued which will cause George and Bess to desert Nancy for a time until a lesson about loyalty is learned. Nancy's father, famous lawyer Carson Drew, gets involved on behalf of his daughter, and Hannah Gruen, the Drew's houskeeper and mother-figure to Nancy, is present here as well.

Buried secrets and an attempt to run Nancy off the road offer plenty of action unmarred by today's brand of violence for readers. An exciting and heartfelt conclusion punctuates a wholesome mystery which provides a role model even today. These beautiful Applewood editions stand head and shoulders above the others as they help young readers discover Nancy in a romantically nostalgic past. It is a past more innocent to be sure, filled with ice cream parlors and roadsters, five cent Saturday mornings at the movies watching our favorite serial adventure and, of course, Nancy Drew.

Young readers will discover a new friend to rush home to after class and the joy of losing yourself in a book with this edition. Older readers who either read them in their own youth or bought them for their children all the time will heave a wistful sigh for a time long gone in America's past.

I loved this book! I have about 26 other nancy drew books, but this one was one of my favorites! it made you keep saying, "okay, my eyes are getting REALLY tired, I have to stop." at 1:00 in the morning, but you end up reading another 4 cahpters. THe book is about a 100 year old man, named Asa Sidney, who lives in an old mansion which his realatives have turned into a resturaunt and inn. The mansion is really Asa Sidney's but because it is a inn, now, his realatives keep him in the small tower, and have told him that if her went down the steps he would fall, so,he satys up there all the time. He used to be a candle-maker and he got lots of money from some of his invetions with candles.His family had been fueding,on who got his money when he died. His wife's side of the family wanted his money, and the same with his side. His neice, Carol, was his only friend, Carol would sneak up to the tower every once in a while to visit with him. THen, one day, when he got ill, he had Nancy's father draw up a will for him, and Mr. Sidney told Nancy and Carol to start searching for THE SIGN OG THE TWISTED CANDLE, any where they went, he said that where ever a twisted candle, or a picture of a twisted candle was, there would be something very valuable. But the next day, he died and when they read the will.......... well, you'll just have to see for yourself. BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!

i really loved this book.there were some sad and exiting parts in this suspenceful book.nancy goes to the sign of the twisted candles inn where rumors are heard that asa sidney,bess's and george's relative is being held prisinor in his own mansion.this is true and when nancy meets carol wipple,who lives in the inn with her foster parents.thats when asa sidney seeks mr.drew to come to the inn to make a will for him.on the way out of the tower room nancy looks out the window to see frank jemmit,carols foster dad burring a chest.but nancy is sure she saw the chest the other day in asa sidneys tower room.is frank jemmit and emma jemmit being dishonest to carol and asa sidney?in mr.sidney's will he leaves alot to carol,but why??find out in this exiting mystery.oh and the most exiting part to me is the 19 chapter where nancy climbs up a ladder to the tower room to see if emma and frank are taking hiding in there.

An interesting, very convicting book about the action that the Christian faith demands that often goes unfulfilled. It was a quick read but you will continue to think about the words long after you are finished

In many versions of the Bible, Jesus' words are written in red ink to emphasize their importance. It brings attention to His words and underscores their urgency.

Red Letters is a call to action, an urgent book calling on Christians to get off their collective bums and return to their roots. In the first and second centuries, Christian groups had a reputation for kindness to the poor, widows, and the downtrodden. But today's Christians largely ignore a vast population of the suffering: those suffering from the AIDS crisis in Africa.
Although written for Christians, Tom Davis' message is universal to all faiths (and even the faithless): thousands of Africans are dying daily because of disease and starvation. He throws out statistics at a frenetic pace. Children are being orphaned at an alarming rate; they struggle to survive without parents at ages of five and six. For a loaf of bread, a ten-year-old sells her body and risks infection. Most African countries lack the infrastructure and the funding to care for these dying and parentless, even though medicine is more affordable than ever. Misinformation abounds; Davis recalls hearing from men who believe that if they have sex with a virgin, they'll be cured of HIV. (Uh...WHAT?) It's a self-propagating cycle of suffering and misery.
Davis wants to stir his audiences' emotion and sympathy, and he largely succeeds. Indeed, after a few chapters I wanted him to dive right into a "What You Can Do To Fix This Problem" solution manual, but there were many more chapters of depressing, grim facts to read first. Eventually he did share good news: if each of us in wealthier countries started giving just five dollars a month to help those in Africa, we could make a huge difference. His literature is targeted at Christians, with reminders of Jesus' call to his followers to be good Samaritans and care for the unloved. However, I think this is really a call to everyone to be the best they can be, and to recall what it means to be charitable. When so many are suffering, and so little sacrifice on our part can make such a big impact, what excuse do Americans have?
In spite of common protests that it's all futile, Davis (and Bono, who is frequently cited) believes that we really can change the world. He lays out a plan that he calls 5forFifty. It requests those of us who have been blessed with plenty to:

