Florida Books

I appreciate being able to review some of the content of the book before I buy. I don't feel I'm buying a pig-in-a-poke. If you like US history and a good story, this one and others by Rick Tonyan give a good, accurate picture of early life in Florida.
Thanks

Rick Tonyan has written an extremely readable novel that is well-researched and historically realistic. It is excellent reading for anyone who would like to know more about the Florida frontier during the Civil War of the Florida "Cracker" cattle era. If a reader isn't interested in history, per se, this is still a darn good yarn! I hope there are more books from Rick Tonyan.

This book really opened my eyes as to what the most Southern of our Confederate states was like during the War of Yankee Aggression (Civil War for those of you North of the Mason-Dixon line). Although not a big fiction reader, It is obvoius that this book is well researched and makes up for the fictional dialogue with more than enough historical content to keep a reader like myself turning pages. Ths book is an eye-opener about the deepest of the deep South. The story seems more like the badlands of Idaho than 1860's Florida. Definitely not the modern day "sunshine state"......in any way.

Guns of the Palmetto Plains is an entertaining and well-written cowboy saga set in a location which readers would not expect. Little known in comparison to the beaches, cattle have been and still are a major part of Florida's history, with this particular story set in the latter portion of the Civil War. The characters are captivating as well as believable in the context of the harshness of their lifestyles. The descriptions of the swamp and forest topography of East Central Florida and its history are woven into the chain of events in a way that is especially interesting to those of us who live in the area. They provide a new perspective on nature of life in this part of the country while weaving a tale that is hard to put down. There are tough, strong good guys you will befriend and really bad bad guys you will love to hate. And their interaction is as complex and unpredictable as real life.

This is one of the best books I have ever read! And if you get a chance to meet the author, do so. I am pretty sure he really is Tree, the main character.

Rick Tonyan has done a superb job in blending fact and fiction. His description of the area is very accurate. One can visit many of the places mentioned - Volusia County, Palatka, St. Augustine - all have places mentioned in the book that are still very much in use.

It is the end of the Civil War. The cattle needs to be moved to help feed the Confederacy. The challenges of doing so makes for interesting reading. Some of the area described has changed very little. Granted, power poles and lines grow next to major paved highways. However, many roads are still sand. There are still swamps and forests. We who live in this area like to think of it as the "real" Florida. The union officers housed in Palatka and St. Augustine are met with a hostile hospitality. These events did happen and Mr. Tonyan has written them beautifully.

As another reviewer has said - try to meet the author. He has more stories to tell.

This book will be the most used reference in your possession if you are trying to grow herbs in Florida. I have an herb business, and it has been a godsend. Ms. Brandies has not only explained how, where and when you can grow literally ALL the herbs and spices available, but she has even divided Florida into North, Central & South growing climates. For those of you who have been struggling with herb books written for the Northeast or Texas, this one fabulous book will save you time, money and frustration.

This book is a great guide to growing herbs, all year long. The fact that it is broken down into the actual different parts of the state is a great help. Being in the herb business for 10 years, it is nice to see somthing so spacific. In Florida, just a few miles means a difference in temps and weather conditions, this book addresses each in its own right.

I bought this book for my wife, who is into natural health remedies. She absolutely loves this book. She not only learned alot more about growing herbs, but harvesting them and what to do with them after she has them. She's happy I'm happy.

Herbs And Spices For Florida Gardens, by herb gardening expert Monica Moran Brandies, is specifically designed to help the aspiring gardening grow and enjoy Florida plants that have special culinary, medical, floral, and horticultural properties. Black-and-white drawings succinctly illustrate the methodical instructions and advice, as well as the basic wealth of practical and descriptive information concerning a vast variety of plant species. A handy, no-nonsense reference for everything from simple window ledge gardens to involved and complex personal plots.

I consider this book a must for any Florida gardener's library. The book covers a wide variety of herbs and their ability (or lack of) to withstand Florida's hot and humid climate. Ms. Brandies writes from experience and her knowledge of the the subject matter has been invaluable in assisting me with making a success of my own garden.

I Speak for This Child: True Stories of a Child Advocate Having been a child advocate, this book is more than the journey of one child advocate. From beginning to end, the author informs the reader of how she dealt with certain challenges, and how a child advocate can do more for a child in foster care than they realize.

This is the best book I have ever read by a child advocate. Our system does not do right by abused children. If we don't get our system in better shape all these foster children will be in our prison system. And did you know it cost more to pay for prison than it does college!!

Thanks Gay and keep up the great undying work you do!!!

P.S. Everyone in the GAL office in Putnam County is reading your book and Ashley's

This chronicle of the author's experiences as a Guardian Ad Litem in Florida will alternately enlighten you, frustrate you, inspire you, and make you angry. Much, I would expect, like being a Guardian. Besides giving others a blueprint on "how to help," and serving as an education on some of society's problems that most people wish they could ignore, this book is great reading, chock full of emotionally-involving, often heart-rending stories. Prepare to be engrossed.

As a freshman in college, I stumbled upon this book in the library, and soon after dedicated myself to improving the child welfare system. Courter's account is incredibly inspiring, emphasizing the responsibility we all have to speak up for kids who have been wronged by our systems. I have now been a court appointed special advocate myself, and it is the most heartbreaking (but rewarding!) volunteer experience of my life.

If you're looking for a book that will be difficult to put down, and stories of kids who are difficult to turn your back on, then this book is for you.

I picked up the book by Gay Courter and could not put it down. Inspiring! I can't say enough about it!

This book has a special meaning for me because I grew up in the same town as the author, and have known of his writing abilities for many years.

Jesse Earle Bowden's novel, LOOK AND TREMBLE, presents a vivid account of life in Ring Jaw, a gritty crossroads town in Northwest Florida, during the l940s and l950s. I was struck by the poetic rhythm of his writing, much like the ebb and flow of the river currents he portrays so graphically.

One comes away with the satisfying feeling of watching a boy, Chance Cahoon, grow to manhood in the bosom of a loving family; where he learns about loyalty and love, racism, hate, bullies and cowardice. The town of Ring Jaw is well portrayed, and the characters come alive with all their sterling qualities and damning flaws. One gets to know their kindness and generosity; their cruelty. He brings to mind the gossiping harpies who hate their lives and are stuck in the quagmire of sameness unending, yet are the first to rally when misfortune strikes their neighbors. There are the good churchgoing grannies who organize the cemetery workings and rain disapproval on those who don't attend the yearly ritual. Also, the church dinners on the ground and all day gospel singing under the hand-held fans provided by the funeral parlor.

Chance Cahoon's playmates, Will Buck, Ben Henry Swinnard and RC Hickey, form a tight bond of friendship and share the secrets and ghosts of the river. There is Rattler Ransom, who is rumored to be Chance's father. A rawhide of a man, he is a law unto himself. He keeps his own counsel and is quick to defend that right. The tension builds to near disaster when town bullies, Rooster Reddoake and Hunky Hogan, discover the boys boiling peanuts on the river bank one night and drunkenly attempt to settle grudges against Chance's grandfather, Solomon Chance Cahoon. The low key scene on the river is classic, in the vein of Harper Lee's TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD; no heroics, only frightened children who stand their ground against their tormentors, and their strength prevails.

Bowden evokes feelings, memories, of growing up in a long ago age, in a town called Ring Jaw, that still maintains the old values of sharing and caring for their neighbors. His love for the river is an integral part of who he is, and he writes from the heart with the nostalgia and love of a native son who learned all he needed to know at his grandfather's knee

LOOK AND TREMBLE is a book you will want to re-read.

Jesse Earle Bowden's novel, LOOK AND TREMBLE, presents a vivid account of life in Ring Jaw, a gritty crossroads town in Northwest Florida, during the l940s and l950s. I was struck by the poetic rhythm of his writing, much like the ebb and flow of the river currents he portrays so graphically.