1. Give 5 minutes a day to pray for those infected by HIV/AIDS.
2. Give 5 hours a day to fast for those suffering from HIV/AIDS.
3. Give 5 dollars a month to the Five for 50 Fund and support worthy causes.
4. Give 5 days a year to travel overseas and help alleviate poverty and suffering.
5. Give 5 people an opportunity to join you on your journey.
-- http://www.fivefor50.com/

Tom Davis' blog can be found here: http://tomdavis.typepad.com/
In addition to talking about his book, he writes about his experiences in orphanages in Russia and in Swaziland, one of the areas hardest-hit by AIDS. He often posts video and photographs, and it's definitely worth checking out.

Living A Faith That Bleeds
Tom Davis
David C. Cook, 2008
ISBN: 9780781445351
5 stars
Inspiring...
Tom Davis's book Red Letters focuses on Jesus' words. Jesus showed compassion; he offered hope. He touched lives wherever he went. He was not passive or inactive. If we are to imitate him, to be his hands and feet, then, we should offer the same compassion, hope, and kindness that he offered.
There is much suffering in our world. What is the Christian's response to HIV, starvation, and calamity? Tom Davis begins his introduction with a statement sure to grab the attention of the reader. "The Christian church owes an apology to the almost fifty million individuals in our world currently infected with HIV/AIDS."
Davis' writes with great compassion. His words ring with authority and compassion. He attempts to challenge the readers to step out of the church pews, to step out of the church walls into the real world. Reach out a helping hand in the name of the Lord.
I want to give Red Letters a big Amen! Tom Davis gets his point across in a concise manner. I recommend Red Letters to Christians.

This book is life changing! I could not put it down, and finished it in a couple of hours. As Christians, we are called and commanded to care for the orphans and the widows. We are told that which we did for the least among us, we also did for our Lord. This books shares real life examples of how to live out your faith in this day and age.

A child becomes an orphan every 14 seconds because of AIDS.

The number of children orphaned by AIDS is expected to exceed 25 million by 2010.

With these realities, someone is desperately needed to "stand in the gap" (Eze 22:30) on behalf of Christ's church for the children and adults in the world suffering with HIV/AIDS, especially those affected most in Africa. Author and President of Children's Hopechest, Tom Davis, has answered this call. In his book, RED LETTERS: Living a Faith That Bleeds, effectively persuades all of Christ's followers to be Jesus' hands and feet to our neighbors effected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and around the world and provides practical steps on how each follower of Christ can begin to do this. In RED LETTERS, Tom Davis beautifully captures and portrays God's heart for the poor and oppressed, namely those living with HIV/AIDS in Africa, and what it means for those who confess to be Christ-followers to live out their faith by being Christ to the hurting world. Through his gift of storytelling, Tom brings the reader into the lives of those suffering because of HIV/AIDS. Tom builds a bridge by helping the reader relate to those suffering, by putting faces, names and stories on individuals who were once merely seen as statistics. Being confronted with the reality of the enormity of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, it is easy to become overwhelmed and frozen by not knowing where to start ministering. Tom clearly gives the reader practical ways to help and minister to the children, women and men in Africa and around the world who are suffering because of HIV/AIDS.
I was deeply moved, encouraged, inspired and empowered by RED LETTERS. Just like Tom's other book, Fields of the Fatherless, I am sure I will use RED LETTERS time and time again in my ministry to orphans. I enthusiastically recommend every Christian read this book and then give it to a friend to read. RED LETTERS will inspire and empower you to see Christ in others and, by living the words of Jesus, become His hands and feet to your neighbors, those suffering because of HIV/AIDS in Africa, the orphan, the widow, the stranger and those living right next door. Please purchase this book (by purchasing it you will feed and orphan for a month), read it, and live the words of Christ.
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#9 of the Deborah Knott series- The "carny" comes to town and with it a murder. Deborah is the one to find the victim. A long lost relative appears in this one as well. This book is a turning point for Deborah and the series. A surprise to the reader! I am starting to really enjoy this series. It took several of them to get there but I am glad I did not give up. The most notable aspect of this series is the author's way of highlighting something distinct about North Carolina in every book and weaving a mystery along with it.