One comes away with the satisfying feeling of watching a boy, Chance Cahoon, grow to manhood in the bosom of a loving family; where he learns about loyalty and love, racism, hate, bullies and cowardice. The town of Ring Jaw is well portrayed, and the characters come alive with all their sterling qualities and damning flaws. One gets to know their kindness and generosity; their cruelty. He brings to mind the gossiping harpeis who hate their lives and are stuck in the quagmire of sameness unending, yet are the first to rally when misfortune strikes their neighbors. There are the good churchgoing grannies who organize the cemetery workings and rain disapproval on those who don't attend the yearly ritual. Also, the church dinners on the ground and all day gospel singing under the hand-held fans provided by the funeral parlor.

Chance Cahoon's playmates, Will Buck, Ben Henry Swinnard and RC Hickey, form a tight bond of friendship and share the secrets and ghosts of the river. There is Rattler Ransom, who is rumored to be Chance's father. A rawhide of a man, he is a law unto himself. He keeps his own counsel and is quick to defend that right. The tension builds to near disaster when town bullies, Rooster Reddoake and Hunky Hogan, discover the boys boiling peanuts on the river bank one night and drunkenly attempt to settle grudges against Chance's grandfather, Solomon Chance Cahoon. The low key scene on the river is classic, in the vein of Harper Lee's TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD; no heroics, only frightened children who stand their ground against their tormentors, and their strength prevails.

Bowden evokes feelings, memories, of growing up in a long ago age, in a town called Ring Jaw, that still maintains the old values of sharing and caring for their neighbors. His love for the river is an integral part of who he is, and he writes from the heart with the nostalgia and love of a native son who learned all he needed to know at his grandfather's knee

LOOK AND TREMBLE is a book you will want to re-read.

Spellbound. That's what happened to my mind after reading the first chapter of this novel by a country Florida boy, now grown to manhood, and putting words on paper that facinate readers across the world.
Bowden takes actual events from his boyhood memories and fictionalizes them into an overpowering story of murder, terror and ghosts that shadowed his own life, as well as recollections of tales told around the cracker barrel of an isolated country store on rainy days.
The book is a haunting novel of a young man who grew up fatherless in Ring Jaw, and now returns after the death of the man he never knew as his biological father. He encounters spirits from the past that cause him to wonder about his own life.
Bowden has the ability to put words on paper that come alive and take you to the place where he sets the scenes for his story. You see, smell, hear, taste and feel the things he felt when he wrote the novel.
If you like adventure, mystery and a life-changing experience, I highly recommend Look and Tremble.

Set in the Panhandle of Florida several decades ago, this novel gives a gripping account of violence, race and coming of age in a small town. Jesse Earle Bowden, who was editor of the Pensacola News Journal for 31 years, writes with the authority reserved for someone who was there. The story revolves around the secrets of a nearby river that offers up boyhood memories, a headless man, ghosts and, eventually, a modern-day murder. The book is a flashback in time that will appeal to West Floridians as well as just about anyone who wonders how things once were.

I have been a fan of Brenda Strange since the first book "The Burning of Her Sin". I was taken from my Midwest home to the warmth and the sea breezes of Tampa. But Ms. Henderson's latest installment of this series took my heart. From the opening to the unforeseen ending, I was walking with Brenda every step of the way. I greedily consumed this book in one sitting. When I was done I sat astonished.
Thank you Ms. Henderson for giving us Brenda Strange.
Please, please, may we have the next in the series SOON?

I was so glad when The Missing Page was finally published - It meant I got to have another visit with Brenda Strange. The main characters of series I really enjoy are like friends - you really look forward to seeing them again. I was not disappointed with this visit. Brenda is continuing a case she first heard about at the end of the last book. Trying to find a missing rare book. This case has many twists and turns and then theending is a shocker. Please take the time to visit with Brenda and all her friends. You will not regret it.

Tampa P.I. Brenda Strange often finds herself in the middle of weird cases, but even when she's in over her head she never loses hers. Not so for her client, a man in search of a lost manuscript, who is found decapitated. More heads roll as Brenda continues her search for the manuscript and it's author, a magician of the black arts.

Author Patty G. Henderson does not disappoint with this, her third book featuring private detective Brenda Strange. Ms. Henderson dares to go where many writers dare not go by taking readers out of their comfort zone and thrusting them into situations they only experience in nightmares. Now and then she allows you to take a breath, then she grabs you by the collar and drags you to the end of the story, with an unexpected conclusion that will make you gasp.

The Missing Page is a satisfying and heart-thudding read that will make you want to read more about Brenda and her strange investigations. I'll be impatiently waiting for Ms. Henderson's next book in the series.

Private investigator Brenda Strange's cases always seem to start of normal, but you can be sure that they won't end that way. What with living with two ghosts - one who has a crush on her - and attempting to repair her on-again-off-again romance with her lover, Brenda shouldn't expect her life to be average. But when she's contacted by a potential client who wants her to find a missing manuscript, Brenda doesn't expect a string of decapitation murders, a creepy occultist, or a possible formula for immortality.

These mysteries read like an adventure series, with readers left itching for the next installment of the chronicles of Brenda's life. At a relatively brief 164 pages, the reader is sucked immediately for a swift and exciting ride and will be left heartbroken but wanting more. Henderson again delivers a wonderful and thrilling novel that will have readers demanding more Brenda Strange mysteries.

Brenda Strange's new adventure will take her deep into the strange and dangerous world of a man long thought dead who was working on a way to become immortal when he died. When Clifford Satterly calls Brenda from Spain wanting to know how his case was progressing, he sounded desperate and told her time was running out and she had to find the Malenko manuscript and then hung up the phone. As Brenda searches through all the mail that stacked up while she was off work dealing with her mother's death, she is trying to remember what the Malenko manuscript was. She had met Clifford last year at an autograph show in Ft. Lauderdale when he and another dealer, Hilda Moran got into a shouting match over the manuscript. She was interested in buying the manuscript and he claimed that she stole it from him and she was claiming she never received it, in spite of a FedEx signature receipt. So Brenda goes to see Hilda, who once again asserts that the signature is a forgery, who also explains to her that the Malenko manuscript is the last written record left by Conrad Malenko, a Russian occultist who was rumored to have studied under the famous black magician, Aleister Crowley. The manuscript is rumored to have contained a ceremony for eternal life but he disappeared after the Second World War. She then goes on to tell Brenda that there is a curse attached to the manuscript but she doesn't believe in curses.

When her client is found decapitated, Brenda thinks about dropping the investigation but then decides she has an obligation to him to finish the case. And then more brutal killings occur, with all of the victims decapitated but the heads taken. As Brenda digs deeper into the life of Malenko, she discovers that the heads are a part of the ritual and realizes that someone is trying to complete the spell. And this will be a discovery that will plunge her into the worst nightmare of her life and cost her more than she ever thought she could pay. Henderson has once again created a top notch story with an ending so shocking it will take your breath away.

We've been cooking the pork dishes with the salsas and chutneys. Easy to do several at a time and have nice summer food without reheating the kitchen. An even better collection than I first thought.

Mmmmiami is one of the five best Florida/Gulf Coast cookbooks out there. Well, that's my opinion. I've been updating my Amazon "So You'd Like to Guides" and I have one on Key Lime Pie. Take a look at it if you want. Anyway, I've included fifty cookbooks (the maximum Amazon will allow) in all my guides, so I've had a chance to go through my collection. And quite a collection it is, I've got hundreds of cookbooks and I go through them all the time. That's my problem, how to organize them. While going through what I wanted to include in my guides, I started separating them into piles, the ones I couldn't live without and the ones, if I absolutely had to, I could give away as gifts, you know, like if we moved into a very small place.

Mmmmiami is one I could never part with. I love the food and the atmosphere of Florida and the Gulf Coast, have spent a lot of time there, as I'm a sailing lady. I'm also somewhat of a gourmet chef. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, or galley, depending if I'm at home in the States or on our boat in the Caribbean. The recipes here will make your family, or even just yourself, if you live alone, drool. They are mouthwatering good and that's the truth.