I really liked this one. It was clear that Maron had fun writing it.

i really like this book! it's great to discover a new mystery author.

this is a great book! i'm glad that i discovered margaret maron.

Cozy mysteries are really of two types: Novels in the traditional cozy style whose main emphasis is a mystery and its resolution (e.g., Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers) and novels in the more modern cozy format, whose main emphasis is on social interactions (primarily between family, friends, and coworkers) with the mystery being a smaller component of the exposition. This is definitely a cozy in the latter form. Remove the additional social interactions, and this mystery could be presented in a novella or even a short story, although not as interestingly.

If you find modern cozies appealing, you will certainly find this an interesting book. Here, self-assured Judge Deborah Knott finds a dead worker while visiting the annual Harvest Festival Carnival. The reason for this death and the identity of the killer is the primary mystery. The preface provides a family tree of the Knott family, which is absolutely needed, as the Knotts are a large family, many of whom are presented in this novel. Readers will find themselves frequently referencing this chart to keep track of Knott family members. Fortunately, the number of carnival workers and additional characters is relatively small, but it may still pay to keep some brief notes of who they are as you read. There is also an informative addendum with a glossary of carnival terms, e.g., "cutting up jackpots", "plush", "rake `em and scrape `em" that are used in the novel.

I felt the story started somewhat slowly, but it quickly caught my interest, and as events unfolded it became harder to put down. Although the story is told in the first person, in terms that will probably appeal mostly to female readers, and there are probably more descriptions of Judge Knott's clothing choices than would interest male readers, this novel should none-the-less appeal to both sexes.

The novel reads quickly and easily, and provides a very enjoyable way to relax.

Tintin is a great comic book ... funny, witty, adventurous, and with clean language. These are classics! I used to read them growing up in Europe, and I am glad that I can have my children read them too.

Many of us grew up on Tintin and love them for their great nostalgia value, and reminisces of childhood, as well as the brave values of a simpler, more clarified world of yesteryear.
This volume brings together three of the best loved Tintin classics in one handy volume- and for not much more than the price of one.
They are:
Land of Black Gold

An oil crisis breaks out, leading Tintin to the Arab Emirate of Khemed. There he works his way through a series of escapades in the desert and the cities of Kemekhal and Wadesdah where Tintin must deal with the thuggery of the local Arabs . Tintin meets with Emir Ben Kalish Ezab and agress to rescue his kidnapped son Prince Abdullah leadfing him to confront his old enemy Dr Muller, as well as the impossibility of dealing with his charge, the young Abdullah. Quite fast moving and without the flow of some of the Tintin books, this adventure is nonetheless jam-packed with action. We discover that behind all the troubles are agents of a foreign power (Most likely the Soviet Union, whose menace had finally been recognized by the West when this book was first written, in French, 1950. As usual the rest of the gang such as the fiery Captain Haddock and the disastrous Thompson and Thomson add to the brew!

Destination Moon

First written in 1953, 15 years before the first real moon landing in 1969!
I like these books because of their nostalgia value, good old-fashioned values of heroism, adventure good vs. evil. . I first got hold of copies of 'Destination Moon ' and 'Explorers on the Moon' when I was ten, and I was fascinated by the world which they opened up.
Tintin and Captain Haddock fly to the uranium-rich Balkan State of Syldavia, to work with Professor Calculus on his project to send a rocket to the moon, using the mountains of Syldavia as a base. You learn a lot about the fantasyland of Syldavia, and about the unusual perception of the world of his time, by the author, Herge.
This work is amazing in its futuristic scope. The super-modern (for when it was written in1953) Sprodj Atomic Research Center, and the details of the rocket where quite an amazing concept when the book was first published, 16 years before the first real moon landing by Neil Armstrong in 1969.

It is full of adventure, such as when Tintin is wounded while surprising villains at the ventilator grid in the picturesque Syldavian Mountains; and much humour such as escapades with Captain
Haddock's pipe and Professor Calculus' hearing aid , and the famous scene of an enraged Professor Calculus `acting the goat'.

It is a great adventure for all ages, a wonderful album to have.

Explorers on the Moon

This science fictional comic , written in 1954 , 14 years before the first actual moon landing , fails to disappoint , after the precedent set by its prequel , 'Destination Moon'.
This adventure sees Tintin and friends successfully go to the moon and back , defeating such problems as a rapidly depleting oxygen source and villains who have followed them into space .
I read it when I was ten and it led me to become interested in space.
I remember sitting on top of the roof of my home , reading it , and seeing a shooting star fly by. There is something intriguing about these comics.

If you are a Tintin freak, this one is for you. Just buy them

Don't be fooled by the size of this little book. Other readers have stated how the pictures seem much to small in this more compact version of the comics we loved as children. These are just as visually stunning as the original size comics. Best of all, it is hardcover and will not get damaged (a problem I had with the originals) and they are compact enough to take on a car ride. My son is now as much of an addict as I was at his age. Happy reading!

Volume 5: Land of Black Gold (1951), Destination Moon (1953), Explorers on the Moon (1954). This is the fifth instalment of my reviews of each of the seven volumes.

Land of Black Gold makes little use of Captain Haddock (it actually took form before The Crab With the Golden Claws) and is, subjectively of course, the weakest of all the Tintin adventures created after Tintin in America.

The third of the three double adventures, Destination Moon and Explorers on the Moon show an amazingly detailed lunar effort, 15 years before the real moon landing, using Syldavia vs. its communist-style rival Borduria (see King Ottokar's Sceptre) as the backdrop. We see a side of Calculus that we had not suspected, a great deal of slapstick from Haddock, highly convincing moonscapes, somewhat drab colours however, but an effective layout; the moonscapes are outstanding. Tintin's friendship with Haddock requires a little tough love. Great stories, and yet exceeded by the last two in the preceding volume and the three in Volume 6.

This is another phenomenal book from Craig Johnson. This one takes us back to Wyoming, and to Walt Longmire's experiences in Vietnam. And, the two are related. As the story unfolds, you understand the relationships between a case in Vietnam regarding a drug dealer and a case in Los Angeles... Well, I'm not going to hint the ending because it will ruin this book for you. Because, as usual, what makes Craig Johnson's books so good are the twists in the story and the larger than life characters. In this book, there is still of course, Henry, the "Cheyenne Nation". But, then we also get to meet Virgil and the "Crow contingent". It's that sort of Western humor that keeps bringing me back to Craig's books and also it's the story line and the characters. I highly recommend this and every book of Craig Johnson's and I look forward to his next one.

Walt Longmire, the sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming, finds himself in the midst of a mystery derived from his service in Vietnam around the time of the Tet offensive. A young Vietnamese woman is found murdered near the interstate with Walt's picture in her purse. The picture was taken at a bar during the war and shows a woman with whom he had been friendly. The murder victim resembles the woman in the photo, and Walt thinks that perhaps she is that woman's granddaughter.

So much for the beginnings of the mystery. From that point, the novel progresses on two planes, juxtaposing memories of Walt's experiences in Vietnam and the investigation into the murder. It is a richly rewarding tale, with haunting memories of the Vietnam War, with Walt having to solve two mysteries separated by 40 years.