Review submitted by Captain Katie Osborne

A wonderful book if I still lived in Miami. The availability of some of the products might be limited to Florida and major metropolitan areas. I would love Carole to publish something from her early cooking classes. I rely on those recipes on a regular basis.

Reading through MMMiami is almost as much fun as actually tasting the results. This readable collection of recipes showcases the best of Miami's tropical and latin cuisine with an emphasis on using only the freshest ingredients available. Sprinkled throughout with helpful hints, historical tidbits, and fun food facts, MMMiami is filled with easy to understand recipes that are sure crowd pleasers. The techniques and tips offer time-saving shortcuts that will help not only for the recipes contained here, but for all of your daily cooking tasks. The authors succeed in sharing their knowledge and love of Florida foods to the rest of us who (until now) have only dreamt of being able to concoct a coconut flan. The chocolate-pecan torte is worth the price of the book alone.

As a former Miamian now living in Virginia, reading this wonderful new book was like taking a trip to my hometown. It has many delicious recipes that seem to me to capture the true essence of tropical cuisine. Try making the Hot and Tangy Black Bean Dip for an easy (and low fat) snack that will wake up your taste buds.I prepared the Calabazas and Sweet Potato Soup for company and received raves reviews from my guests.It's really simple to make and everyone will think you worked all day cooking it.Mmmmiami also offers the reade an interesting history of the growth of So. Florida and the influence that the influx of Latin tourists, businesspeople and immigrants have had on the culture.The book's witty and clever text explains why tropical cuisine is now the hottest food trend sweeping the country.I think this wonderful book should be a staple (like black beans and rice)in the house of any serious cook. I recommend Mmmmiami highly.

Got this book because it was on the Sunshine State Readers list for 3-5 grade. Problem: author uses language that is inappropriate for this age group. Several uses of the word "bu**" another "fa**" and several "b**b", which I find inappropriate for 8 -10 year old kids. My local public elementary school won't even stock the book. Why would Mr. Fogelin do this to an otherwise great kids book?

Both my husband and myself are educators and have had the pleasure of reading many of Adrian Fogelin's books. I felt compelled to write this review both in praise of Mrs. Fogelin's excellent stories, and in reaction the the posting below that complains of the offensive language used in My Brother's Hero.

First, let's make clear what we're talking about: the terms this individual is referring to are the f-word, and two b-words (that's "fart," "butt" and "boob" - yes, I wrote them out without the asterisks...gasp!). Of course, every parent is entitled to decide what is appropriate for their child to read, however, I would be deeply saddened to think that any one would be deprived of the opportunity to experience Mrs. Fogelin's wonderful stories because of (let's say it clearly) some extremely mild language.

Our children are growing up in a world in which anorexic starlets who flit in and out of rehab and forget their underwear are held up as role models; in which a University student can murder two people, compile and mail a deranged manifesto (which is later aired on national television), and then go on to murder 29 others and himself; in a country embroiled in war and fearful of an unknowable, ever-present terrorist threat; and yes, they are keenly aware of, and affected by, all of this.

Adrian Fogelin's stories, which are wonderfully written, are in direct contrast to all of the 'over the top' nonsense that has become our reality. Mrs. Fogelin's books are great because they show kids that it's OK to be who they are, even if what they are is chubby, or poor, or nerdy. They are tales of normal kids, leading normal lives, having friendships, confronting their problems and, here's the kicker, making the right choices, the hard, not the glamorous or instantly-gratifying choices. And yes, the characters do occasionally say things, like 'butt' or 'fart,' but isn't that what kids actually do?

So I guess in a long-winded way I'm saying that Adrian Fogelin's books are a great choice for any parent looking for something meaningful for their kids to read. The characters and situations are often funny and touching, sometimes sad or embarrassing, but always thoughtfully portrayed and in my opinion, completely appropriate for any reader of any age.

As good as the author's award-winning CROSSING JORDAN, this book explores such serious issues as friendship, responsibility, and heroism then laces them with adventure and laugh-out-loud funny lines. The story is absorbing, and the characters will leave you hoping for a sequel.