This novel is the fourth in the series and the Wyoming setting is certainly different from most other mysteries. The inclusion of a ghost town may be symbolic--the ghosts of the past continue to haunt the present. Written sparingly, but forcefully, the tale is gripping, and the book is highly recommended.

"No matter what aspect of law enforcement with which you might be involved, there's always one job you dread. I'm sure at the most complicated venues it's the terrorists, its serial killers, or it's gang-related, but for the western sheriff it's always been the body dump. To the north, Sheridan County has two unsolved, and Natrona County to the south has five; up until twenty-eight minutes ago, we'd had none. There you stand by some numbered roadway with a victim, no ID, no crime scene, no suspects, nothing." (Page 15)

If you haven't read a novel in the Sheriff Walt Longmire series written by Craig Johnson you have missed a real treat. From "The Cold Dish" to "Death Without Company" and the previous novel, "Kindness Goes Unpunished" the author has developed not only a fascinating and complex hero in Walt Longmine, but numerous secondary characters that are just as alive and vital as Walt is to readers. That continues here with his latest release "Another Man's Moccasins" which begins two months after events depicted in "Kindness Goes Unpunished."

Sheriff Walt Longmine has returned home to Wyoming and is dealing with the personal and family repercussions of recent events as best as he can. Progress is slow, but steady. At the same time, the recent events have triggered in some way flash backs for Walt of his time in Vietnam shortly before the Tet Offensive in 1968.

The discovery of a Vietnamese woman in a ditch doesn't help his contemplative mood or his ability to ignore the past. Summer in Absaroka County is supposed to mean vacation season with folks coming to the rodeo. It isn't supposed to mean death. The woman was strangled at first and then whoever did it squeezed her neck too hard and broke it, before dumping her lifeless body in the ditch. When Sheriff Longmire checks the nearby culvert he is attacked by a violent homeless man who also has the dead women's purse. In that purse is a picture of a much younger Walt Longmire, playing a piano half a world away in a bar in Vietnam. A picture that includes a woman who worked in that bar and who bore a striking resemblance to the dead young woman found in the ditch.

With a flashback for nearly every step forward in the investigation, this novel serves to not only tell an interesting contemporary story it also fills in a major part of the Walt Longmire's life long before he came home and started his 24 years and counting Sheriff's career. Another election is coming and this is a novel where Walt is not only feeling his age but also finding that so much of his personal life is no longer under his control. The past is never truly past and Walt is attempting to put it back in its tiny compartment and failing because of so many reminders.

Readers that expect the body to fall in a prologue or certainly by paragraph 3 of the first page because that seems to be the rage these days according to writer's magazines and some publishers will be disappointed as the body doesn't fall for about 15 pages. Readers that hate flashbacks will be annoyed as the secondary storyline flashbacks number in the double digits and begin before the first body drops.

However, readers who like series featuring characters that become part of the family, books that build on top of each other building depth and life to characters in arcs that carry from one novel to the next, and books that showcase characters that evolve will love this latest novel of the series. Once again Craig Johnson weaves a tale full of the best of people in a morality play set against the backdrop of the Big Horn Mountains.

"Another Man's Moccasins" is another very good read in a series that is overall very good. Reminiscent of the work by James Lee Burke regarding descriptions, the effect here is just as good and yet at the same time different with Craig Johnson's own edge. While James Lee Burke's work these days is pitched against the backdrop of Hurricane Katrina, Craig Johnson's work remains focused more on the basic notion of good and evil and at times, the plight of the American Indian. Unlike Burke who let his editorializing dominate recent releases to the detriment of the story, Craig Jonson consistently puts story first and anything else secondary.

The result is another very good read and one that needs to be read after "Kindness Goes Unpunished." I would recommend reading the entire series in order if these books are new to you.


Kevin R. Tipple (copyright) 2008

Sheriff Walt Longmire is back on the job in Wyoming and anxious to help get his daughter Cady back in shape after her accident back in Philadelphia. Walt has brought her home to recover and she is gaining back her strength and her memory, although it is slow going.

Walt's attention is taken away from Cady when he is called to a scene where a Vietnamese woman's body is found alongside the interstate. When Walt goes to investigate a nearby culvert he discovers Virgil, White Buffalo, a homeless Crow Indian. What part, if any, Virgil played in the death of the young woman is something that Walt is determined to find out. Walt's gut feeling is that Virgil was not involved in the murder but he takes Virgil into custody until he can get further into the investigation.

The young woman that was murdered reminds Walt of his time in Vietnam and the story goes back and forth between the present time and Walt's time in the service. Henry Standing Bear, Walt's good friend, spent time in Vietnam with Walt and is now spending time assisting Cady in her recovery as well as helping Walt work out all the unanswered questions presented by this murder. Henry seems to have the ability to bring up questions that Walt really does not want to hear-and this makes for some interesting conversations.

Craig Johnson's books have been very successful and this one is probably the best so far in my opinion. I love the characters and Virgil White Buffalo is someone I won't soon forget.

Armchair Interviews says: Craig Johnson has done it again.

I loved the first three Sheriff Longmire series but I think this one fell short. Too much in Vietnam and too much foreign language, the new charachters were slightly flat, and I am hoping that the next book will be more in the line of the first three. Disappointed.

It is intriguing in this beautiful book how the illustrator has managed to make the main protagonists look like matryoshka dolls or Baboushkas as I always thought they were till I read the lovely Magic Nesting Doll story. The attention to detail in the costumes give this retelling a richness and a Russian feel that makes it an absolute delight to read. I had to read it twice as soon as I got it. As I love dolls as much as books and have a huge collection of rag dolls this story of the courageous girl and her little industrious doll will have to be one story I don't give away and keep to read on special occasions to my grandkids.As a child I often imagined one of my dolls was really alive and it would keep me entertained while travelling for hours so finding such a story is like a dream come true!!!:)

basic plot outline (so if you'd wish to remain oblivious please skip over the first paragraph)-

this is the story about a girl who is sent by her step mother to the evil witch in the woods to borrow a light. it starts off like the cinderella story with the father remarrying a woman with two daughters and then dying, leaving his daughter to be mistreated by the stepmother and stepsisters. the stepmother is jealous of the girl's beauty and sweet disposition in comparison with her own daughters so she sends the girl out into the woods to seek out the evil baba yaga to ask for a light. the thing about the witch is that very few people who meet her live to tell about it. the witch eats people and has a house built out of their bones. so the girl goes obediently to the witch and she takes with her a doll her mother made her before she died, and the doll is magical, because it was made with her mother's love. so when she gets to the witch and asks for a light the witch agrees to give her a light if she can complete the tasks set before her, which are to cook huge meals and clean everything. the baba yaga leaves and the girl frets over what to do and then her doll comes alive and does most of the chores for her. the witch is satisfied and gives the girl one of her lights which when she presents to her stepmother, burns the stepmother alive. at this point, though she wasn't the strongest heroine ever, i'm hopeful for a strong ending, thinking maybe she won't need to get married at the end of the book to justify the plot... but she does, and it's not a bad thing, i'm just getting a bit bored with the same ending over and over (in both adult and children's stories).

this story had more of a classical fairy tale feel to it. it had a dark atmosphere to it with the beautiful illustrations, which at some points i could see very small children being afraid, of the baba yaga for example, but for the most part i felt they kept the story pretty clean. it could have definitely been very much more graphic, which i would have loved, but this is a children's book. what i enjoyed about this book was that things had to be a certain way, things HAD to get done, like in older stories. even though the stepmother treats her very poorly, the girl still obeys her and minds her, and from a feminist perspective this can be seen in a very bad light. a submissive girl with no back bone and no will of her own, an abusive relationship in essence. but, if you look at it as something produced a time long ago, when morals were different, and from a fairy tale perspective, where (if you know your mythology) everything has rules, very strict rules that must be followed, as the sequence is almost as important, if not more so, than the final product, it's more fanciful and exciting and much more archetypal, like the an old fairy tale. in most of today's stories we tell kids that nothing binds them and they can do whatever they want, and while it is good to leave an abusive relationship and all kids must learn that this is a good thing, people will always be bound by something, something that stays their hand or forces action, maybe sometimes against their will, and a lot of children today (myself included) don't really grasp this concept because all our lives we've been fed the fairy tale that we control our own destiny and what i say goes.. but that's not always the reality. lessons like this can be learned from fairy tales of this nature.