This book is the 3rd in a series ("Crossing Jordan", "Anna Casey's Place in the World", and "My Brother's Hero") about some kids from a North Florida neighborhood. They get a chance to spend time in the Florida Keys. The characters are terrific and very realistic! The story has things any 4th grade through early high school has experienced: The excitement and risks of adventure, the first dawnings of girl-boy relationships as well as the fun and anxiety of growing up, but don't tell the kids that! To them, it will be a great adventure story set in the colorful Florida Keys full of exotic ocean life! It has a great climax that will keep them riveted! I would recommend all the books in the series:: "Crossing Jordan", "Anna Casey's Place in the World", and "My Brother's Hero".

Adrian Fogelin has the enviable ability to spin an adventure tale in a strong character driven tale. She builds unique and fascinating child and teen characters and lets conflict build naturally with the characters and their circumstances bumping into each other. This is not the easiest way to build a plot in a young adult story--but it creates a bond between readers and characters that is seldom attained by most of today's young adult writers. "My Brother's Hero" not only has sea adventure and unique characters--it also has detailed nautical description of the Florida Keys. Adrian also captures the love/hate relationship between siblings with believability and humor.
This novel is enjoyed by both boys and girls in our middle school media center.
This is a good read. An adult reading it aloud with a child would
find much to enjoy too.

I love this book and have bought it for a few friends children. The CD of the song that comes with the book is wonderful! My husband and I are singing along to it in the car! The reason I gave it four stars, is I would have loved for the author to put the words to the song under each alphabet letter in the story. Overall, it has great illustrations and hand movements to go with it.

I purchased this book for my 5 year old daughter who is in PreK. They are singing the Florida Alphabet at their graduation next week. I got to see a practice round of the song at school and learned there was a book and CD package to have her practice at home too. The book is wonderful with beautiful illustrations and all the words for each letter of the alphabet. It shows the arm movements to accompany each letter to make it more fun. The song is very catchy and fun to sing along with. The only problem is the song will be in your head all day! I would recommend this set for any child learning their letters and sounds.

This was an awesome Book and CD set. My class of 4 and 5 year olds love it. We even performed it in our Preschool Graduatioin !!!!

Kids love this book and song. It is really neat watching your child sing along and do the movements shown in the book. My granddaughter who is only 4 learned this song with movements in a day and never stopped singing it for a week. She loves it. I really think it is worth the money. We both sing it now and do the movements and she lets me know if I get something wrong.

We picked up a copy of this book directly from the authors as a gift to my 3 year-old daughter about a year ago. Back then, she wasn't too crazy about books due to her short attention span, so we just read/sang that book and showed her the motions for each letter before bedtime.

Now, only 12 months later, she loves reading this book. We let her pick from her selection of about 60 books each night and this one pops up at least twice a week. What's cool is that she has a lot of fun singing the letters and now she will do the motions with us too. She is just now at the age where she is making the connections between letters and the sounds they make. I suspect she will hit three letter words within a month or two.

If you have trouble getting your kids to find enjoyment in learning their letters, this book will do the trick. But you have to go through all the motions, that's reading, singing and (literally) going through the motions. Pretty soon you AND your child will be having a blast as you teach them to read.

This book is a treasure for anyone planning to visit the Florida Keys, or even those merely interested in a vicarious experience with one of the country's most astonishing destinations. It also lists resources for people who might want to become more involved with environmental issues. Thoroughly researched and full of valuable insights, Deborah Straw's beautifully-written work resonates for readers who consider the ecosystem important.

Deborah Straws book makes visiting the Keys a wonderful natural approach. This is not a book for high end, hotel and restaurant types - if you are looking for recommendations to such. But for those of us that want to view and explore the beauties of nature, this book is number one. No, not meaning it is a camping book. Instead, it is a book for those wanting to explore the Keys - stay where you may but use this book as a source of great and fun ways to see the natural aspect of the Keys.