cratf's illustrations (as i think i've said already) are absolutely gorgeous and i wish there were more of them in this book. the subject matter had the potential to be scary, so i think the scenes depicted were selected carefully and on some pages only a small picture was provided in the corner... but this illustrator is so good that anything she does is magnificent. i wish the whole book was full pages of her illustrations. the prose was good as well though. it had a decent flow and was over all pretty well done.

This is a beautiful story, beautifully illustrated. The story is about how a mother's love can carry her daughter through the most dire situation. My daughters and I love this story, and although I've read the story again and again, it's still fresh and beautiful. I've decided to give it as a card with an inscription as one of my daughter's H.S. graduation gift. I know she'll read it again and again.

This was a gorgeously illustrated wonderful Russian Fairy Tale. We enjoyed it thoroughly.

I've enjoyed this story since I was a child and was very excited to find a book with the artistry to go with the story I loved so much. I read this book as soon as it arrived. The pictures are incredible, beautiful, and perfectly portray the story. And the characters are exactly as I had seen them in my mind's eye as a kid. However, the story itself was poorly written. There was no life or beauty in the words. It should never have been re-told in such a boring, bland manner. If you want a beautiful, perfectly written version (that doesn't even need pictures) look up author Post Wheeler's "Russian Wonder Tales", New York: The Century Company, 1912. Copyright has long expired, so you can find it online easily. The title of this story in his book is "Vasilisa the Beautiful". I've printed it out and put it inside this book. I'll use K.Y. Craft's artisty to look at while I read Wheeler's version of the story.

I liked this book. It is one of the better books in the series. I like Killian, he is a great character as is Ciaran who has alot of class. I liked the way Bree and Robbie's relationship is growing as is Morgan and Hunter's. I didn't like the way Morgan reacted to finding out Ciaran was her father - "omg I'm the heir to the darkness! I'm somehow evil just because my Dad is!" and then she goes and breaks up with Hunter completely unnecessarily, destroying a wonderful relationship just because she finds out she's related to a murderer. However, apart from the unfortunate ending, I thought that this was a very good book and I'd still give it 4 out of 5.

This book is one of the best of the series! Morgan goes to new york and ends up finding more about herself then she exspected. It continues to explore and test her relatoinship with Hunter. Once you start reading you won't be able to put it down!

Morgan is going to New york City to with Hunter, Bree, Robbie, Raven and Sky. Morgan's been having dreams about amyranth and Hunter is going to investigate. Morgan is not scared all her thoughts are around Hunter. But her wanna be romantic get away turns to a life or death decision. What will happen to morgan? Read this book and find out.

Like the rest of the books in this series, "The Calling" was very compelling. If you know the series well enough, it's kind of predictable, but that doesn't make it any less suspenseful. The ending is REALLY sad and shocking. I liked the fact that "The Calling" took place in New York City, as opposed to Widow's Vale - it made for a nice change of scenery and a good atmosphere to introduce new characters.

Morgan has overcome Cal and his mother. They are no longer a threat. But Cal's mother was part of an evil coven and they know Morgan is around.

A dream/nightmare has Morgan, Hunter (the seeker) and some of the rest of the coven heading for New York City. The International Council of Witches believes that an evil witch is going to sacrifice his son to increase his powers. This allows Morgan and Hunter to go (along with his sister Sky and her girlfriend Raven). Bree and Robbie also go as Bree's father has a place they can stay in the city.

Morgan also tries to use the time to learn more about her mother (she had lived in New York City for a couple of years).

But everything changes when the evil witch rears his head and tires to kill Morgan and not his son Killian.

Well, there are plenty more books in the series so you probably know that Morgan survives but you will have to read it to find out about the others. There are personal and relationship developments aplenty and some plot twists and revelations that help set up the next few books.

A pretty good addition to the series.