If Deborah Straw ever leads a trip to revisit her Natural Wonders of the Florida Keys, I would like to know about it. In her book, she brought back many wonderful memories to me of my three years living in Key West, and traveling all over the keys with my family. It was many years ago, in the 50s, when the keys were more alive with flora and fauna than colorful humans who habitate there now. She made it come alive for me again. I read the book in a night, and am rereading it again. Yes, I think she would be a wonderful guide. Take me there, Deborah.

Natural Wonders of the Florida Keys is a friendly, informative companion for a leisurely journey through our country's sultry southern archipelago. Along the way we are introduced to a wide variety of animals, plants, and ecosystems. There are directions for finding beaches, parks, trails, and organizations dedicated to wildlife and habitat preservation. Thumbnail descriptions of various animals that inhabit the Keys pop up from the narrative like furry heads peering through the bushes. Leafing through the pages, one is surrounded by skinks and alligators. Herons and egrets take flight on our approach, and manatees glide gracefully by. We are introduced to forests, mangroves, reefs, and tropical gardens. There are also hints for observing and interacting with the human fauna, such as the quirky characters who inhabit Mallary Square in Key West.

As the days grow shorter and the temperature outside begins to fall, I can imagine myself hopping into a little sports car, cranking down the top, and pointing it south down Route 1. And who better to accompany me than the author, Deborah Straw? She clearly knows her way around, and sprinkles Natural Wonders with anecdotes, local history, and insider's info. Unlike dense travel guides crammed with useless data, Natural Wonders of the Florida Keys is good reading; introspective, humurous, and insightful. You'll enjoy it even if the closest you get to the Keys is Collins Avenue in Miami Beach.

I liked this book so much I've already given it as a gift. It's aimed at those of us who simply want to enjoy wildlife in its natural surroundings without experiencing too much physical discomfort. In an appealing, conversational style Deborah Straw imparts a wealth of information including the history of each Keys area, tour opportunities, camping facilities, parks, wildlife refuges, etc. For example, in the Key West section you learn about walking tours, a glass bottom boat, the beaches, and how to get easily from Miami to Key West without taking an inconvenient car. You can feel in every page the author's deep love and respect for animals of all kinds. She has definite opinions with regard to their treatment and protection, and this compassionate current runs throughout. She tells the would-be visitor about the climate by season, and she even includes warnings about what NOT to do. And, she looks out for the cost-conscious travelor. At the end of the book is a short reading list and a good index. I haven't been to the Florida Keys yet, but when I go, I'll definitely take along this book.

Ex-cop/ex-husband Mike Garrity is back on the job, this time without his sarcoma sidekick Bob (at least for the time being.)

Living tumor-free is the good news, but there's no shortage of bad news, including a support group with potentially fatal side effects, a killer hurricane, dubious development deals, and quality time in fast food parking lots.

Cavanagh continues to make the most of the street cred he established in Head Games. Locals will enjoy the passing references to Orlando peculiarities such as our civic asparagus and the political quagmire of Parramore.

When a trio of hurricanes slashed across the center of the state a few years ago, we gained an unofficial state motto: Hunker Down. By all means, hunker down with this fresh, fast and funny Florida mystery.

Great beach read. Can't wait until the next book. Quit the day job and get to writing Tom!

Mike Garrity has retired from the police force due to the recent removal of a brain tumor he refers to as "Bob." When A-Plus Investigators offers him a job as a private investigator, he is reluctant but decides he must move on with his life instead of obsessing over when or if the tumor will return. While attending a cancer support group, Mike becomes close to Debbie Watson, who is also a cancer victim. She reveals a secret to him and asks for his help with a personal matter. Mike agrees and his new career begins.

Death is a prominent theme in Prodigal Son. In addition to Mike and Debbie's health problems, Mike takes a case involving a teenager who died of a drug overdose. He has been retained by the child's father to disprove that it was a suicide, as the police have classified it. While investigating this case, Mike is constantly reminded of his own mortality and sees death all around him. The author does an incredible job of personifying death by showing it as a human predator lurking about and waiting for the opportunity to take action.

The book title is a reference to the Bible passage in which a son was lost and has since been found after realizing the errors of his ways. Cavanagh deftly gives the reader insight into Mike's past relationships with his two ex-wives and his teenage daughter and the lengths to which he would go to make up for the past. His thought processes are realistically portrayed and serve as a reminder that people should treat others well because someday it will be too late to atone for one's mistakes.

Prodigal Son is an action-filled novel with numerous plot twists that will keep the reader wondering what could possibly happen next. The manner in which the book ends offers an excellent opportunity for a sequel. I am eagerly awaiting more works from this talented author.

Armchair Interviews agrees.

I have a problem with novels written by Thomas B. Cavanagh. The first is that I can't seem to put them down. Every novel of his, I find that I need to finish them as quickly as I can. They interfere with sleep, lunch, and anything else that I may be doing. Once started, I discover that I keep turning them over in my mind. The second problem is that he writes about characters that you actually like, using dialog that is appropriate for the time and the character. As soon as I was notified that Cavanagh had released a new novel, I knew that I had to read it.

The latest novel by Thomas B. Cavanagh is Prodigal Son. Like his previous novel, Head Games, which introduced the Michael Garrity character, this book picks up shortly after Head Games ends. However, you do not need to read Head Games to enjoy this novel. The main character, Michael Garrity, ex-cop, twice divorced, and the father of a teenage daughter, returns to the streets of Orlando, Florida, looking for a job. Since his cancer is in remission, he now finds that he needs money to keep living as he was planning on dying. As an ex-cop, a job as a private investigator seems to be a natural for him. On the surface, the two cases that he lands don't seem like much; find a child, given up for adoption years ago and investigate the apparent suicide of a popular high school student. But Mike finds himself at the wrong place at the wrong time, charged as a "person of interest" in a particularly grisly murder. If having the police breathing down your neck isn't enough, Cavanagh adds some family issues, a relationship with a cancer survivor with a bad prognosis, and a hurricane. It all adds up to fast paced, well written Florida mystery.

Cavanagh's Garrity character is one of the finest in fiction. He is a beautifully written character, with realistic flaws. The fact that he is a cancer survivor adds an interesting twist, but it also allows for a good, continuing subplot. Death is never far from Mike, and it lends a sense of urgency to everything that he does. As he did in Head Games, Cavanagh keeps the action tight and believable, infuses some excellent plot twists, and introduces a cast of very good supporting characters. He has created a world that I want to visit again, and the ending leaves that option open.

This book is a "must read."

Former police officer Mike Garrity plans to recover from surgery to remove a brain tumor (see HEAD GAMES). However, he considers the advice of his friend Jimmy Hungerford of A-Plus Investigators to become a private investigator as the cases are simple yet will keep him occupied.

Before he can decide whether he feels ready, Mile attends the funeral of teenage suicide Victor Madrigas, a classmate of his daughter Jennifer; the late teen's grieving father Ben believes his son was murdered and after pleading with Mike that he will pay him to investigate, Mike agrees. Mike and fellow cancer survivor support group participant Debbie Watson are attracted to one another. They spend a night together. Her prognosis is very serious so in the morning she begs Mike to find her son she gave up years ago for adoption. Mike agrees. Finally his former wife Cam informs him she is carrying his child. Meanwhile after absorbing the shocker of being a father again, Mike finds Debbie's son, Jonathan Dennis, but his roommate Steven Schumacher keeps Mike from meeting him. When Mike breaks into their apartment, he is greeted by Jonathan's corpse and soon afterward jailed on suspicion of murder. Out on bail, Mike is shocked as Debbie is missing.

Mike has enough on his plate with the cancer, but in some ways he agrees with Jimmy to get back to work soonest so as to avoid a self pity party; all those who care about him will drown him enough with their misguided sympathy. Thus by taking on the two cases, he becomes a role model while the audience obtains a hectic incredibly fast-paced investigative tale as Mike not so gaily and readers quite happily wonder what's going on.

Harriet Klausner